Coumadin and menopause

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Tamponade

Tamponade

Hey Gina M,
I also couldn't figure out why after 2 weeks post surgery I couldn't breathe! Went to PCP and he told me it was just taking time to recover from surgery. Went to cardio and he did an echo and sent me directly to the hospital,which was next door.Couldn't walk without passing out! They infused me with fresh frozen plasma and off I went to surgery again to have a chest tube put in. That was more painful than the open-heart!! After they drained what my Husband said was 11 pounds of fluid from around my heart I was feeling really good and recovery took it's normal course. When I went to the surgeon that put in the chest tube he told me someone wasn't watching my INR levels very well!! Holy Cow! What did I know! This was all new to me also. Like you, I trusted all my docs. Of course my cardio never once came in to see me when I was in the hospital so I now have a new cardio!
My PCP was monitoring my INR but was too busy for all the parients he had so when an anti-coagulation clinic opened up affiliated with the hospital, he immediately sent me to them. The Pharmacist that manages the clinic took extra training especially for INR management. He is wonderful and very concientious! I love him. I can call him any time with any question I have no matter how dumb. I feel much better being handled by him than my Doc because thats all he does. Things have been going well and it has been a year and a half since surgery.

 

[JenniferO]

Wow, these latest horror stories which of course go way beyond "female" worries have really scared me about the Coumadin.

I hope these are the exception and not the rule.

 

[Christina]

I agree with Gina. Excellent doctors with excellent bedside manners are far and few in between. I am on my 4th doctor since my surgery last year and I think this one looks like a keeper. It took a year to find this one, but I am glad I persisted.
It doesn't pay to put up with a jerk and his bad behaviour, I can tell you this from experience. The doctors that I encountered were indifferent towards me, and had no personality. Also had way too many Coumadin patients and seemed uninterested in what I had to say and what I felt comfortable with. The last one took the cake though, he was the jerk of jerks.

To Jennifer.. Coumadin is not that difficult to regulate. You just have to find the right doctor who knows what he's doing and is not intimidating towards you.
I home test with the Protime and have been stable since I fired the last jerk. I test once or twice a week, and call it in to the office, and they call me back the same day with any dosage changes. I haven't gone to the lab since the end of June and am doing fine. So once in a while when my diet is a bit off, and if I don't consume the same amounts of vitamin K the INR gets a bit higher than normal, but my new doctor doesn't have a hissy fit about it and doesn't chew me out. I am so much more at ease now and not so nervous. Before I was a nervous wreck and had a lot of anxiety.
I thank God for giving me the courage to stand up for my rights as a patient.

Christina
Aortic Stenosis
AVR's 8/7/00 & 8/18/00
St.Jude's Mechanical
Coumadin 20 mg a day.

 

[Doris]

I also have suffered prolonged menstrual bleeding and increase in flow since July of this year. At present my gyn placed me on low dose birth control pills to control the bleeding problem. My last two INR readings have been exceedingly high 3.8 and then 4.8. They have reduced my coumadin intake. I was taking 6mg coumadin now I'm down to 3 1/2 mg tablets. My INR range should be 2.5. My doctors can't figure out why my readings are so high. Since I had this valve replacement I havn't been right, I'm tired and weak all the time. I'm hoping with time and God's help I can get back to normal.

Doris Smith
Woodbridge, Va
MVR/4-6-2000

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Doris

It takes time for most to get regulated. In my case, longer than usual it seems. Funny thing is...I am on the original dose they started me out on post op. Post surgery it was too much.... now it seems to fit. Go figure. Coumadin is a touchy medication.

Hope you get your other issues under control. Unfortunately my doctors will not allow me to take birth control do to the increased risks of clotting. Was surprised to see that you are taking them. I am sure you doctor has good reason.

Good luck....

 

[KristyW]

Different Opinion

Different Opinion

All,

I had AVR surgery in June, and I am taking 5mg per day of warfarin. I can honestly say that my menstrual cycles have not changed one bit. They are exactly the same as before my surgery. I'm 39 years old and not in the early stages of menopause as far as I can tell.

