Society of Thoracic Surgeons Risk Calculator

[StretchL]

Goodness Gracious

Goodness Gracious

I thought this thread had died and gone to heaven... or wherever.

I'll mention this just because it came up in conversation today, at the hospital, when I was in for pre-op for some outpatient type thing to happen next Monday.

I saw one nurse practitioner (aren't the GREAT???!) and one nurse, separately, within the course of about 10 minutes. I asked each of them, theoretically, how much more complex this procedure would be if I was on warfarin. The first said that it would be a bit more complicated, but they'd probably just keep the warfarin going and go ahead with the surgery. The second said that it would be a bit more complicated but they'd probably just stop the warfarin and put me no something (I forget what) as a bridge.

Two completely contradictory answers from two medical professionals looking at the same charts within a few minutes of one another...

Seems like a little too much guess work for me...

 

[Karlynn]

Rain, I think you are reading too much inflection into my post and are coming from the perspective that I'm trying to pick apart what you are saying. I'm just trying to clarify what you are misunderstanding from me. I didn't say you said you were unhappy with your valve. I said I was suprised to read you weren't unhappy with it because it was my impression, given your posts on warfarin over the years, that you probably would have much prefered having a tissue valve so you didn't have to be on warfarin. The rocking chair post didn't bother me, I said it was when I began to realize that we had pretty differing opinions on the drug.

And the reasons we are both happy with our valves are basically the same. So, you see, we do have something in common. It really stinks to have to have a valve replacement and it stinks even more when your children are relying on us to just be "normal" moms. My kids were 5 and 7 at the time of my VR and had separation fears for quite a while after my surgery.

 

[mtkayak]

Karlynn the comment about a rocking chair was in reference to the “consistent, consistent, consistent” lifestyle. You will hear that phrase over and over when talking about life with coumadin. I apologize if it somehow bothered you.

I think the "consistent" word is perhaps a little oveused. Everybody is generally consistent in their lifestyle, Coumadin or no Coumadin. As humans, we are creatures of habit and habit is consistency. We all have routines, we all generally stick to the same diet, sometimes we just don't realize it because it is habit. It just so happens that Coumadin and consistency go well together. We just realize that more because we are on the drug. The next time you go to the grocery store, think about how many of the same items you purchase as the last visit. I was really shocked to see how my grocery store list is almost the same as it was the time before. I didn't do this on purpose, it's just habit. I get up to go work everyday at 6:30 and then I go to the gym at 12:00 everyday and get off work at 6:00pm. See how much of my life is consistent.

I know that most people have families and kids to take care and have crazy schedules but I think for the most part, the body adapts to this routine. I think if you travel all the time, your body will adapt as well. You still will see yourself with the same habits or routine and eating the same foods. Having said this, this does not apply to all people and all situations but the most part I think it does. This is just my opinion.

 

[mtkayak]

I saw one nurse practitioner (aren't the GREAT???!) and one nurse, separately, within the course of about 10 minutes. I asked each of them, theoretically, how much more complex this procedure would be if I was on warfarin. The first said that it would be a bit more complicated, but they'd probably just keep the warfarin going and go ahead with the surgery. The second said that it would be a bit more complicated but they'd probably just stop the warfarin and put me no something (I forget what) as a bridge.

Two completely contradictory answers from two medical professionals looking at the same charts within a few minutes of one another...

There is no doubt that there a lot of misconceptions and opinions that differ in the medical community about Coumadin. I chose to listen to my Card since he knows my situation better. I would always call him before I had a procedure done and ask what's the best course of action to take.

I have a friend that is a pharmacist, she has taken classes on Coumadin to be better informed of the drug. She has dispelled a lot of myths about Coumadin as well. Perhaps all nurse shoud take classes like this.

 

[Barbara Stewart]

I'm sure this is a very good indicator, but I don't have all of the data they asked for. I guess I should. Next time I see my docs I'll ask for the most recent data. I should have a copy of my last echocardiogram, shouldn't I?
Gives me something to think about.

Barbara