Warfarin

[alok]

I am unable to come to terms entirely with my mechanical valve., which was replaced recently about 7 months ago. i feel terribly depressed , although i am fitter than before and get very anxious about the INR. the slightest of bleedings gets me worked up. can anyone share his/her experiences to reassure me, about the anticoagulation business. what is the INR others keep in a situation likr this.

 

[Ross]

Good Morning Alok and welcome to our forums.

With a mechanical valve in the aortic position the recommendation is an INR range of 2.5 to 3.5. Most people can keep it within those limits by eating a consistent diet and watching their vitamin K intake.

Bleeding should not be an issue for you. Most all of us are constantly getting cut or scraped and we just bleed a little longer then usual but nothing serious.

You say your depressed. What is making you depressed? If it's really bothering you, you might want to talk to your Doctor and get some anti-depressant therapy started. It's very common to have the feelings that you have, so don't be afraid to say anything about it. We have all been there and through it.

May I also suggest that you look into another member of ours, Mr. Al Lodwick, who is a certified Anti Coagulant expert, runs his own Coumadin Clinic, as well as maintain his own website. The man is a wealth of information concerning the drug and it's usage. I would highly recommend giving his site a look. You can see it at :
http://www.warfarinfo.com/

Tons of questions can be answered at the link below http://www.warfarinfo.com/warfarinfo.com2.htm

He comes on here in the Coumadin forum and answers questions and concerns also, should you need to speak with him on a subject.

Again, welcome. I hope you enjoy yourself here and learn as much as you possibly can about the information you seek. The anwsers are here.

 

[JimL]

Welcome Alok! Having a valve replaced is definitely a life-changing surgery -- and those who haven't gone through it have great difficulty understanding, as you are well aware. It is very comforting to come to this site where so very many have been through the surgery and understand how I am feeling. Although there certainly may be many other issues for you, this site is a big step in the right direction toward curing depression. Are you aware of the personal stories on the main page?

 

[Simon Gee]

it's not a big deal

it's not a big deal

Hi Alok,

and welcome to this fantastic site. As Jim suggested, take the time to read some of the personal stories as I'm sure you will find plenty to reassure you. Many of us have been through it all and come through to the other side where we can get on with enjoying the rest of our lives.

My own AVR was 3 years ago and I have not found the anticoagulation a problem at all. Although I have not injured myself severely, I have suffered nasty small cuts on hands/arms a number of times and, while bleeding takes longer to stop than pre surgery, it stops! The worst cut I had was on the top of my ear when the barber got a little careless cutting my hair - that kept bleeding on and off for a week, but obviously the quantities were very small.

I won't say to forget about bleeding - that would be stupid. But don't let it get you down as many of us lead fantastic lives with warfarin/coumadin, and you can too!

Warm regards from England,

Simon

 

[Guest]

Warfarin should be always in the back of your mind, but rarely the main topic. There are people on this site who have taken it for 30 years and more.

There will also probably be a replacement in a few years.

If you were going to bet that you would have a life-threatening bleed, you would probably lose.

If you were going to bet that you would have a clot form, you would probably lose too.

If you were going to bet that you would have some minor problems, you would probably win.

So fugeddaboudit and spend your money on something that is more fun.

 

[RCB]

43 years on Oct. 31st

43 years on Oct. 31st

Been on it that long and it is not the main concern of my life.
Al is right, you just need some time to adjust to it. I have taken
a lot of drugs that are far worst and did not do as much good for
me as coumadin.

 

[Guest]

I got a e-mail the other day from a (non-valver) who has been on warfarin cointinuously since 1958.

 

[tommy]

Alok,

Sometimes I have trouble getting enough bood for my INR. That convinced me to relaxed alot about bleeding.

I've had some bruising from doing stupid stuff like playing catcher for my 16 year old pitcher.

I've modified my behavior a bit - going barefoot less - being a bit more cautious with tools - mostly just common sense stuff. I also bought shin guards, chest protector and mask. The point is that I haven't stopped doing the things that I like to do.

