If I were in your situation not taking blood thinners would not be an option.
Virchows triad (stasis, injury, hypercoagulability) puts you at risk for blood clots.
After having major orthopedic surgery you fit the defition of someone who is a sitting duck for blood clots. As already mentioned you can get an pulmonary embolism and die. Or in some cases get a clot that can make its way to the brain and result in massive stroke (worse than death IMO). Add to that smoking and obesity then even greater risk.
Also, also mentioned by CCMidest, vit K makes you clot even more.... in fact when patients have blood level that is too thin from warfarin it can be reversed with vit K to make them clot. People who take warfarin regularly even have to be careful with their diet and amount of green leafy vegetable etc. If I were you I would avoid vit K post surgery unless your blood level became exceedingly thin for whatever reason.
How long after LL could I begin taking it again?
Do you think I could I start taking it as soon as Paley says it's time to get off the blood thinner?
I don't see how it would matter if I'm taking vitamin K again one year after lengthening or something...As I use it as a health supplement and it is healthy. Vitamin K alone won't cause blood clots, not to mention I also take MANY natural blood thinners, like krill oil, diet high in fatty fish, turmeric, a variety of adaptogens that can and do thin the blood, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, gingko biloba, all my vitamins and micro nutrients like Vitamin E and C which can thin the blood, ginger root, etc...all of these supplements also prevent blood clots, which is why I believe an anti-coagulant is foolish and unnecessary to prescribe to me while I take all this stuff. Same with anti-inflammatory drugs because I consume so many natural anti inflammatory supplements and foods. I'm in excellent shape and very low bodyfat so I would be at an extremely low risk of a blood clot.
Individuals under blood thinning medications should increase consumption of vitamin K as it interacts with them. Consumption of kales, broccoli, lettuce, turnip greens, mustard greens, soybeans and canola increases levels of vitamin K in the body.
http://bloodclotrecovery.net/warfarin-and-vitamin-k/