Al or anyone... ER and ppt

[Missy]

Had to go to ER, in the middle of the night, naturally! My coumadin level was high as I knew it would be. I hadn't got to eat my normal diet for the day. So knew what that part was with the dizziness and feeling funny. But along with that my heart seemed to be having trouble. ER ran all the tests and panicked. They said my inr was 3.95; pt was 23.9; and the problem was ppt was 249 when it should have been 34. They were expecting a bleed and preparing me to go to nearest city as this hospital couldn't handle it and finally a hemotologist at the big hospital said that unless I was on heparin or had taken something it couldn't be. Said to recheck. Bingo!! Lab error! Ppt was 48 which was still high.
Along with that they found that my thyroid was acting up. Hypothyroidism) I already take Synthroid for it but they found it was worse. And it was causing some of my problems. So have to take more synthroid. I knew it was all connected with the afib but I guess it really is a touchy thing. This is the second time this has happened to me.
I am not totally familiar with the ppt as my doctors have never used that term much. It used to be they mentioned pt some but mostly now just refer to the inr.
Can Al or anyone explain it better? I would have found out more at the er but just wasn't thinking then. Same at the dr. next day.
Thanks,
Missy

 

[Ross]

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/aptt/test.html

 

[Guest]

I think you had an incompetent doctor. Unless you went to the ER with an IV line in your arm running heparin, there was no reason to run a PTT (not ppt). The PTT has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with warfarin, it measures the effect of heparin. After as little as 12 hours without heparin the PTT is almost meaningless.

Furthermore if am INR of 3.95 was serious, there would not be anyone left on this website to respond to your posting.

The hematologist is probably still cussing about getting awakened for those questions!!

Changing the dose of Synthroid will affect your INR. You will need to check it weekly until it stabilizes with the new Synthroid and warfarin doses.

You should make a complaint to the hospital administration about the level of the ER physician's competence.

 

[Missy]

Thanks again guys!
I learned something! I know now why I the only other times I heard about it was when I was on heparin. That is why the hemotologist said that. By the way it was an er dr. And he said he was a really a pediatrician. By his own admission he didn't know lots about it. So can't say too much I guess. I live in a small town and I am thankful that he called someone who knew.

 

[LDS4EVER]

TO MISSY

TO MISSY

Missy , Hi Im chris i had to go into hospital in sept for having a high INR level but they never gave me heprin they gave me 5 pints of blood i had brusies all over my body it was terrible i had a blood clot in my pelivs it hurt too i couldnt walk good i was such a mess missy it was terrible i was so weak the dr said your lucky you didnt have a bleed or stroke and im only 47 i had my AVR 3 YRS AGO and my older daughter was there when the dr came in and she was my advocate one dr said i didnt have a clot the other said i did my daughter said if its yoru negelct we have already spoken to a lawyer i even tried to call mydr and he was gone out of town and he had a pa in his place now i have found a good dr at a heart institute for womens heart disease she is tested me friday with a machine and the inr was way too high she said this isnt good so im so happy but you must take care of yoruself missy be your own adovcate taker care chris

 

[Missy]

Thank you Chris!
Is your inr okay now? I hope you are feeling better. Sounds like you have had a rough time.
They didn't give me heparin at the hospital this time but I have had heparin before for different things. Lovenox once.
Missy