Ugh!

[Harpoon]

Well I've decided to start reading up some more on coumadin and vitamin k and all the other happy things I guess I should be dealing with, or at least paying better attention to.

It's just a little overwhelming at the moment and I think my cardiologist is on vacation for the holidays because he hasn't returned a message I left on his voicemail a few days ago....


So far I've figured out that potassium and vitamin K are NOT one in the same even though the periodic symbol for potassium happens to be K.


Anyone got some general advice for someone starting out on coumadin therapy?

I found a list of foods that are high in vitamin K and some of them, like chick peas (garbanzo beans) and broccoli I've been eating all along. One site I found (which listed a bunch of foods with vitamin K) said that if some of these foods were already a part of your regular diet it's best to keep eating them.

Hopefully I can get in to my card to bombard him with questions...

Or maybe I'll just email Cleveland Clinic.

 

[Ross]

www.warfarinfo.com

 

[fisher6476]

Hope this helps

Hope this helps

I am pretty new to this coumadin thing but you are right. Vitamin K and potassium are two entirely different things. If I understand the basics and someone please correct me if I am wrong, Coumadin is meant to lessen the bloods ability to clot. Hence the nickname "blood thiner" I really don't believe it "thins" the blood, just reduces the blood's ability to coagulate. Vitamin K could almost be thought of as a "blood thickener" or something that increases the bloods ability to clot. Each persons dosage of Coumadin is individual and can be adjusted to work within a person's diet. That is if you always have eaten a lot of foods with vitamin K and want to continue doing so that is fine. The coumadin dosage will be adjusted to fit the way you eat. One of the big things as I understand it is some form of consistencey so that the cpimadin dosage fits your general eating habits. Hope that is not too confusing and I hope someone with more experience will promptly correct me if I am wrong. Keep digging on this site and ask lots of questions. That really helped me.
Regards,
Steve

 

[Harpoon]

I THINK I was getting the vitamin K (I KNOW I got them at some point) before having surgery to address internal bleeding. I had that a few times though I only remember the last one.

That seems to make sense of vitamin K counteracts the effects of coumadin.


Just digging away here...

At some point I may just break down and see if I can get a copy of my medical records from when I was in Cleveland. Dunno if I can do that but it might be interesting and useful to have. maybe I can fill in some of the gaps in my memory.

 

[catwoman]

Ross is steering you in the right direction. Do read everything you can at Al's website.
I carry food list leaflets in my purse, consult them at restaurants or grocery store.

Key thing is to be consistent in what/how much you eat (and drink) AND medications, health, etc. If you're at a restaurant and order a salad meal, ask for dressing on the side. Eat half (or whatever would be your normal serving) and take the rest home for the next day.

I am doing home testing now.

 

[Marty]

Home test

Home test

On my first post op visit my cardiologist prescribed Coaguchek.It took a few weeks to get it and get trained but it changed my life.I soon became a self doser. Now I know that I have a little advantage since I am a doctor but as a radiologist i knew very little about hematology in general and anticoagulation in particular. Any person able to use a computer and find this web site can learn to use a home monitor and eventually self dose better than most doctors can do it. Think about it and good luck.
Feel free to Email me with any personal questions, I've been able to help several patients get monitors and get started on being responsible for their own prothrombin time. None of their doctors have complained. I have heard from some folks at this website that not all doctors are compliant in this regard. If I had one of these I would look for another one.

 

[Nancy]

Hi Harpoon-

Don't get all worried, relax. You're here and you made it through surgery. What difference does it make about what they gave you in the hospital? It was probably potassium, but at any rate, all turned out well.

Joe's been on Coumadin for 26 years. He's had ups and downs, like everyone else, he's also survived a major post surgical bleedout after gallbladder surgery when they gave him vitamin K and fresh frozen plasma to stop the bleed. And he was even off Coumadin during that time for well over a week.

I'm going to reiterate what Ross said. Go to

http://warfarinfo.com

And read everything on that site. You will not have to go any further. It's good reading, comprehensive and even has some fun things. Al Lodwick is a bona fide expert on Coumadin and anticoagulation therapy.

You're going to be just fine. Just need to read up on your new medication.

By the way, you have to eat greens for health. Just be consistent.

Take a deep breath and relax.