Don't want to take Coumadin for life

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Joseph:

Is it the 10mg dosage you're on that you're concerned about? Or just having to take an Rx every day?

Do you have your own home tester, such as a CoaguChek or INRatio? Home-testing is liberating and certainly worth pursuing.
 
Unfortunately my friend, you have no choice w/a prosthetic valve! Either you take it or risk getting a clot & dying & what a shame that would be after having made it thru OHS & on your way to a better life!

I have been on coumadin for 30+ years & it's never been a big deal. I know that if I want to continue living (and who doesn't?), I must take my little pill every day without fail.

Count your blessings & appreciate the 2nd chance you were given!

Best wishes!

This is so right! I never say this ,but,get over it,,death isn't the worst thing that a stroke can bring!
 
Joseph,
Like you, I'm not crazy about coumadin....except for the fact that it keeps me alive.
I prefer to get thru a lot of 'grand children years' without a stroke or tipping over.
Good luck.
 
My 46 year old daughter has been on it 10 years and made it easy for me to understand the importance of it. I had valve replacement surgery in Jan. suffered a stroke and seizure and a week later had a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted. 2 weeks in ICU, 1 week in telemetry and 2 weeks in rehab learning how to walk and use my left hand again. Today I feel wonderful, enjoy my husband, daughters, grandchildren, gardening, my church family and my crafts. I take Warfarin also and prefer the weekly or sometimes every other week blood testing to what could hapopen if I didn't. Wish I didn't have to take it but it beats the alternative.
 
Hi Thanks to everyone. I have been taking Warfarin for 10 years & my Cardiologist has said on many occasions that there is something better coming. So I thought I would ask the group for any info & appreciated all of your replies. Main reason is that every drug has some side effect & it would be nice to find an alternative. Regards from down under in Sydney that has very poor visibility today due to a very unusual dust storm & strong winds
 
Yes - we've heard for a long time that something new is just around the corner. And it may well be. When it comes it comes. But Coumadin for me, has no side effects. I've been on other medications that had horrible side effects. If I was told I could give up one med and not suffer repercussions from giving it up, Coumadin would not be my first choice.

Have you looked into home testing? It really frees your life up and makes taking Coumadin much much less a hassle.
 
Hi Joseph,

I hope you're feeling better. I live in Victoria and saw the images on the news about the dust storm!!!! Anyway, I'm 35 and I will have to take warfarin for the rest of my life. I don't mind taking warfarin, however I would like an alternative for the beta-blocker drugs.

Regards,
Mimi
 
I have been taking Warfarin for 10 years & my Cardiologist has said on many occasions that there is something better coming.

Joseph:

My surgeon told me that while I was in the hospital 6 years ago. Said there would probably be a replacement for warfarin in 5 years. At that time, he was talking about Exanta (mfr: AstraZeneca).
Exanta has since been shot down.............
 
Hi Thanks to everyone. I have been taking Warfarin for 10 years & my Cardiologist has said on many occasions that there is something better coming. So I thought I would ask the group for any info & appreciated all of your replies. Main reason is that every drug has some side effect & it would be nice to find an alternative. Regards from down under in Sydney that has very poor visibility today due to a very unusual dust storm & strong winds

josh you may like to have a read of this maybe there is something new coming along for warfarin users
New blood-thinning stroke drug could save lives and cut reliance on warfarin

A new blood-thinning drug to prevent strokes could replace a commonly used treatment based on rat poison for thousands of patients. The drug called Pradaxa is one-third more effective at reducing the risk of stroke and blood clots in at-risk patients than warfarin, and cuts deaths by 15 per cent.

Warfarin, which is still used in large doses to kill vermin, has been a routine medication for preventing strokes since the 1950s. But it is inconvenient for patients because careful monitoring and regular blood tests are needed to prevent excessive bleeding from cuts or stomach ulcers, requiring frequent clinic visits.

It can also interact badly with other drugs and certain foods, including green vegetables and grapefruit. The new drug, Pradaxa, works by reversing and inhibiting the effects of thrombin, which is the substance responsible for clotting.
New possibilities: A drug that could revolutionise stroke sufferers' lives has been discovered

New possibilities: A drug that could revolutionise stroke sufferers' lives has been discovered

Patients taking capsules twice a day do not have to be constantly checked for signs of overdosing, can eat what they like and it is much easier to use alongside other medicines.

