coumadin and osteoporsis

[Sandy SHields]

Hi has anyone out there now where a person might find information on the problems of long term coumadin therapy and osteoporsis. I heard that after a year of coumadin you could have problems with your bones because the vitamin k interacts with osteocalcin a protien vital for bone formation coumadin antagonism of vitamin k also has the potential to affect bone strength. Which can cause bone fracture.If anyone out there knows of a sight I sure would appreciate your help. 23 years is a long time to be on a drug. I am new to this site also. seems to be a lot of nice peole here. Hope too hear from you. Thanks

 

[gijanet]

Hi, Sandy!

Hi, Sandy!

Yep, has me worried, too. I don't think there is a lot of research on what long term coumadin therapy does to a child's developing bones, either. Al did post a research article a while back about coumadin interfering with calcium absorption, but it didn't really address the vitamin K issue........at least I don't think it did. YOu might do a search for it. Anxious to see the replies on this one, although I don't think there is anything definitive out there. Many hugs. J.

 

[Guest]

There is no answer because "youse guys" are the people in the world who have taken it the longest. RCB with 45 years, several in the 30 year range etc. Nobody has taken warfarin longer, so there is no real-world data. Since warfarin has gone generic no drug company will benefit from funding a study. Since AIDS etc are more politically active the government won't fund one either. Basically what you have to study is each other on this website. Why doesn't somebody start a poll about how long people have taken warfarin, their gender and whether or not they developed osteoporosis. It will be the best reference in the real world.

 

[RCB]

My BD test results

My BD test results

There is no answer because "youse guys" are the people in the world who have taken it the longest. RCB with 45 years, several in the 30 year range etc. Nobody has taken warfarin longer, so there is no real-world data. Since warfarin has gone generic no drug company will benefit from funding a study. Since AIDS etc are more politically active the government won't fund one either. Basically what you have to study is each other on this website. Why doesn't somebody start a poll about how long people have taken warfarin, their gender and whether or not they developed osteoporosis. It will be the best reference in the real world.

At the urging of Al and Geebee I had a Bone Density test a few weeks ago.
My doctor agreed to the test ( although Medicare is refusing to pay for it- naturally, what else do those people have to do with their time! ) because of the long term medication I have been on ( not just warfarin, but
lanoxin and aspirin ) and because there is evidence of it for several generations in my family. The findings were a normal bone density pattern.

I am just one data point, so it may not mean much. I do take 500 mg/day
of calcium for several years now because my diet has always been low in calcium and I don't lift much anymore because of my AF for the last ten years.

It is amazing to me that a drug like warfarin that has been on the market for so long with no replacement, has so little side effects given how it changes the chemistry of one of the bodies most important functions- it is truly a miracle drug!

 

[Blanche]

Al has been taking Coumadin since 1990. He has osteoporosis and takes Fosamax and 150mg Calcium per day. Medicare has paid for his yearly scans since 2001. Medicare will pay for the scans if you have the right diagnosis or code.

I hope the following article on Vitamin K deficiencies will be helpful.
http://www.ctds.info/vitamink.html

Blanche

 

[RCB]

This is what I need

This is what I need

Al has been taking Coumadin since 1990. He has osteoporosis and takes Fosamax and 150mg Calcium per day. Medicare has paid for his yearly scans since 2001. Medicare will pay for the scans if you have the right diagnosis or code.

I hope the following article on Vitamin K deficiencies will be helpful.
http://www.ctds.info/vitamink.html

Blanche

Blanche,
Send me one of those Indian codebreaker, my doctor could use one!

However the link you posted has some misleading informaton:

"Anticoagulants like Warfarin block the action of vitamin K. In turn, vitamin K blocks the action of anticoagulants. This is why people taking these types of medications have to limit how much vitamin K they get in their diet."

While the first statements are a fact, the second is a myth.
One only needs to be consistent, not limit their intake.

 

[Blanche]

RCB:
If you are serious, I will ask our doctor for the diagnostic code. I have an appointment with him this coming Thursday.
Regards,
Blanche

 

[RCB]

Absolutely!

Absolutely!

RCB:
If you are serious, I will ask our doctor for the diagnostic code. I have an appointment with him this coming Thursday.
Regards,
Blanche

That is so kind of you, it is such a struggle for these doctor to deal with these paper pushers. Of course, if they don?t get the right code, they eat the cost, not me. I?m sure he would appreciate the information. Thanks so much!

 

[geebee]

I have been taking coumadin for over 25 years. I have some problems with osteoporosis. However, my mom did too and my younger sister does also and no coumadin usage there. So mine could simply be genetic.

 

[Guest]

Obviously there will be conflicting reports but it should be comforting to know that at least the longest warfarin-taker in the world does not have it.

 

[Sandy SHields]

reply to Gee Bee

reply to Gee Bee

I have been taking coumadin for over 25 years. I have some problems with osteoporosis. However, my mom did too and my younger sister does also and no coumadin usage there. So mine could simply be genetic.

Hi sounds like you have the same valve I do. Mine is a bjork shiley mitral valve. I got mine back in 1983. I have started having afib now after all these years. Have you had anuy problems this way?

 

[geebee]

Hi sounds like you have the same valve I do. Mine is a bjork shiley mitral valve. I got mine back in 1983. I have started having afib now after all these years. Have you had anuy problems this way?

Actually my Bjork-Shiley was replaced in 1994 with a St. Jude. I was having a lot of problems that seemed to be consistent with the strut failures some of the BSCC valves were having so we decided to replace it.
I have been in constant a-fib for about 2 years. My cardio feels it is due to atrium enlargement from the trauma of 3 OHS.

 

[John & Joann]

Joann has been on Coumadin since Dec. 1971. She does have pre osteoporosis, but they have never mentioned coumadin as being related. She takes medication for the condition and is doing fine.

Never been mentioned that there is a relationship between the drug and the condition.

 

[Guest]

The problem with a relationship between warfarin and osteoporosis is that to find out if there is a relationship your need to have a large group of people take it for many years and study what happens to them.

No matter how big the group gets or how long they continue the study Joann will always be a question mark because she may be the woman who has taken warfarin longer than any other woman in the world.

The fact that RCB and Joann neither one have osteoporosis is the strongest argument so far that it is not significant and that it can be avoided by treating pre-osteoporosis early.

 

[Granbonny]

all of my bone density tests that I have had done..since my valve-replacement..showed no osteoporsis..( regular check-ups with my PCP)..I am age 66 ..... After seeing an Orthpaedic surgeon, a Neurologist .for tingling in my hand..Nothing...showed up..Just LOTS of money...billing medicare....Insurance..I finally decided to go to a local Chiopractic . he made sure I had a neck X-ray first..said I had the neck of a 50 year old. 2 visits now..can feel the difference in my hand....He took time to explain to me..why I am having the tingling........He does an adjustment..easy..not hurt, ect..and we talk about staying off computer, wearing a brace at night, ect..He was aware of me being on Warfarin.so massaging my hand/arm gentle....been on Warfarin now..for over 4 years.bonnie