Blood thinners and surgery

[DougWyndham]

What an experience , pleased to hear you're OK now Janet. My range after Aortic valve & root replacement is also 2.5-3.5. I've not flown since my valve replacement surgery 4 years s ago. I find this question you raised interesting so thanks for bringing it up. Another related question - does one have to provide documentation at airports when flying and checking in -regarding the metal detectors?

 

[Agian]

Fair enough Doug.

Someone mentioned Hillary Clinton being on Warfarin, she flies a lot, and so do many of the forum members.

There's heaps of stuff made from metal: artificial knees, pins, stents etc. Mechanical valves aren't metal anyway, but the wires in your sternum are. So in answer to your question, I doubt it. It might be wise to carry the card, which I haven't got yet, from the valve manufacturer... just in case they want to do a full cavity search

 

[Agian]

PS Why is Hillary C on Warfarin anyway?

 

[dick0236]

I've flown many times since my surgery without INR problems......some where international between US and Europe without problem. I have had two bleeding problems (blood in urine) twice in all the years I've been on warfarin....... interestingly, one was also in Spain (Costa del Sole) in the mid 1980s. That was long before self-testing was possible and I've wondered how my INR got that far out of control while on that holiday.......had to be change of diet or drink??

To DougWyndham....I have a ball in metal cage valve and have never had problem going thru metal detectors....and have never had to show evidence of metal valve.....altho it is a good idea to carry "valve ID card" just in case.

 

[dick0236]

PS Why is Hillary C on Warfarin anyway?

From what I've read she has had a couple of blood clots....and anti-coagulant therapy is standard for that problem.

 

[Janet UK]

Sorry about the 3 posts!
Agian - mine is a Mitral valve hence the higher INR range. I was once asked about my self testing Coagucheck machine when we were searched randomly at Manchester Airport. They were happy with a verbal explanation as I forgot the clinic authority. I've never set the metal detector off.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

Glad the surgery went welland you didn't lose sight.

..But getting back to warfarin, it is scary enough having lost my sight in an emergency in a foreign country(!) to having to deal with the INR (which meant waiting) and bridging with heparin. I do wonder if the bleed in my eye was caused by being on warfarin in the first place?

As I understand it warfarin can not and does not cause bleeds, but it makes the bleed worse by being an anti coagulant.
So some thing caused your bleed in your eye (perhaps the flight) and then being anti coagulated your bleed may have been worsened by warfarin.

I say may because given the situation a person not on warfarin may have suffered the same or similar. If we had two of you (one on and one not on) we could find out for sure.
It may seem to be splitting hairs but the thing is that as we age our tissues (like blood vessels) become less flexible and more prone to a tear, meaning a bleed. Being on warfarin will make those bleeds that bit worse.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

Another related question - does one have to provide documentation at airports when flying and checking in -regarding the metal detectors?

I have flown international a few times with my coaguchek and never had a question ever. I would assume that with so many diabetics using machines that are virtually indestinguishable that the operators assume that's what they are.

I'll be flying out to Helsinki from Australia next week again and I assume that I won't have any different experiences at the airports I pass through on the way.

 

[pellicle]

Dick

To DougWyndham....I have a ball in metal cage valve and have never had problem going thru metal detectors....and have never had to show evidence of metal valve.....altho it is a good idea to carry "valve ID card" just in case.

if any trumped up neo-nazi at border made a comment about my heart valve ticking I'll declare that its a surgically implanted time bomb and could kill me at any moment ... I'm up for that.

 

[LondonAndy]

BTW Janet, is your valve mitral or aortic? Just curious because your range is 2.5-3.5. Usual for aortic valves it's 2-3.

Just to chip in: I have a mechanical aortic valve, fitted 2 years ago, and my INR range is 2.5 to 3.5. Though I think this is my surgeon's preference, and might not be typical here in the UK either.

And like Dick says, I've never been challenged (though only flying within Europe so far) despite most of my hand luggage being needles (for insulin), syringes (for different insulin), tablet medication, CoaguCheck XS meter, Blood Glucose meter and enough liquid insulin to need two of those plastic bags! I have a pacemaker too, and initially declared it but didn't have to show any ID card to be "paddle scaned" rather than walk through the arch, but now I just walk through the arch without saying anything about the PM anyway. Not entirely sure what valve I have, but I do know it's carbon fibre, not metal, so I don't expect that to trigger anything, or indeed to be heard in the noisy environment of an airport security area.

 

[Protimenow]

PS Why is Hillary C on Warfarin anyway?

She had a concussion a few years ago, and developed a subdural hematoma (bleeding inside her head, but not directly in the brain). At least, this is how I saw it explained. She's taking warfarin to help reduce the risk of clotting (I'm presuming, clots forming in the healed tissue).

Flying doesn't seem to be bothering her.

 

[DougWyndham]

Dick



if any trumped up neo-nazi at border made a comment about my heart valve ticking I'll declare that its a surgically implanted time bomb and could kill me at any moment ... I'm up for that.

Thanks for the info Agian and Pellicle. I never received a card with my valve :-( Actually I was convinced part of the valve is metal so I've learn something there. Prob wise to get a card so I'll ask the cardiologist next visit. I think Hillary is on warfarin as she had 3 nasty clots form over the years Agian . With Coumadin she's come out "Trumps" ;-)

 

[pellicle]

Hi

happy to help clarify things...

...Actually I was convinced part of the valve is metal so I've learn something there.

not that it really matters what its made of, as long as it keeps ticking right ;-)

For the sake of detail they're commonly made of pyrolytic carbon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrolytic_carbon

its a short page but worth the read

they do have a metallic clink to them if you ever get to play with one (they are magical bits of simplicity and yet high technology

They usually have a sintering (they're a ceramic right) of metal within them (think a dusting) so that they can appear on X-Rays.

Here is one of my X-Rays, note that the wires are totally opaque but the the valve is somehow almost see through. Without the sprinkling of a metal into the carbon before baking it would be invisible to XRay

 

[Agian]

Looks like a UFO.

 

[Protimenow]

The next time I get a chest X-Ray, I'll have to ask to see it.