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Help, or suggestions needed related to Blood thinners i.e. Coumadin (Warfarin)

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posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 10:48 PM
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My wife in on this medication.
It allows her to live, but could also kill her.

It's a maintenance dosage. She has to have her INR measured twice per month.
This stuff is essentially Rat poison. But it keeps her from developing Blood clots.

Her susceptibility to clots, or excessive bleeding have been a problem for years. All depending on her INR levels.
Those levels are basically a measurement of clotting time.
They like to keep her blood a little thin..At least that's the idea. But so many things can effect her INR. SO it's never really stable.

She's amazing, according to some doctors. She has survived 4 DVT's that have broken loose and become Pulmonary embolisms. Many hospitalizations. One time it was 30 days in the Hospital, and 90 days in Physical Rehab.


She's pretty young, and it's sad for her to have to be so careful about bumping into things. Or taking antibiotics, which could make her bleed-out is she's not vigilant.

So, I'm just asking, if there are any of you that have these kinds of issues, or perhaps know someone who does.? Are there ANY alternatives to research? Something I could ask our Doctors?

I want a higher quality of life for her...I'm sure she does too.

and for the record...I will view responses, not a medical advice...But as suggestions that I could research further.

thank you!



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 10:55 PM
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reply to post by spacedoubt
 


My stepfather is on the same blood thinner. He experiences the same problems, and he absolutely hates it. He looks like someone took a baseball bat to him with the slightest of bumps.

I will ask him about it tomorrow, as he is coming over. There may be alternatives, but the doctor may be keeping him on it because an alternative could have a bad reaction with his other meds. I will find out and get back to you.



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 11:03 PM
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reply to post by spacedoubt
 


My father takes ginger and garlic supplements for blood clots.



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 11:04 PM
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reply to post by spacedoubt
 


Bromelain (found in pineapple)
Tumeric
Garlic
Ginger
Water.

And these contain salicylates that block Vitamin K enabling thinning of the blood:

Curry powder
Cayenne pepper
Ginger
Paprika
Thyme
Cinnamon
Dill
Oregano
Turmeric
Licorice
Peppermint

But get her to see a Naturopath. That would be your safest bet.
edit on 21-11-2012 by LightAssassin because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 11:04 PM
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reply to post by spacedoubt
 


Dear spacedoubt,

My father was on Coumadin, I hate the stuff. I am sorry that your wife must take it, I know all about the bumping things and thinning skin. My father was never offered and alternative; but, that was a few years ago. My advice, for what it is worth, is ask a pharmacist rather than just a doctor. Best wishes.



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 11:11 PM
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see a different doctor, a specialist.

do it soon, obamacare is coming jan 1st.
insurance companies are already implementing changes.
and they are not covering everything they used to cover.



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 11:15 PM
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Hemp seed is quite a blood thinner I know I eat them all the time and have to be careful as I start getting nose bleeds so I know I have to cut back but I don't know all their properties but I know they give me extra energy.



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 11:26 PM
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reply to post by spacedoubt
 
A good friend of mine has the same treatment and doesn't like it at all for the negative impact it has on her life. She's a head of psychology and is well-versed in reading academic literature - pros and cons etc for alternative treatments.

In recent weeks, she's trying to get doctors to agree to treating her with a 'stent' in her calf. According to her research a stent will potentially 'cure' her and allow her to stop taking the warfarin. She's 41 with two teenage kids and lectures full-time so the nausea and occasional 'time-outs' she needs don't fit in with her life.



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 11:28 PM
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I take it daily for 3yrs now. It thins the blood, causes bruising that takes forever to go away and they pop up outta nowhere. I have had a stroke, and unsuccessful surgery to close a hole, and a 2nd one that cauterized a section of my heart to stop arithmias...and it has.

So, that being said...I take blood pressure meds, anti-arithmia meds, and Coumadin...also 4 other meds...all twice daily. Pretty hard to exercise and get the heart rate up with cardio..when I take meds to keep it down, and b.p. meds to hold it down...and have what probably looks like "pink blood" from the coumadin.