Al,

You mention a probable replacement for Warafin in a few years. Do you have any insight? Who is working on it?

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

The new drug is Exanta by AstraZeneca.

Please look at http://www.warfarinfo.com/ximelagatran.htm

The page is a year old, so there have been a few new developments but everything on the page is still pertinent.

 

[Rain]

fugeddaboudit

fugeddaboudit

This should go in Ann?s ?new word for the day? thread!

I'll remember this word when I'm making my photo album, Al!!

Alok, I have to agree..... 'fugeddaboudit'. You have to be more aware of what you are doing and eating... but don't let it rule your life.

 

[Granbonny]

Alok

Alok

19 months on coumadin. No bleeding or brusing..Do you go to a dentist on a regular basis? Must to keep gums clean...so they will not bleed after brushing. Live life to the fullest. Just don't do anything stupid where you will hit your head Only part of your body that you must be very careful of...Brain bleeding. Bonnie

 

[alok]

warfarin

warfarin

My doctor has also told me of a new drug as a replacement for warfarin, but its still in the early stages. I believe this drug will give much more control than warfarin and should be in the market in about a year or two.

 

[alok]

Thanks everybody for a very warm welcome to the site. I read somewhere that an INR level of 2- 2.5 is sufficient for AVR 6 months after surgery. Mitral valve requires INR of 4 approximately. i have noticed that keeping an INR of about 2.5 i have much less gum bleeding. How often do u get ur INR checked folks?

 

[hensylee]

Alok - my brother is a non-valver and he is on coumadin - several years now. His readings are kept between 2 and 3, usually he's at 2.5. In the beginning there was trouble, like all the others here, getting it in line, but it's been stable for about 2 yrs now. He has had no major bleeds - just a bit around the gums when he brushes, but our cardio is not concerned about that.

You will get used to your new situation. It sure beats the alternative.

 

[Ross]

Hi Alok

They test our INR every other week, sometimes weekly, until we reach a stable area and once that is achieved, test once a month. The people who own home testing units usually test more frequently, which allows them tighter control of their INR.

According to the guidelines established by valve manufacterers, a mechanical valve should be NO LOWER then 2.5 to 3.5 INR.

 

[Granbonny]

Hi Alox

Hi Alox

I have my own home tester. I test whenever I feel like I may have gone overboard on eating, drinking, and traveling. But I am always still in range 2.5-3.5 I must be a good coumadin person..or it could be my age Clinical nurse only wants me to call in once a month.. Never bleed or bruise. You must tell us more about yourself and India. What do you do? I am sooo noisy Do you have those bleed-x that you can buy and keep if you do have a cut. Stops bleeding. Bonnie

 

[Gail in Ca]

It takes some time to get back to the new normal after surgery and being placed on coumadin.
It's been 3 yrs for me, and I'm now okay with the sores that take longer to heal, the bruising and just last night, while playing my clarinet I looked down and saw blood on my fingers and on my keys! I had a tiny cut and it had started to bleed when I began to rehearse! It stopped bleeding soon enough and luckily I had a band aid.
Like many here, my INR stays in range now. only rarely goes out and lately has been a tad high instead of the low readings I used to get when I first got my valve.
Give it time,
Gail

 

[alok]

warfarin

warfarin

Thanx, i geta bit worried when my gums bleed, but i have reducede my dose and try to keep the INR at 2.5 that reduces the bleeding. I am also hypothyroid and take thyroxine. I like to have a couple of pegs of scotch once every 3 days . sort of relaxes me but my cardio is not to keen on that ? what do u say? folks

 

[Guest]

It is a good thing Gail's gums didn't start bleeding instead of her finger. I thought I had seen just about everything with warfarin but the vision of blood being blown out of a clarinet got me laughing so hard that I could hardly type this. Good thing they point down - a trombone would be spectacular.

I'm not sure how much a peg of scotch is but i have rarely, if ever, seen a problem caused by 2 drinks.

 

[Ross]

What about a Tuba AL?