I also have been on the same dosage of warfarin since I got out of the hospital.

Maybe I'm just one of those people whose body is easy to regulate.I thought that there should be an opposing view about this from a woman who has "been there" for those who are researching their valve options.

Not all women experience the same things on warfarin.

 

[Rain]

Coumadin - It's not really all that bad!

Coumadin - It's not really all that bad!

Hey everyone,

I had my mitral valve replaced with a mechanical valve 4-6-00. My menstrual cycle is also EXACTLY the same as before my surgery. I was 39 years old at the time and have recently turned 41. As of about 4 months ago a blood test confirmed I am not in menopause.

I came home from the hospital taking 2 ½ mgs a day. I wasn?t eating a lot at the time, I think that?s why it was so low. My dose now fluctuates between 21mgs a week and 24.5 mgs a week.

I feel bad every time I belly ache about coumadin here in the forum. It really isn?t all that bad. I am perfectly happy with my choice to have a mechanical valve and taking coumadin.

I think most people do not have a problem maintaining their INR levels. But those people are not here grumbling about it like us lucky few who do have problems. I hope people researching valves realize that.

I think you are right Kristy, it?s good to hear from people who do not have the problems. Maybe we should take a poll. I betcha there would be a LOT more people who say they don?t have significant problems, than those who do. It would be interesting.

Oh, did I mention I had a hysterectomy when I was 35? One of the smartest things I ever did, and not just because it got rid of the cancer.

Rain

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Rain, you are so funny!

 

[Guest]

Thanks Janie,

I wanted to ask but didn't want to risk an answer that men just did not understand.

 

[Rain]

no menstrual cycle before surgery, no menstrual cycle after surgery

no menstrual cycle before surgery, no menstrual cycle after surgery

Hey there, Janie lady!

It?s true! ?My menstrual cycle is also EXACTLY the same as before my surgery?

Don?t bet on the ?Immaculate conception?! lol Sara was born in June 1993, I had my last menstrual period in September 1995. Yippee!!

Al, I don?t believe there IS a question our Janie won?t ask! It?s probably best not to test her!!!

Rain

 

[Guest]

Look where Kristy and Rain live. It must be the altitude. We get more radiation or something since the air is thinner.

 

[Rain]

Turnip truck??

Turnip truck??

Y?all got a lot of turnip trucks down there in Texas? Hmmm...... don?t think I?ve ever seen one in Cortez.

 

[Juliemoon]

Hi ladies,

I know this is an old post but i'm looking for some help! I had AVR surgery in Feb 2017, mechanical valve. Im 44, and on I'm on 5 mg of Coumadin, with 7.5 2 days of the week. I was diagnosed with PMDD years before, and have always had debilitating symptoms surrounding my cycle (depression, migraines for 7-10 days, and heavy bleeding.) Since surgery the bleeding is totally out of control. It was bad before but now I am home-bound for at least 2-3 days, with clots the size of golf balls and blood loss so severe that I am weak and dizzy. Progesterone didn't work, as I seem to be allergic to it. My doctors say no for bcps. It looks like my only alternative is a hysterectomy. Has anyone out there had one for this problem? Full or partial? My doc is saying partial will relieve the bleeding, but not the PMDD symptoms. But a full (taking out ovaries and all) will throw me into menopause and then I'll have to take estrogen which can cause clotting issues I've got to do something soon as my quality of life is way worse than before surgery. HELP!!!!!

 

[Zoltania]

Have you investigated the possibility of endometrial ablation? I don't know anything about it personally, but I've read that women have had success with this procedure and have avoided the need for a hysterectomy. In any case, you could have a hysterectomy but retain your ovaries, so you wouldn't have to go into surgical menopause.

Either of those solutions would just address the bleeding issue, though. You would have to treat the depression and migraines via other means, as your doctor says.