Ive asked and have been told I'll never get off it. Sa la vie.

Sorry I can really provide you with encouragment.
edit on 06-10-2010 by mysterioustranger because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 11:44 PM
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I recently had a heart attack and instead of warferin - meaning you need constant checks for adjustments - a real headache for most. They put me on the new drug which is a warferin substitute and doesn't require the monthly blood checks. Pradaxa Capsules - Don't know if this would be available to you - I don't live in US.

I do know that your wife can't just stop taking them and flip over to herbs or spices which may well work - I'm a great believer in them however, the dosage is untested hence unreliable - you can't mess around with the meds she needs to stay alive.

Perhaps a visit to your Doc and ask him for the new Subsitute that requires no monthly check.

Good Luck -- I'm just glad to be alive and enjoying my second chance to the full.



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 11:54 PM
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reply to post by spacedoubt
 


My dad was on it but now he takes something else.

Vitamin E has long been known as a great blood thiner.....but then they cant get 100$+ per pop out of Vitamin E.

I took vitamin E for a back injury. E lubes the disks in the back and any joint. Fights, and does a good job, disk degeneration due to friction and contact pressure.

I was taking the big capsule, 1000 measure, natural alpha and beta.

Looking into vitamin E you will see that it is said to cause nose bleeds when the body becomes saturated, which can take 30 days or better. A simple sneez will cause nose bleeding. At this point you just back off the amount your taking or skip every other day. This is true because of the opportunity I had to test it. As well if you happened to cut yourself, which I did several times do to the nature of work I am in, the blood just runs like water and takes at least twice as long to stop as normal.

The E I was taking is oil spun out of grain hearts, wheat/barley/oats ect, and is natural not synthetic. Its very inexspencive but very effective. You will most likely need to order this off line as the store stuff is synthetic.

An old man that had suffered from back problems for years turned me on to this vitamin E. Its one of those thing folks know about that you will not read much about in the medical journals or hear much about. I had talked with a number of people with back problems untill I ran into this old timer. Talked to a Dr. about it and he said the oil is basically hydrocortisone.



posted on Nov, 21 2012 @ 11:59 PM
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My doctor has me taking Pradaxa for the same thing. I don't have to get my blood tested at all as the Pradaxa is
tolerated better by my body. He asked if I wanted Warfarin because it's cheaper but because of the side effects and
the testing I chose the Pradaxa. It probably has bad side effects too but don't they all? I've been taking it for almost a year now with no problems. Maybe it would work for you too.



posted on Nov, 22 2012 @ 12:00 AM
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reply to post by colsislander
 



Hemp seed is quite a blood thinner I know I eat them all the time and have to be careful as I start getting nose bleeds so I know I have to cut back but I don't know all their properties but I know they give me extra energy.


I'm not sure there's enough evidence from clinical studies to elevate this idea past personal opinion and anecdote. There are a lot of valid claims about hemp seeds (totally non-psychoactive FTR) and many that might be true and haven't been tested enough to know yet.

For example, much is made of hemp-seed's value as a source of omega oils and, in any health shop, the claims are in big writing across the labels. However 'containing omega oils' is a different thing to being good for us humans. Plant sources of omega oils are practically indigestible and pass through our system. It's the difference between short-chain omegas and long-chain omegas - oily fish omegas are readily digested. Even Wal-mart sells 'omega-3' capsules and yet they're short-chain vegetable omegas and of almost no value to our health.

In the studies I've read, promoting the health benefits of hemp-seeds, they focus on properties linked to dilation of vessels, improved circulation and claims of 'blood thinning.' Unfortunately, a lot of that is reliant on the body being able to convert the omegas mentioned above and that doesn't happen.



posted on Nov, 22 2012 @ 12:04 AM
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reply to post by spacedoubt
 


My wife mentioned vena cava filters but doesn't know of any alternative to Coumadin.