Results from a major trial today showed Pradaxa was 34 per cent better at reducing the risk of stroke and blood clots in at-risk patients than well-controlled warfarin.

Fatal strokes were also reduced by 15 per cent when patients were given the drug More than 18,000 patients aged around 71 from 44 countries took part in the three year RE-LY (randomised evaluation of long term anticoagulant therapy) trial.

All suffered from atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disorder that greatly increases the risk of stroke. They were randomly assigned to treatment either with Pradaxa or warfarin.

The findings were presented yest(sun) at the European Society of Cardiology's annual meeting in Barcelona, Spain, and published online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Professor Stuart Connolly, one of the leading investigators from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, said 'The results exceeded all our expectations.

'We now have an oral treatment which offers superior protection from stroke with less bleeding and without the need for routine monitoring.'

At present the drug, also known as dabigatran, is only licensed in the UK for the treatment of orthopaedic patients at risk of clotting after surgery and taken for up to four weeks.

The drug's makers Boehringer Ingelheim are planning to apply next year for permission to use it for the prevention of stroke when patients would have to take it for life. However, the high cost of Pradaxa means it will have to assessed by the Government's drug rationing body to determine whether it can be widely used in the NHS.

Daily treatment will cost around £4.20 at current prices whereas warfarin costs around £1 for a month's supply, plus clinic visits. Dr Adrian Brady, consultant cardiologist at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, said 'This is the greatest step forward in anticoagulation therapy for over 50 years.

'The results presented today could mean the end of warfarin, known by many as rat poison, for many patients - no more anticoagulation clinics, no more blood tests, no more watching what you need to eat and drink.

'Patients and their doctors will be eagerly examining these findings with a view to switching from warfarin to this new drug once it is licensed.'

Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects more than half a million people in the UK and is a leading cause of stroke. Around 150,000 people in the UK suffer a stroke each year.

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said the new drug looked promising but further trials were needed to establish its potential.

He said: 'It's the first oral warfarin alternative that's been through a phase 3 clinical trial without showing severe toxicity.

'There are more oral agents in the pipeline and this type of therapy might lead to a rise in the numbers being treated.

'The health economists are going to have to see if the lives saved and the hassle saved are worth the extra costs' he added.

Dr Keith Muir, medical advisor for The Stroke Association said 'Warfarin is a highly effective treatment when indicated for stroke prevention, but it is underused, often because of safety concerns or the need for regular blood tests to monitor its effects.

'The RE-LY trial indicates that dabigatran may offer a useful alternative to warfarin for stroke prevention in some circumstances, but the trial highlights both pros and cons that mean its place isn't yet clear.

'The trial only involved people who could equally well have taken warfarin, and anyone currently taking warfarin should continue it unless advised by their doctor.'

here is the link to the article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...ke-drug-save-lives-cut-reliance-warfarin.html

regards Jeff:D
 
Warfarin, which is still used in large doses to kill vermin, has been a routine medication for preventing strokes since the 1950s. But it is inconvenient for patients because careful monitoring and regular blood tests are needed to prevent excessive bleeding from cuts or stomach ulcers, requiring frequent clinic visits


They make it sound sooo terrible. Maybe why some people are always crying about taking it. :D
 
A similar drug, Exanta manufactured by AstraZenica, was also used (short-term) for orthopedic patients but FAILED long term tests in the USA and the studies were discontinued. I'm thinking there were long term liver problems but don't recall the details. There was a LOT of Advertising Hype for this drug until the side effect issue became known.

The progression for Warfarin replacement seems to be from short-term orthopedic patients to long term A-Fib patients and finally, Heart Valve Patients. I expect it will be years before Heart Valvers have a safe proven alternative.

Our local Anti-Coagulation Clinic (part of The Heart Center) is participating in a Warfarin "substitute" study where this drug works on the same mechanism as Warfarin but has less interaction with other drugs. EDIT - The name of this drug is Apixaban, manufactured by Bristol Myers Squibb.

