Really Worried, Tooth Extraction

[Ross]

I, like Ross, had a nightmare a year ago having my wisdom teeth pulled. On the day of my extraction, I was told to get back on coumadin and to give myself the the Lovenox injection. We'll, 2-3 days later when the coumadin kicked in with the Lovenox, my gums turned to mush and I ended up in the hospital with massive bleeding. The oral surgeon was furious. He said I should have stayed off the coumadin for a couple more days and I would have been fine. Two weeks ago, I had surgery to have one of my broken sternum wires removed. The surgeon, told me to stop the coumadin 2 days prior. My level dropped to 1.4 and they did the surgery without a problem with local anesthetic. I got right back onto to the coumadin and within 4 days I was very close ( 2.1) to the normal range ( 2.5-3.5).

Starting your Coumadin back up wasn't the problem. It was the Lovenox. These darn doctors will never learn. On my second emergency admission, the new doctor told them to lay off the Lovenox and simply start my Coumadin back up. Things worked fine after that.

 

[Blake777]

I don't know why we have to deal with stupid doctors. I don't know what to do. Should I just get the one tooth pulled and be nagga tooth, lol. I am scared and lord knows I don't need anymore problems.
The other teeth are fine, except the other one in the front may have a little decay on the side, not really sure though. I just know that they are probably going to try to bridge me with Lovenox if they put me in the hospital. Have to make a decision soon though, this tooth is about to fall out and it hurts.

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[Ross]

Blake if you have to go to the hospital and bridge, when it's over with, start Coumadin only. Forget the Lovenox. Lovenox willl make you bleed far worse then Coumadin will. The way it should be done is, Stop Coumadin, when INR hits 2.0, begin Lovenox until 12 to 16 hours before surgery. After surgery and once all bleeding is under control, restart Coumadin and Coumadin only.

 

[Blake777]

Thanks Ross! Hopefully I can do this, but seriously thinking about not doing it at all. Just getting one tooth pulled and maybe finding another dentist to put in a partial for that one tooth, what the other dentist claims can't be done.

Thanks again!

 

[Ross]

I hope it works out for ya. I had no choices, mine were too badly infected and quite a few more ready to infect. The oral surgeon told me that one more week and I might not have been around. I know I was eating Darvocet like candy for a month before surgery just to dull the pain.

 

[james]

I thought the Coumadin arm of the On-X study had you at 1.5-2.5 INR anyhow?

 

[catwoman]

I thought the Coumadin arm of the On-X study had you at 1.5-2.5 INR anyhow?

If you're referring to the current trials, I thought they were only on low-risk patients, i.e., those with aortic valves. I haven't heard any ranges given for those with mitral valves.