Search results

I saw my gastroenterologist today and set up my every-5-year colonoscopy in 2 weeks. He noted that I am on warfarin for a mechanical valve and he told me to continue the warfarin (just like in 2008). I reminded him that in 2008, he had me drop my INR to 2.5 (my range is 2.5-3.5). He asked what...

I can almost guarantee that I will sport bruises on my legs after flying. That's because folks are in a rush to get their luggage out of the overheads and head for home, their hotel, whatever. I've had huge bruises on my big toes 3 times in the last year from folks sitting their luggage on my...

Those statistics are great on paper -- unless you're the 1-percenter. (And if you're off anticoagulation for 1 week, does that "1 percent per day chance risk of stroke" mean you have a 7% chance of a stroke? I don't think that's a 1 percent per day risk.) I've been a 1- to 5-percenter 3...

I will definitely consider Golf's Steak House for Saturday night -- online menu looks very good, affordable and you get the salad bar -- and also the Country Boy Restaurant, for soup & a Greek salad Friday night.

Gary: Are you also taking aspirin? If so, that could be factoring into your bruises. At one time, I took aspirin in addition to warfarin, and had some pretty nice bruises. I dropped the aspirin (my current cardio says there's no need for me to take it daily), and the bruising decreased...

Greg: Thanks for the info! I've been doing a lot of online research, but haven't found much. Will check out these links. A co-worker is from Toronto, still has Canadian citizenship, and has told me a little. I'm staying at the Residence & Conference Centre in Kitchener -- a special deal for...

Checked out the menu, and will put that on my list of options to consider.

I am heading to Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, for the Memorial Day weekend. Am trying to find a list of possible restaurants to try out. Will only be there 2 nights (Friday & Saturday). I am going there for a cat show in Cambridge. I am usually judging at shows, and I'm looking forward to being...

My guess is that MVP may run in your family. There have been a few members here who have stories like yours, and a former co-worker has a family history, too. In her case, all her siblings have MVP + her mom and an aunt. I would certainly ask your doctor about familial MVP. When my husband...

I haven't found being on warfarin to be difficult. I home-test and adjust my own dosage, with my family doctor's blessing. I have had to remember to LOOK AT WHAT I AM DOING when using knives, instead of glancing at the TV or whatever; I have cut myself pretty good on two occasions. But -- anyone...

I haven't seen any mention of the stroke risks with any procedure that requires cardiac catheterization. Catheterization can dislodge aortic plaques. A friend had a stroke right after a heart cath. Her husband was driving the car around to the hospital's entrance after the heart cath, came in to...

Allison: Do you get results of all lab work? If not, you should. My PCP emails me lab results and I keep them in an e-file, then provide my cardio a copy when I go for my annual visit. Your doctor should be delving into WHY your creatinine levels are increasing, and work on getting it down...

When I was in the hospital after my MVR 10 years ago, my surgeon said that a replacement for warfarin was waiting in the wings. Well, that was Exanta (AstraZeneca) but it was withdrawn due to liver damage. My family doctor & I have talked about the so-called promising replacements for warfarin...

Because my family doctor writes RXes so I can split my tablets, I have at least 6 months' worth on hand. Just picked up 1mg, 2mg and 10mg tablets. 90 count bottles, tonight at Walmart. I am more paranoid about forgetting to refill my 7-day pill container than I am about some disaster affecting...

I wouldn't try going without warfarin. I carry an emergency stash of all meds in my 2 rolling suitcases and both overnight pieces and in my briefcase when I judge cat shows. Last Friday I failed to refill my 7-day pillbox and en route to Oklahoma City to judge a cat show I realized my error...

I agree. And I'm not too particularly worried, because if some disaster hits, many people with varied health problems will be affected -- those needing O2, insulin, anti-arrhythmics, etc. Here are 3 posts by now-retired pharmacist Al Lodwick who ran a Coumadin clinic at a Colorado hospital...

Glad you like your new "accessory." I was almost 53 when I had my MVR. My grandmothers were 99 years 5 months and 94-95 when they died, and my parents are still alive today (84 & 86). I took that into consideration. Folks frequently report their hearts and/or valves are noisier post-op, until...

How far away was your daughter when she heard your valve ticking and what had you just been doing -- weight-lifting, running a marathon, sleeping, watching TV, etc.? Nearly 10 years post-op, I seldom hear my valve ticking and that's only in a small tiled room, such as a bathroom. My niece &...

Suggest asking your cardio for a TEE instead of an echo. It will show more details than a regular echo. I have some regurge around my St. Jude. After my annual echo in 2007, my cardio ordered a TEE. I changed cardios in 2009, and when I saw the new doctor after having my echo, he ordered a TEE...

I have an INRatio and I buy my strips online. I always inquire about the expiration date before placing the order and look at buyers' feedback on the business. I usually buy from 1 or 2 sellers. My first machine, a ProTime 3, did detect expiration dates on strips. The INRatio doesn't but it does...