5.2- and swollen leg

[sportsmom12]

I haven't written in awhile- things seemed to be going better. My husband had aorta valve replacement surgery in January and had a defib put in. His INR fluxiates a little month to month. He went back to work in April(but of course got laid off at the end of the month) Found a new job last week- and of course has a new set of problems. HIs new job is alot of walking. He thinks he pulled something in his leg right before he started his new job. Anyways- by the end of the week his leg was really sore and swollen. I made him go to the hospital today. They said they think he might have tore a little cartlidge and since his blood reading is so high 5.2 there is some bleeding in his leg causing the swelling. They told him to hold his coumatin until Monday and then go to his cardioligist. That makes me very nervous. Last time he held his coumatin, he went to 2.0- and he wound up back in the hospital getting shots.

Any advise?
thanks

 

[Granbonny]

Hi

Hi

Who is managing your hubby's coumadin? How often does he test? 2.0 is not that bad..He could have raised it by adding a tad every day..It would have come back into range.. I think it is 10% of weekly dose to add. Same thing when high..but please e-mail Al..He is the one to help out. Also adding some greens and drinking V-8 juice lowers it. Holding..???Will probably lower too much..but just my 2 cents. Bonnie

 

[Nancy]

My own feeling is that the bleeding in his leg has to get under control, with that possible torn cartilage, otherwise he'll be in more pain. The cardiologist will probably take a protime, right, on Monday? If not, you should make sure that he gets one.

I hope things work out for him with no further problems, it sounds painful enough as it is.

Take care,

 

[sportsmom12]

He goes to a coumadin clinic

He goes to a coumadin clinic

He goes every other week to a coumadin clinic. He has been around 3.8 for awhile. His doctor left the practice and he went to the lab at the hospital this week. I told him I believe the difference in the clinics and testing may have contributed to the high reading. When he got his reading on Tuesday at 4.8- they just had him cut back. But when he went to the ER today due to his swollen leg- they were the ones that told him to hold for two days(they were worried his leg might be bleeding and that was why it was so swollen up)

I think he decided to just got back and wait until Monday. Makes you wonder what ERs are good for.

 

[Nancy]

Well, you should insist that he get another protime on Monday, no matter what. It's better to have him be safe. They'll probably get annoyed, but who cares? It's your husband's health.

 

[Ross]

If he's 5.2 and possibly bleeding, then holding is the thing to do until he's close to therapeutic range. Definately nag them to check his INR Monday and get whatever dosage adjustment he needs started.

 

[sportsmom12]

Went with our instinct- reading is 3.5

Went with our instinct- reading is 3.5

Husband had his blood checked yesterday- he didn't hold, but cut back. Reading was 3.5. That is the good news. The bad news is he still has his leg problem- but they think they can fix that with minor surgery. His cardiologist was very happy he didn't hold for two days!