Anticoagulated Blood?

[vtbecca]

I'm curious if anyone else has noticed this. Gabe is NOT on anticoagulants, yet seems to bleed very easily. He had a nose bleed this morning (he admitted to having his finger up there ) and it was crazy how much blood it was. He used to be very prone to nose bleeds, and when he has had them they take at least 10-15 minutes to stop. Once it was 20, we were about to head to the hospital. The one this morning lasted for around 10 minutes with direct pressure on his nose. His blood just freely flows, it seems like a weird consistency. Does anyone else here have this?

Becca

 

[JimL]

Maybe this will help and maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but it seems that there are two different things here. One is how easily the blood vessels in the nose break and start the nose bleed. The other is how long is takes such a wound to clot up and thus stop bleeding. Coumadin has everything to do with the second, and nothing to do with the first. It would seem, then, that the problem to fix is how easily those blood vessels break, and I know nothing about that.

 

[Ross]

Sounds like he needs to see a ENT and have his nose cauterized. When I was little, I had bleeds like that and after having my nose packed a few times, cauterization made sense.

 

[RunMartin]

I went to hospital with this a few days ago. At first they were talking about cauterization but then settled for "Naseptin Nasal Cream". This seems to have worked so far.

Martin

 

[vtbecca]

Thanks for the suggestions. So far it was just this morning and it didn't start again today. If he starts getting them frequently again though I definitely will take him to the ENT. Martin, your mention of nasal cream reminded me of reading somewhere about a nasal spray that hospitals use sometimes. It may have been an antihistimine. I think I'll look it up and maybe keep some on hand. I had forgotten about that!

Becca

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Some Nasal Sprays can damage the nasal tissues if used too often. Ask his PCP or ENT before using.

 

[Kathy McCain]

Hi Becca,

I also had quiet a few nose bleeds as a child. Ross has a very good sugestion there.

 

[Maryka]

My kids got a lot of big nose bleeds (with no anticoagulants in their blood.) One time in public I loudly scolded my 4-year-old son and his nose suddenly started to to bleed profusely. The people around me gave me dirty looks assuming I had hit him causing the nosebleed. If this had happened today, of course, I might have had some big explaining to do to a policeman!

 

[vtbecca]

Maryka, people always assume things, don't they! When Gabe had his second surgery he had a bruise from the front of his neck around to the back because they had such a hard time getting lines in. The bruise lasted several weeks after we'd been home, and I got the dirtiest looks when I took him out. I was just waiting for someone to say something, they would have been shocked at why they were there- he was just 19 months.

Becca

 

[Ross]

No one enjoys having miles of gauze shoved up their snouts. I certainly didn't and I had it happen a few times. Cauterization solved the problem.

 

[james]

I use a Neti Pot daily and since I started have not had any nosebleeds or sinus infections.

 

[Jeanie]

I did a Google search and found a few good articles: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nosebleeds/MY01201
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-causes-of-nosebleeds.htm
http://www.ctds.info/epistaxis.html

 

[vtbecca]

Thanks for all the suggestions. He hasn't had one since so I think we'll sit tight on doing anything for now. Hopefully they won't become frequent as they have been in the past. Jeanie, I'll check out the articles. Thanks!

Becca