FRAGMIN
Please bring this booklet the day of your surgery.
QHC#72
Fragmin (dalteparin sodium injection); an anticoagulant
(blood thinner) is used to help prevent blood clots after
surgery.
While on Fragmin, you should avoid taking Aspirin,
Ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, vitamin E, any herbal
remedies (i.e. garlic, ginger, gingko, ginseng and Lakota
products) and any other blood thinner medication
without first consulting your doctor. Do not drink
alcohol while taking blood thinners.
Inform all healthcare professionals (doctors, dentists)
that you come in contact with that you are taking
Fragmin. Carry a card in your purse or wallet that says
you are taking a blood thinner. Carry the card only
while you take the medicine.
Fragmin should be injected at the same time each day.
It is important that you take your medication exactly as
directed. Do not change your dosing schedule without
talking to your health care provider. If you miss a dose,
take your usual dose as soon as you remember.
However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip
the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing
schedule. Do not double doses. Call your doctor to let
him know.
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To store this medicine
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Keep out of reach of children
Store at room temperature
Store away from heat and direct light
Do not refrigerate
Do not keep outdated medicine. Be sure that any
discarded medicine is out of reach of children
Before you leave the hospital, your nurse will have
given you and/or a family member instruction on how
to give the injections.
Fragmin comes in a prefilled safety syringe.
Before you administer Fragmin, look at the solution
closely. It should be clear and free of floating material.
Do not use the solution if it is discolored, if it contains
particles, or if the container leaks. Use a new solution,
but show the damaged one to your doctor and/or
pharmacist.
2
Before starting the injection, you will need to wash
your hands thoroughly.
Open the syringe package and remove the syringe,
holding it by the open sides. Be careful not to press
the plunger, as this could cause some of the
premeasured dose to accidentally spill.
Sit in a comfortable position. Choose a place on your
abdomen (avoid the area around the umbilicus).
Remember to use a different site each day. You must
give your shot in the fatty tissue under your skin.
Pinch a fold of skin together with the thumb and
fingers of one hand.
3
Clean the site well with an alcohol swab or cotton ball
soaked in alcohol.
Remove the cap from the Fragmin syringe. Pull the
cap straight off to keep the needle from bending.
Hold the syringe in one hand, like a pencil or a dart.
With your other hand, insert the needle into the fold of
skin at a 90 degree angle. Slowly depress the plunger
until the syringe is completely empty.
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With your finger still on the plunger, remove the needle
at the same angle that it was inserted, releasing the fold
of skin as you do. Remove your finger from the
plunger and the safety guard will automatically slide
over the needle.
With an alcohol swab, apply pressure for 2 minutes to
the site. Do not rub the site.
Immediately dispose of the syringe in a puncture
resistant container, such as a metal coffee tin or a
sharp’s container, which can be purchased at your
pharmacy. Store the container in a safe place away
from children and pets.
Do not throw your used syringe and needle into a
household wastebasket or trash can. Your pharmacist
will give you instructions on disposing of the needles.
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Since Fragmin is injected into the skin, the injection site
may be sore or red. You may even get a bruise ranging
from the site of a pinprick to the size of a quarter.
If you find a lump at the injection site, don’t worry. It
is just fluid and will be absorbed into your body.
Remember to choose a different site each day for your
injections.
Although side effects from Fragmin are not common,
they can occur. If you experience any of the following
symptoms, call your doctor or come to the nearest
Emergency Department:
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Bleeding gums
Nose bleeds
Blood in your urine or stool
Black, tarry stools
Vomiting or coughing up blood
Increased bruising
Pain, swelling, redness or warmth in your legs
Shortness of breath
Chest pain or rapid heart beat
Feeling faint or weak
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Developed By: Surgical Services, 2005
Approved By: Department of Orthopaedics, Quinte Healthcare
Revised: July, 2008
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