Question 1

6 months post dvt.ultra sound good.stopping coumadin (warfarin) and in two weeks blood test for fact v ect.wear 30-40 comp hose still. what should i be doing now?

Accepted Answer

Keep compression: Venous disease is lifetime and if you have factor v clotting disorder besides... You should keep wearing medical compression stockings. There are lots of new fashion colors, styles, etc in knee, thigh, panty and leggings: see  vendors for choices and www.Allaboutcompression.Com/ for colors
walk everyday, elevate legs when you can, calf muscle pumping, vein care doctor.

Question 2

porcine valve inserted 10 yrs ago but i got a fib and put on coumadin and bisoprolol.i haven't had a fib for 9 years...should i still be on coumadin ?

Accepted Answer

Clotting Conundrum: Atrial fibrillation is unpredictable and can return at any time.  If an ablation procedure was done and a person remains free of recurrent arrhythmia, anticoagulants are usually stopped after a period of time.  In this situation, stopping or switching to an alternate drug might be an option, since the valvular issue had nothing to do with the AFIB.

Question 3

would stopping my coumadin (warfarin) give me a stroke? i am 78, and have multiple myeloma (untreatable), with copd.

Accepted Answer

Depends: If you're taking Coumadin (warfarin) because of chronic atrial fibrillation or a mechanical artificial heart valve, then stopping Coumadin (warfarin) would put you at risk for a clot in the atrial chambers  or on the valve which could travel to the lungs or organs like the brain. If your heart rhythm is normal there is less risk of stroke or other complications from blood clots. The same is true if your valves are norma.

Question 4

my mom had a blood clot last year.she was on xeralto but it didnt shrink the clot.she is now on coumadin (warfarin) and her blood is getting thicker. why?

Accepted Answer

Difficult to adjust: coumadin (warfarin) is difficult to regulate and is affected by diet activity and many drugs. The target specific anticoagulants (TSA) are much easier to manage. Thicker blood means her dosing needs to be adjusted. If the TSA was not effective I wonder if it was dosed and managed appropriately. Discuss this with your health care professional. The science on this is clear.

Question 5

what could cause blood in urine in an 84 year old who takes coumadin (warfarin)?

Accepted Answer

Warfarin: Anyone on blood thinners is at risk for abnormal bleeding. In the urine a lesion anywhere from the kidney on out through the urinary plumbing could cause blood in the urine.

Question 6

re stopping pradaxa:  how many days in advance my scheduled x-stop spacer implant back surgery should i stop taking this blood thinner?
i take a 150mg capsule twice a day.  i started this prescription on 11/17/2012 and prior to that i took 7.5mg coumadin

Accepted Answer

Consult your doc: This question should have been addressed by your surgeon in consultation with the doctor who put you on it. The proper answer also needs to take into account why you are on the pradaxa. You may need to take Heparin injections between the time you stop the Pradaxa and the surgery.

Question 7

cardiac cath last year. 2days ago site (femoral) started to really hurt bad again. coumadin (warfarin) was above 3.0. any connection. reason for concern about pn?

Accepted Answer

Get it looked at: It's hard to imagine that a cardiac cath site from last year is now bleeding when it was fine before. Depending on the reason you are on coumadin, (warfarin) inr of 3 is not that high. Patients with mechanical mitral valves need inr around 3.5.  But sudden pain in the femoral region continuing for 2 days should get seen by your doctor. It could be something else. And though unlikely i'm not saying impossible.

Question 8

im on blood thinners and my blood count went from 2.5  up to 3.2, what caused this to happen? i've been on coumadin for a year and a half because of blood clots in my lungs, what does the blood count mean?  what is the meaning of 2.5 for example, please e

Accepted Answer

The : The laboratory test you seem to be describing is called an inr (international normalized ratio).  The inr measures the time it takes for your blood to clot and compares it to a normal average.  The higher the inr, the longer it takes blood to clot.  If the inr is too high, there is a risk of uncontrolled bleeding. 
The inr helps in monitoring the dose of blood thinners.  In people not on blood thinners, the inr is about 1.0.  For patients on blood thinners, the inr should generally be between 2.0 and 3.0 for treating blood clots in the lungs.  The appropriate inr should be individualized for each patient.  An inr can be too high; a number greater than 4.0 may indicate that blood is clotting too slowly, creating a risk of uncontrolled bleeding.  An inr less than 2.0 may not provide adequate protection from clotting.  
If you are on blood thinners many drugs can affect bleeding/clotting risk such as: aspirin, ibuprofen, antibiotics, and birth control pills.  Do not take any prescription or nonprescription medicines without first talking to the doctor who follows your inr test results.  Foods high in vitamin k can affect blood clotting.  Broccoli, lettuce, spinach and liver are all high in vitamin k.  It is important to consume a consistent amount of these foods to avoid changes in your bleeding/clotting risks.  It is important to have follow up blood tests regularly and to know your medication dosage and inr.  Report any unusual bleeding or bruising to your physician.

Question 9

can coumadin (warfarin) cause pain/swelling in joints? how about an elevated alt (149). had hep c exposure 1 year ago from patient. thank you.

Accepted Answer

Doubt coumadin (warfarin)...: Check hepatitis serologies. Joint pains are nonspecific, lots of potential causes including hep c. See your doc.

Question 10

mom dx with clot last year.on coumadin (warfarin) and her level is 1.9. leg with clot is now swollen like it was the day in the er. not hot not red, but worried.

Accepted Answer

Get an US leg: Her Coumadin (warfarin) level is OK, though slightly lower. If her leg with clot is now swollen again, she should go to ER and get another US (ultrasound) for evaluation. Not commonly, sometimes we do see new clot develops on therapeutic INR (2-3).

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Doctor answers about:

Why is coumadin still in my system after stopping the drug over a year ago

A member asked:

6 months post dvt.ultra sound good.stopping coumadin (warfarin) and in two weeks blood test for fact v ect.wear 30-40 comp hose still. what should i be doing now?

A member asked:

Porcine valve inserted 10 yrs ago but i got a fib and put on coumadin and bisoprolol.i haven't had a fib for 9 years...should i still be on coumadin ?

A member asked:

Would stopping my coumadin (warfarin) give me a stroke? i am 78, and have multiple myeloma (untreatable), with copd.

A member asked:

My mom had a blood clot last year.she was on xeralto but it didnt shrink the clot.she is now on coumadin (warfarin) and her blood is getting thicker. why?

A member asked:

What could cause blood in urine in an 84 year old who takes coumadin (warfarin)?

A member asked:

Re stopping pradaxa: how many days in advance my scheduled x-stop spacer implant back surgery should i stop taking this blood thinner? i take a 150mg capsule twice a day. i started this prescription on 11/17/2012 and prior to that i took 7.5mg coumadin

A member asked:

Cardiac cath last year. 2days ago site (femoral) started to really hurt bad again. coumadin (warfarin) was above 3.0. any connection. reason for concern about pn?

A member asked:

Im on blood thinners and my blood count went from 2.5 up to 3.2, what caused this to happen? i've been on coumadin for a year and a half because of blood clots in my lungs, what does the blood count mean? what is the meaning of 2.5 for example, please e

A member asked:

Can coumadin (warfarin) cause pain/swelling in joints? how about an elevated alt (149). had hep c exposure 1 year ago from patient. thank you.

A member asked:

Mom dx with clot last year.on coumadin (warfarin) and her level is 1.9. leg with clot is now swollen like it was the day in the er. not hot not red, but worried.

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