I agree with Tommy and Karlynn. This site has a large population of Coumadin (warfarin) users, and I have never seen a post or even a mention about Coumadin-induced lethargy. Sounds like someone was using it for an excuse, or was mixing it up with other medications they are taking, such as blood pressure prescriptions, which are famous for causing lethargy in some patients.
As far as Coumadin: Forget about bleeding to death while shaving. Forget about that minor fall hurtling you into the grave. Forget about never being able to eat vegetables again. Balderdash. Old wives' tales. Even some doctors, nurses,and receptionists still recite this ignorant liturgy, having never acquainted themselves with an actual user community like the one that visits here.
The bleeding concern is centered largely on intracranial and gastrointestinal bleeding. You have to hit your head pretty hard to do that much damage to your melon. You would likely be in somewhat more risk with a spleen injury from an auto accident. But it's likely that the difference in chances for a warfarin user vs. someone not on ACT (AntiCoagulation Therapy) is a much finer line than you'd suspect. We've had a few post here after a solid noggin thump, on their way to the ER, believing they might be typing out their last, only to be embarrassingly alive and healthy the next day.
Not that it's without its drawbacks. It does inflict some discipline on your life. It does mean being more regular with what you eat (not punitively, but some care to avoid a wandering INR), not missing your dose, having to wait at labs, blood testing, bridging therapy for some medical procedures, interactions with other drugs, the ignorance of dentists, and some concerns about poorly-trained medical personnel at the local ER.
However, one of the things it does do is allow the use of a permanent pyrolytic carbon valve, which will greatly reduce your likelihood of having another heart surgery. In fact, if your only heart issue is an aortic or mitral valve problem, you will probably never need OHS again.
Take some time to read through the Coumadin forum to familiarize yourself with the pros and cons. There are people here who've taken it for decades, and they live normal lives. Generally speaking, the life expectancy is about the same over time for mechanical and tissue valves, being improved for carbon (mechanical) valves in younger people, and being slightly better for tissue valves (xenografts) in the retirement crowd.
Best wishes,
