Cardiac Catheterizations

[Guest]

I had the opportunity to hear a doctor from a major medical center talk last weekend. He said that he routinely does cardiac catheterizations with INRs of 2.2. He said that he doesn't like to do them with higher INRs but he has when it was an emergency.

This really put to shame the people who want to hold warfarin for a week to get the teeth cleaned or remove an ingrown toenail doesn't it?

 

[Nancy]

Joe had a right and left cath in May when he was a patient in the hospital. His doctors said they routinely did them with anticoagulation. It was a non-issue for them. I'm sure they didn't do them with it very high, but they did not hold anticoagulation. Joe happened to be on Heparin anyway, and he went to the cath lab with his Heparin IV on the gurney.

 

[geebee]

The cath I had before my last OHS was done with an INR of 2.6. The cath lab nurses had fits when they saw my blood work results on the chart and told me the cath couldn't be done. My cardio came in and told them it would be done. They actually refused to take responsibility for the sand bag pressure after the cath and my cardio sat with me applying the pressure.
I had been having so many TIAs, he did not want to take me off coumadin as he felt the chance of a stroke was greater than excess bleeding from the cath site.
The nurses were quite annoyed but he didn't back down.
I was fine and had no problems, in fact, I had more problems with the first cath I ever had before my first OHS.

 

[Natanni]

WHAT? Hold the coumadin for teeth cleaning???

WHAT? Hold the coumadin for teeth cleaning???

Oh geez, it just seems like I keep hearing more and more that makes me nervous. Some people suggest that you stop your coumadin for a teeth cleaning? That would seem like a very scary thing to do for a little bleeding gums, but then I am wayyyyy to new at this.

 

[geebee]

Absolutely do not stop coumadin for teeth cleaning or even for the majority of dental procedures.
Please ask us and don't listen to the horror stories.

 

[Karlynn]

Oh geez, it just seems like I keep hearing more and more that makes me nervous. Some people suggest that you stop your coumadin for a teeth cleaning? That would seem like a very scary thing to do for a little bleeding gums, but then I am wayyyyy to new at this.

Bookmark Al's site - www.warfarinfo.com You will find it a real blessing.

Don't be afraid to run anything that you question by us here. You will soon get to know the correct way to manage coumadin just by the discussions that go on here. This way, if someone gives you questionable advice - your bells will go off.

 

[lance]

Warfarin and dentists

Warfarin and dentists

Oh geez, it just seems like I keep hearing more and more that makes me nervous. Some people suggest that you stop your coumadin for a teeth cleaning? That would seem like a very scary thing to do for a little bleeding gums, but then I am wayyyyy to new at this.

Actually the "some people" you refer to was my dentist. As I recall we had a discussion about removing warfarin for five days and when I declined he treated me like I had in infectious disease. PCP straightened things out.

When you're warfarinized for life you really need to be well informed and roll with the punches.

 

[John & Joann]

34 years of Coumadin experience. If any doctor says to stop the Coumadin, they go on the list as being uninformed. We will only go off Coumadin with Cleveland Clinic involvement.

I live because I am informed!!!!

Recent fall, CAT scan, major bruise, and slight bleeding in the eye. This is the BIGGEST issue that I have had with Coumadin for a long time.

Hope that the flashing in the eye goes away soon! Had this once before and specialist said that this is not unusual for a Coumadin patient.