Sad tale

[catwoman]

A friend's father is in a nursing home room at a very nice retirement facility in Fort Worth.
Friend told me Saturday that she recently chatted with son of another resident in a similar room. His mom, age 82, has a mechanical mitral valve. Dtr decided that because mom has never had a colonoscopy, she needed one even though she had no symptoms of problems.
Doctor (don't know if it was just the GI or who) took woman off warfarin for a week. Had colonoscopy during this time. Then had a massive stroke. This was around December (2004).
My friend has heard me talk about Lovenox (her dad was given it recently during a hospital stay, to prevent clots due to inactivity), and asked the woman's son if she had been given any bridge therapy.
Nope.
Now she's incapable of doing anything for herself.
Sounds like Warren R's father.

I told my husband about this and said under no circumstances am I ever to be taken off warfarin without any bridge therapy.
I may have that tattooed across my forehead.

 

[Barry]

This is clear medical malpractice, very legitimate grounds for a lawsuit for compensatory, if not punitive, damages. Also should be reported to the licensing agencies of the facility and staff. If you don't know that bridging therapy is needed for Coumadin patients, you shouldn't treat Coumadin patients. Also weird in that when I got my colonoscopy I just stayed on my Coumadin.

 

[catwoman]

I saw paperwork from the GI practice when my husband had a colonoscopy last month. Second page said to go off Coumadin before the procedure.

When I saw the GI last August, he said that he usually has patients go off Coumadin for the procedure -- except when the Coumadin is taken for a mechanical heart valve, particularly mitrals.

I don't know if the woman who had the stroke in December had informed the GI practice about why she was taking Coumadin....

 

[Nancy]

Doesn't matter if she told them or not. She has a chart and they should have read it.

This is the very worst kind of doctoring. I am so sad to read this.

Bridging therapy is a WELL KNOWN FACT in the medical profession. I guess people in that profession are just as lazy as the rest of us. It's a total pain to have to monitor that stuff. Obviously they don't care if they cause harm or not.

 

[tobagotwo]

She shouldn't have to. Aside from the fact that he is required to at least browse her records, had he never put a stethoscope to her chest at all?

At 82, why the heck was he bothering her anyway?

Best wishes,

 

[Yaps]

Oh

Oh

this is awful, I go for frequent pipe cleaning(angio's , stents etc) and am taken off coumadin before procedure's , they check my inr about ..oh..seems like every 5 minutes (sure its not).. after ,back on either heparin or a lovenox shot (which is good except the bruising is horrific), with severe cad , I block up bad..(football player in me somewhere??), without proper care this could be me.. have 15 blockages in legs etc , they cant do anything about.... oh mercy....

 

[Karlynn]

It's a sad story and sadder even that we have to worry so much about making sure our doctors follow prescribed protocol when dealing with those of us on warfarin. Marcia, I too have continually told my husband that if I was ever unable to speak for myself and was in a situation where tests were being done, or surgery, that he should grill them extensively on what their plans are for my warfarin management. I've told him that he is to never let anyone leave me unprotected by warfarin or lovenox or heparin unless I'm in the midst of surgery.

 

[Guest]

I just posted a new thread under Valve Selection about a woman in Japan who went 25 years without warfarin and all that happened was that the Starr-Edwards valve wore out. She evidently hadn't even been to a doctor for 25 years.

There is a lot about this drug that we do not know yet.

I agree that bridging produces more good than bad but there are enough stories like this about people who bled with bridging that it is hard to convince a lot of doctors.

Then look at people like Hosacktom. He had a bunch of nusiance bleeding but it was nothing when compared to a stroke.

Doctors fear bleeding and patients fear strokes.

 

[catwoman]

Al:
Does the fact that the woman in Japan had a mechanical valve in the aortic position -- rather than mitral -- make any difference on likelihood of throwing clots?

 

[Guest]

Probably, but remember that this was a Starr-Edwards valve (1960's technology).

I have a picture of the S-E that was taken out of RCB years ago. Look at http://warfarinfo.com/warfarinfor43years.htm

 

[tommy]

Marsha,

Very sad story, and unnecessary at that.

Does the fact that the woman in Japan had a mechanical valve in the aortic position -- rather than mitral -- make any difference on likelihood of throwing clots?

Yes, The ASGE Guidelines list the mitral valve position as higher risk. I think that is because the aortic flow is so much stronger, having to pump blood to the far reaches of the body.

Then look at people like Hosacktom. He had a bunch of nusiance bleeding but it was nothing when compared to a stroke.

Amen!

Doctors fear bleeding and patients fear strokes.

Profound perspective.

 

[catwoman]

Probably, but remember that this was a Starr-Edwards valve (1960's technology).

I have a picture of the S-E that was taken out of RCB years ago. Look at http://warfarinfo.com/warfarinfor43years.htm

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!