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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadin
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadin
by ryan__0__0, Jan 01, 1995 12:00AM
Posted By ryan on July 10, 1999 at 11:55:37
I had a St. Jude's valve put in at age 17--12 years ago--and never really stuck with the coumadin therapy. My metabolism was/is too widely varied for it to be useful, as the docs were always adjusting my levels every two weeks. I realize the risk I've run for all these years, and my mom is a nurse, so I've gotten grief about it practically every day. To this day, I have had no symptoms or problems, but as I get older, I am considering rejoining the world of the frightened and taking the drug. My questions are: Do clots form gradually or rapidly? If a clot formed, but was stuck inoffensively to the valve, what would the docs do? Finally, is there any contraindication against daily scuba diving while on coumadin?
I had a St. Jude's valve put in at age 17--12 years ago--and never really stuck with the coumadin therapy. My metabolism was/is too widely varied for it to be useful, as the docs were always adjusting my levels every two weeks. I realize the risk I've run for all these years, and my mom is a nurse, so I've gotten grief about it practically every day. To this day, I have had no symptoms or problems, but as I get older, I am considering rejoining the world of the frightened and taking the drug. My questions are: Do clots form gradually or rapidly? If a clot formed, but was stuck inoffensively to the valve, what would the docs do? Finally, is there any contraindication against daily scuba diving while on coumadin?
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12 years after AVR, still no coumadinPosted By ryan on July 10, 1999 at 11:55:37 I had a St....[more]
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadinPosted By ryan on July 10, 1999 at 11:55:37 I had a St....[more]
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadinPosted By ryan on July 10, 1999 at 11:55:37 I had a St....[more]
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadinPosted By ryan on July 10, 1999 at 11:55:37 I had a St....[more]
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadinPosted By ryan on July 10, 1999 at 11:55:37 I had a St....[more]
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadinPosted By ryan on July 10, 1999 at 11:55:37 I had a St....[more]
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadinPosted By ryan on July 10, 1999 at 11:55:37 I had a St....[more]
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadinPosted By ryan on July 10, 1999 at 11:55:37 I had a St....[more]
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadinPosted By ryan on July 10, 1999 at 11:55:37 I had a St....[more]
Dear Ryan,
Your mother is right ot give you grief. You are literally playing Russian roulette with your life. I have personally taken care of a patient in the same situation as you that had stopped taking her coumadin and developed a massive clot on the valve that was fatal despite our best attempts to save her. Please make an appointment to see your doctor this week to resume your coumadin. Don't delay.
I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
Your response is one of the reasons people like myself don't take our medicine. THe truth is that the risk of my coumadin dosage going too high because of my variable metabolism could cause me to bleed to death. Which risk is greater? Which inconveniences me more? Which is more treatable? I will not simply take a pill, sit in a chair and wait to die because you tell me that living a meaningful life will kill me. Please only post a reply if you have answers to my questions. Do you think I haven't heard your doomsday warnings?
Follow Ups:
Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadin CCF CARDIO MD - CRC 7/13/1999
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12 years after AVR, still no coumadin mario 7/16/1999
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadin CCF CARDIO MD - CRC 7/19/1999
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12 years after AVR, still no coumadin Mario 7/19/1999
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadin CCF CARDIO MD - CRC 7/19/1999
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12 years after AVR, still no coumadin Ryan 7/21/1999
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadin Mario 7/21/1999
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12 years after AVR, still no coumadin CCF CARDIO MD - CRC 7/22/1999
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Re: 12 years after AVR, still no coumadin Ryan 7/22/1999
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12 years after AVR, still no coumadin CCF CARDIO MD - CRC 7/23/1999
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