Warfarin

Once again more advice on the benefits of a blood thinner when I had a stroke it was recommended at the time by the consultant looking after me to think of taking idoxiban it was by far a more accommodating blood thinner which looks after itself without the need to have regular blood tests. Well for someone like me who’s afraid of needles it was the perfect solution it didn’t interfere with my daily life style and I didn’t need any more intermittent gp appointments taking my wee yellow book with me to keep a record of the blood thinner measurements . Everyone has their own way of deciding what’s best for themselves. Good luck don’t worry your son will find his own way.

DH self monitors his INR and it can go to 3 monthly intervals. Antibiotics and cough mixtures are the things which upset him.

Warfarin is very cheap. DH's GP explained that although Warfarin is cheap the repeated blood tests are expensive in that practice staff have to spend time doing it as well as the costs of processing etc. Apixaban is much more expensive to prescribe but the savings in staff time offset this.

All the older men - plus 50 - I know who have required some heart intervention have been put on Warfarin as a normal procedure.
If they have needed to come off it prior to an operation they have been transferred to daily injections of Heparin until the warfarin is started again and reaches the required level. Heparin only remains active in the system for 24 hours.

Thanks again everyone. My son is due to have a second heart valve replacement. He had a tissue valve 13 years ago. This time he will need to be on the blood thinner. Op is very soon., so I am naturally worried. It seems that warfarin is the go too medication for this condition.

Welshwife it sounds as if that medication did the trick.
Take care and I hope you recover well ?

The side effects often sound worrying but perhaps the alternatives may be much worse.

A scary time Welshwife! Hope you feel much better soon - keep taking those pills!

Interesting discussion. DH has taken warfarin for about 20 years since he had embolisms. He has been kept on it despite the newer versions of drugs.
Towards the end of my chemo treatment I was given a blood thinner called Xarelto - it has a different name in U.K. although I have had Xarelto from a U.K. Pharmacy straight away. When I asked the French GP why I had the drug he told me it was to prevent me having a stroke.
Fast forward to Wednesday and being back visiting in U.K. we called into see DD after some shopping. I wasn’t feeling my best but not too bad. DD asked what was wrong with me as I looked terrible - she then said she could not completely understand what I was saying. She dialled 911 and they told her to ask me to do a couple of things which in the main I was OK with and then said they would send an ambulance but it would take three hours. She said she would take me. I refused to go and I gradually was OK and had a snooze.
As she was worried I decided to do as she asked and went to A+E to be checked out. They gave me very thorough tests and blood tests - I saw two nurses and two doctors but had to wait for 7 hours to see the second medical one. Eventually they decided it sounded like a TIA but that the Xarelto had certainly done its job and stopped me having a stroke. They also told me that my blood test showed I had a good diet and my cholesterol was at the correct level and not raised at all.
I was very tired and I think the enforced inactivity all day had in fact done me good. I slept well and we have had a quiet day today.
I am another one who says don’t worry and go along with things - a nursing friend tells me that with an INR less than 4 you will stop bleeding - the usual rate is more like 2.5 / 3.
Today we are glad to have had blood thinners in our lives.!

I was on it in my 20’s for a while after a DVT, I wore a medic alert bracelet in case of accidents.

Interesting posts, MayBeMaw and Elizabeth1 I didn't know some of that.

Aveline

Apixaban is a more up to date medication and doesn't require so many blood tests. DH is on it long term and I had a five week course of it after my hip replacement. No side effects noted.

Yes, ask if he can be prescribed Apixaban instead. There are similar alternatives such Edoxaban which may be cheaper if the GP is resistant.

Warfarin requires more frequent testing.

Pin prick for the INR test.

One more question; when they take the blood is it a full vial like with a full blood count, or is it a pin prick?

Thank you all for your replies, they are comforting. X

Orlin has taken warfarin since his third DVT at age 45. His diet is pretty varied but he avoids kale, cranberries and pineapple. His blood is checked every six weeks or so unless there’s a change then he’s monitored for a couple of weeks until it settles again. Happens rarely.
It doesn’t affect him, he’s otherwise a fit and active 71 year old.
Don’t worry about your son.

I’ve been on it for 20 years. My dose has been quite settled but I’m wary of the things that can affect it like green vegetables, grapefruit, alcohol. Basically anything that contains vitamin k can affect it. If he sorts out his dose and keeps his food pretty stable then it should be ok. If he has to have an operation they will switch him to Klexane injections for a few days first. As previously said it can be stopped by vitamin k injection so essential if he has a car accident for example.

Apixaban is a more up to date medication and doesn't require so many blood tests. DH is on it long term and I had a five week course of it after my hip replacement. No side effects noted.

“Nearly 9 years”

Paw my DH was on Warfarin for nearly years after heart surgery and his INR generally kept well under control. It can be a bit of a blunt instrument though and there are more “sophisticated” blood thinners available. At one point we wondered about a change to one of them, but the advantage of Warfarin is that it is almost instantaneously reversible with a Vitamin K shot whereas the newer blood thinners can take up to 24 hours for their effect to be stopped and as DH had Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and a tendency to gastric bleeds, immediate reversal was crucial.
Try not to worry.
He may have to watch his diet initially as too many dark green veggies broccoli, kale etc) can affect your INR as can oats and porridge. But like all things once you know what to avoid, it is perfectly straightforward.

I've been on Warfarin for nearly 10 years. They told me at the start that it was a great medication because the side effects are so minimal, and I've found that to be correct.

I'm on a scheme whereby I check my own INR once a fortnight and it's never been a problem. I pretty much eat what I like and don't worry about the occasional scary looking bruise if I bump myself on the coffee table! I was still having periods when I started, and that was affected but I don't think that will be a worry for your son ?

I asked once about the alternatives but in my case my INR is so well controlled it wouldn't be worth it.

I hope it all goes ok for your son, I don't think I'd be worried if I were you. Good luck!

When I worked at a surgery (receptionist so not medically trained) we had lots of patients taking warfarin. They all used to have a little yellow book they wrote their levels and dosage in. I think at the beginning they have their blood taken regularly but once they settle if went to roughly every 2 weeks. Most patients took it for 6 months but I honestly don't know of any scare stories

Try looking into the benefits of idoxiban I feel a better blood thinner. you don’t need to get bloods-taken like you do with warfarin to measure the levels I find it’s much easier and idoxiban self regulates the blood levels. Good luck