I love these Coumadin discussions
Somewhat tongue-in-cheek:
1. In eight years of being on Coumadin I've never worried about my diet. (I do confess that I have used Coumadin as an excuse not to eat something I didn't want to - please don't tell my wife!).
2. I drink alcohol regularly and mostly moderately. I used to drink Merlot, but now prefer a good Shiraz - red wine is good for you
. The only adverse affect has been on my waistline, not my INR. If my liver self-destructs in 20 years, well then it's been an enjoyable 20 years.
3. Contrary to common belief, relatively few people actually bleed to death in dentists' chairs while getting their teeth cleaned.
4. I regularly play with sharp & dangerous things: hobby knives, power saws, sledge hammers, wrenches, etc. I am skilled at busting my knuckles and have not bled to death from doing so.
5. I have crashed my triathlon bike at over 20 mph, cracking my helmet when my head hit the pavement. Slightly separated my shoulder, but did not bleed to death from my road rash or a closed head injury (but I did ruin my Lance Armstrong Livestrong bike jersey
).
Had someone tell me recently that Coumadin users often 'spontaneously' bleed to death. Not sure how to respond to that...
Just my $0.02. Your mileage may vary.
Mark