Hi Naomi and all, I forgot to add--I am on the "old fashioned" blood thinner Warfarin (coumadin).
Here is a good site that shows the suggested INR (International Normalised Ratio--how thin your blood is) range for various maladies: http://www.globalrph.com/warfarin_inr_targets.htm INR target varies from person to person and should ALWAYS be figured out with your doctor. I find the most important part of being on blood thinners is to pay attention to what you eat and any medications--over the counter or prescription--you take. For instance eating foods that are high in vitamin K (spinach, broccoli) will lower the effects of blood thinners, thus lower your INR. Certain medications like antacids and some antibiotics will make blood thinners work too well and raise your INR. In general I get my INR checked once a month--but if I add or change medications I will my doctor and ask. In my health system there is a specific blood thinner clinic called the Coumadin Clinic that is available 24/7 to answer questions. If I start a new medication I'll call the Coumadin Clinic and ask if changes the way my blood thinner will work--if it does they may suggest a smaller dose of Warfarin and having my blood drawn every 2-weeks etc... Bob V > I've been on blood thinners since last November (Xarelto). I prefer to take > that because I don't have to have my blood checked. I was put on blood > thinners when they found I had a blood clot in my lung (pulmonary embolism). > At one time the doctors suspected I had a blood clot in my leg, did a > Doppler, but didn't find anything there. I haven't had any problems as of > yet. the doctors said I will be taking from now on. > > Naomi Hudson > C4 quad since July 2005 > Due to Transverse Myelitis > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Bob Vogel <[email protected]> > To: diannal767 <[email protected]> > Cc: quad-list <[email protected]> > Sent: Fri, May 9, 2014 3:01 pm > Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Blood thinners > > Hi Dianna, > > I've been on blood thinners since 07'. I'm a T10 para, 29 years post injury. > I've had two blood clots, both > in my right leg. The first one happened when I was still in bed, about > 2-weeks after my injury, it broke loose > and ended up in my lung--I got lucky, blood clots can easily kill you when > they break loose and end up in > the lungs or heart. Back then I was on blood thinners for 6-months then off > them for 20+ years. > > Then in 07' I fell out of my chair and broke my femur--a week after the > fracture my knee swelled up, turned > red, got hot. Turned out it was another blood clot. I spoke with a > hematologist and he explained in my situation, > SCI with a history of blood clots it is safer to stay on blood thinners. > > Bottom line for me--standard INR (blood thickness) is 1.0, with blood > thinners I shoot for 2.0--just enough to help > keep clots at bay. I have had small cuts shaving and the like and they don't > seem to bleed any more than usual. > To me it is no big deal--the main thing is to get my blood checked every > 2-weeks to make sure the range is around > 2.0. > > The clincher for me was when a friend was on blood thinners and decided to go > off of them, 3 months later the friend > had a major stroke--word is because of a blood clot. The person was a > "supercrip" para, now has difficulty with speech > is a para and hemiplegic. > > Hope this "survey of one" helps. > > Bob V > > On May 9, 2014, at 10:05 AM, [email protected] wrote: > >> Is anyone on blood thinners? When I was in the hospital they found a clot in >> my leg. Dave found it strange that 'we quads' weren't all on them. I really >> don't like the #1 side effect of bleeding to death. I really don't like them. >> Dianna >