For those interested in further research, GOOGLE provides Many Links to both names (Exanta and Apixaban).



'AL Capshaw'
 
I think that most of the "problem" with Warfarin is "in the mind". Many doctors and researchers think it's bad, many health professionals don't know how to manage it, add that together and people will have problems. My last INR was 2.5. My doctor has a new nurse who said my range should be 3.0-3.5 and I needed to adjust. Didn't ask any questions about diet, activity, etc. Didn't even tell me my INR until I asked. Just said, "How are you taking it now?" and "Ok, you need to blah, blah, blah." I told her that she should always start conversations with me by telling me my INR. Then, if needed, we can discuss changes in my diet or exercise patterns. I then told her that I will not adjust for 2.5 because my range is 2.5-3.5 and I know that I've been eating more veggies and exercising more lately. If it goes down on the next test, I will make an adjustment. She started with, "Your doctor doesn't like people to self treat...blah, blah, blah...." I told her that I would be glad to discuss that with the doctor, but I'm sure after 11 years he agrees that I know WTH I am doing. Perhaps she needed to talk to him.

I realize that most people on Warfarin are elderly and just want to be told what to do and not have to worry about the details, but somewhere in my chart I want them to write, "Knows what she's doing so don't treat her like an idiot." Instead I think it says, "Bitch!" :p
 
Warfarin, which is still used in large doses to kill vermin, has been a routine medication for preventing strokes since the 1950s. But it is inconvenient for patients because careful monitoring and regular blood tests are needed to prevent excessive bleeding from cuts or stomach ulcers, requiring frequent clinic visits.

Yeah well in my opinion, this is nothing more then a minor inconvenience when compared to putting your life on the line by having repeated surgeries. People don't grasp the concept that being cut apart all the time takes a tremendous toll on other organs in the body. It's definately safer then more surgery.
 
I think that most of the "problem" with Warfarin is "in the mind". Many doctors and researchers think it's bad, many health professionals don't know how to manage it, add that together and people will have problems. My last INR was 2.5. My doctor has a new nurse who said my range should be 3.0-3.5 and I needed to adjust. Didn't ask any questions about diet, activity, etc. Didn't even tell me my INR until I asked. Just said, "How are you taking it now?" and "Ok, you need to blah, blah, blah." I told her that she should always start conversations with me by telling me my INR. Then, if needed, we can discuss changes in my diet or exercise patterns. I then told her that I will not adjust for 2.5 because my range is 2.5-3.5 and I know that I've been eating more veggies and exercising more lately. If it goes down on the next test, I will make an adjustment. She started with, "Your doctor doesn't like people to self treat...blah, blah, blah...." I told her that I would be glad to discuss that with the doctor, but I'm sure after 11 years he agrees that I know WTH I am doing. Perhaps she needed to talk to him.

I realize that most people on Warfarin are elderly and just want to be told what to do and not have to worry about the details, but somewhere in my chart I want them to write, "Knows what she's doing so don't treat her like an idiot." Instead I think it says, "Bitch!" :p

Lisa:

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Hope your doctor advised the nurse that you certainly know what you're doing.

My new cardio prefers that I keep my INR at the higher end of my range, 3.0-3.5. Sometimes it is, sometimes it's not. Two weeks ago it was 3.8, last week it was 3.2. I don't like mine to get below about 2.8, but it has several times. It did yo-yo some this spring and I never determined why. After all, that's why it's called INR (It's Never Right). :D
 
Yeah well in my opinion, this is nothing more then a minor inconvenience when compared to putting your life on the line by having repeated surgeries. People don't grasp the concept that being cut apart all the time takes a tremendous toll on other organs in the body. It's definately safer then more surgery.

got to agree with you there Ross i would sooner take my Warfarin then go back under the knife on a regular basis it takes me long enough to get over surgery now. and i don't consider my self to be elderly at all :D
regards Jeff :)
 
No, Dayton, you are a young, spry thing compared to the ones I'm talking about! Besides, age is definitely a state of mind! My mom is almost 70 and she walks about 3-4 miles a day, rain or shine! The elderly I'm talking about have been put on it because they are having blood clots, strokes, etc., probably have memory issues, and are 80+!
 
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