How and where is Lovenox injection given?

There are 4 main areas where Lovenox can be injected:

• The stomach area (your belly) except for a 2-inch circle around your navel (belly button), and the soft part of your waist, but not anywhere near your spine
• The top and outer part of your thighs, but not your inner thighs or anywhere close to your knee
• The upper area of your buttocks (butt)
• The outer back of your upper arm where there is a pocket of fatty tissue, which is usually easier if somebody else is giving you the injection.

How do you administer Lovenox?

Lovenox is injected just under the skin. The easiest way to do this is to pinch up a fold of skin using your thumb and forefinger if you are injecting into your stomach, thigh, or buttock area, or use your knee to create a pinched up area if you are injecting into your upper, outer arm (or have somebody else administer the injection for you). More detailed instructions are below. Your healthcare professional can also show you how to do it.

To keep your skin from thickening or getting lumpy, try not to inject in the same spot. Instead, rotate injection places.

Do not share your Lovenox injection with anyone. Each injection is for single use only.

Where should Lovenox not be injected?

Lovenox should not be injected into a muscle, an area close to the bone, in a vein, in the face or scalp, in the navel, or the hands or feet. It should only be injected into the abdomen, the outer thigh, the buttocks, or the outer upper arm.

How do you inject Lovenox into the stomach area?

Injecting Lovenox into the stomach area is easy.
1. Clean your hands well with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
2. Fold back any clothing that is covering the injection site.
3. If you want to, wipe the area of skin where you wish to inject Lovenox into with an alcohol swab beforehand, and allow it to dry thoroughly.
4. Take the syringe out of its package.
5. Pinch the skin around the stomach or waist area (but not within 2 inches of the navel) and hold it with your nondominant hand that isn’t holding the syringe.
6. Pull the needle cover straight off and hold the syringe around the middle like a pen or dart. Do not let anything touch the needle.
7. Push the whole needle straight down into your skin in one quick smooth motion at a 90-degree angle (straight up and down). If you are thin, you may find it better to insert the needle at a 45-degree angle.
8. Use your thumb to slowly push the plunger of the syringe all the way in, until all the medicine is injected. When the syringe is empty, pull it out of your skin and throw it away into a sharps container.

How do you give a Lovenox injection in the arm?

Injecting Lovenox into the upper arm can be a bit tricky to do yourself but by using your knee you can create a pinched-up area of skin to inject into. If you find this difficult, for example, if you don’t have much loose skin on your arms, it may be best to choose a different injection site, such as your stomach, buttock, or thigh, or ask somebody else to hold up an area of pinched skin and give your injection for you.

1. Clean your hands well with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
2. Fold back any clothing that is covering the injection site.
3. If you want to, wipe the area of skin where you wish to inject Lovenox into with an alcohol swab beforehand, and allow it to dry thoroughly.
4. Take the syringe out of its package.
5. Sit on the ground and bend your knee, then allow your upper arm to rest on your knee so that it creates a pinch-up area in the fatty tissue at the back of your arm.
6. Pull the needle cover straight off and hold the syringe around the middle like a pen or dart. Do not let anything touch the needle.
7. Push the whole needle straight down into your skin in one quick smooth motion at a 90-degree angle (straight up and down). If you are thin, you may find it better to insert the needle at a 45-degree angle.
8. Stop pinching the skin. Use your thumb to slowly push the plunger of the syringe all the way in, until all the medicine is injected. When the syringe is empty, pull it out of your skin and throw away into a sharps container.

How do you inject Lovenox into the thigh?

1. Clean your hands well with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
2. Fold back any clothing that is covering the injection site.
3. If you want to, wipe the area of skin where you wish to inject Lovenox into with an alcohol swab beforehand, and allow it to dry thoroughly.
4. Take the syringe out of its package. Check to make sure there is an air bubble in the syringe. If you don’t see one, do not use the syringe, instead use a different one.
5. Sit down on a chair or the floor and relax your legs. Pinch up an area of skin on the outer thigh with the hand that isn’t holding the needle.
6. Pull the needle cover straight off and hold the syringe around the middle like a pen or dart. Do not let anything touch the needle.
7. Push the whole needle straight down into your skin in one quick smooth motion at a 90-degree angle (straight up and down). If you are thin, you may find it better to insert the needle at a 45-degree angle.
8. Use your thumb to slowly push the plunger of the syringe all the way in, until all the medicine is injected. When the syringe is empty, pull it out of your skin and throw it away into a sharps container.

How do you inject Lovenox into the buttocks (butt)?

1. Clean your hands well with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
2. Fold back any clothing that is covering the injection site.
3. If you want to, wipe the area of skin where you wish to inject Lovenox into with an alcohol swab beforehand, and allow it to dry thoroughly.
4. Take the syringe out of its package.
5. Uncover the back from the waist to the top of the buttocks. Imagine a line that runs across the back just above the crack between the buttocks. An injection may be given below the waist and above this line. Give the injection halfway between the spine and the side. Pinch up an area of skin in this area with the hand that isn’t holding the needle.
6. Pull the needle cover straight off and hold the syringe around the middle like a pen or dart. Do not let anything touch the needle.
7. Push the whole needle straight down into your skin in one quick smooth motion at a 90-degree angle (straight up and down). If you are thin, you may find it better to insert the needle at a 45-degree angle.
8. Use your thumb to slowly push the plunger of the syringe all the way in, until all the medicine is injected. When the syringe is empty, pull it out of your skin and throw it away into a sharps container.