Coagulation and Roller Coasters?

[Maryka]

I just connected with a Marfan friend of mine who emailed me about a mutual friend with Marfan. The mutual friend is a young woman, known to have Marfan Syndrome since birth. This young woman had OHS a few years ago and then, last year, under anti-cogulation meds, rode a roller coaster. She got a "brain bleed" which had to be surgically repaired.

Are there any other carnival-type rides we must avoid? I really do not like roller coasters any way, but what about more tame things? Please do not tell me I cannot go on the carousel with my grandchildren, ha ha!:rolleyes2:

 

[Ross]

Need more information. What was her INR at the time of this bleed? People do not spontaneously bleed for no real apparent reasons. Did she smack her head when going around a tight turn, have her head yanked back, etc,. These things are important to others reading these types of threads.

 

[Maryka]

Gee, I doubt I can get this sort of information, being second hand info to begin with. But, on a roller coaster, couldn't the change in air pressure around you or the fear hormones make something like a brain bleed happen? Not on the merry-go-round, I would think, though some folks get dizzy going around on them...

Does someone on this list routinely ride roller coasters? That might be of interest to me.

 

[Ross]

Gee, I doubt I can get this sort of information, being second hand info to begin with. But, on a roller coaster, couldn't the change in air pressure around you or the fear hormones make something like a brain bleed happen? Not on the merry-go-round, I would think, though some folks get dizzy going around on them...

Does someone on this list routinely ride roller coasters? That might be of interest to me.

Many people on Coumadin ride roller coasters. Why this particular person experienced a bleed could be a result of just about anything, not simply because they were on anticoagulants and it's important for the new people to understand that. There should be no fear about riding roller coasters other then those that are likely to give you whiplash or bash your head against steel bars. I know I've ridden a couple that I won't ride again for that very reason. Safety harness and all, still got jerked pretty hard.

 

[Nancy]

It might just be one of the things that happens with Marfan syndrome with or without Coumadin. Cleveland Clinic has a description of Marfan and mentions intracranial bleeding or brain aneurysms.

See this article, scroll down to Changes in the heart and blood vessels:

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/disorders/aorta_marfan/marfan.aspx

 

[AgilityDog]

Yes, not all bleeds are caused by anticoagulants. It sounds more like that one was related to the Marfan's issues.

We had a client die a while back from a brain bleed. Yes he was on coumadin, but he also had cancer, was under treatment for that for a very long time, was very frail, and fell and hit his head. Bad combination, but I don't blame the coumadin. Not by itself.

 

[Maryka]

Thanks for all the feedback! My original source emailed me late yesterday to say that this young Marfan woman had specificly asked her Johns Hopkins cardiologist BEFORE her ride, if a roller coaster ride would cause her any health problems. Her cardiologist, the well-known Dr. Traill, apparently told her there would be no problems. So apparently, this was a surprise to everyone involved. As I keep saying, I hope I never ride a roller coaster again, but that has little to do with health issues, ha ha!

 

[Ross]

Thanks for all the feedback! My original source emailed me late yesterday to say that this young Marfan woman had specificly asked her Johns Hopkins cardiologist BEFORE her ride, if a roller coaster ride would cause her any health problems. Her cardiologist, the well-known Dr. Traill, apparently told her there would be no problems. So apparently, this was a surprise to everyone involved. As I keep saying, I hope I never ride a roller coaster again, but that has little to do with health issues, ha ha!

She may have had a very weak vessel from birth. Heck, we just never know what's lurking within us and waiting to do us harm.