Best wishes and prayers,

beez and bride.



posted on Nov, 22 2012 @ 12:07 AM
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There are many who consider ASA (aspirin) to be effective as a blood-thinner and it has been compared to coumadin/warfarin in several studies.

Your physician(s) should help if you have concerns and absolutely should prescribe any medication changes.

But, you can do some pretty good research on your own to discuss with the doctor
Here are a few urls I found doing a simple search... (articles from 2001 up to the beginning of this month). Wishing you and your wife all the best!

www.drmirkin.com...

news.menshealth.com...

professionalsblog.clotconnect.org...

circ.ahajournals.org...

www.sciencedaily.com...



posted on Nov, 22 2012 @ 12:10 AM
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reply to post by Kandinsky
 


Most of the vitamin E you get in stores is short chain synthetic. Most of the info you find out there says that claims about E have not been showed in clinical studies. However I came by a rather large book on vitamin E that told another story.



posted on Nov, 22 2012 @ 12:16 AM
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Saying this as a pharmacy technician, I would recommend what the other poster said and perhaps find a naturopathic doctor. Most doctors would do is just recommend more drugs, probably more blood thinners like lovenox or aggrenox. The main thing the drugs try to do is break down the chain of thrombosis, by inhibiting the factor xa or interfering with vitamin k mainly. There aren't any drugs (that I am aware of) that treat the tendency for excessive clotting. Aspirin is on the lowest side of anticoagulants, but if the doctor has her on coumadin, then it's probably too bad for aspirin to really be safe. It's a real trouble I understand having to deal with the sensitivity to bleeding. When I worked at the hospital as a lab technician I always hated seeing a heparin drip in the IV because I knew that when I drew their blood it was going to be a while before they stopped bleeding.

The thing is treating the cause, and not fighting the symptoms.



posted on Nov, 22 2012 @ 03:46 AM
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reply to post by Kandinsky
 


My wife is about the same age,42. Last year she a case of bronchitis. She had been given a type of anti-biotic that was supposedly safe to use i conjunction with her Blood thinners. Well, it evidently killed off ALL of the bacterial flora in her digestive system. the result was a bleed-out overnight. When all was said and done, they had to give her 13 units of blood. She also had a small stroke. which was why the rehab, after the hospitalization. We were probably 5 minutes from losing her. They couldn't find a vein to get an IV of fluids into her.

A year later, she had graduated from wheelchair, to walker to cane,,,And was close to ditching the cane.
Then boom, She banged her calf, and had another bleed under the skin. Lots of pain, and she's back in the chair again.. Fortunately the blood loss was minor in comparison to last year. So it's just a matter of reabsorption of this massive hematoma.

I want to thank everyone for their ideas and suggestions so far. She's really a fighter, and wants to be productive again. Her other "illness" right now is cabin fever...It's really hard to get her mobile and out of the house again.
Bruise-a-phobia mainly.

We have been to various doctors. Specialists, pain management people. Docs, are afraid to touch her really. One false move and they could really blow it.

I'm going to do more studying based on some of your suggestions. We do have one open minded Doctor, who really cares about her a lot. Calls her on the weekends, emails her...She really keeps tabs on her patient.
We just saw her today..and she did mention another medication that was mentioned in this thread. SO I'll be following up on that too.

Thanks again to everyone, you're the best.!



posted on Nov, 22 2012 @ 03:55 AM
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reply to post by quedup
 


I think pradaxa was what her Doctor mentioned today. Thanks for the reminder.



posted on Nov, 22 2012 @ 06:10 AM
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Sorry to hear mate, just on a similar line, my mother died of Mesothelioma a few years back and she was on Warfarin for a long time, she was told she would last maybe a few months at most but she went a few years. I know all the negativity around prescription drugs but can't be ALL bad, just saying

edit on 22-11-2012 by Zcustosmorum because: (no reason given)







 
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