what preventitive meds can one use if they have factor 5 leiden

[terrics]

I refused to take plavix or coumadin and I'm only taking aspirin.  I keep reading stuff that says aspirin is not at all helpful.  My MRI shows that I already had some ministrokes??  Does anyone know the facts?  Is aspirin useless under these circumstances?

terrics

[sue_in_oz]

Hi again

Plavix also reduces the ability of platelets to clump (like aspirin).  It just uses a different mechanism to prevent the clumping.

HTH

Sue

[terrics]

Hi,

Thanks for the info.  I see a neurologist who sent me to a hemotologist.  He said I should take coumadin.  

Do you know how plavix works?

I have multiple small infarcts re MRI and I have had mini-strokes.  I certainly don't want a full blown stroke.  I'm also afraid of the meds.

Thank you for any info on plavix.  I have an appt. with the neurologist, but lots of info. on the drugs is better.  Obviously I made an uninformed

[sue_in_oz]

Hi

I think that you should really see a specialist haematologist to help get the correct treatment for you considering that you have evidence of neurological damage.

I used to be a haematology scientist, so I have put in a bit of background below to help bring you up to speed.  But please do get checked out & treated - you don't want to end up with a full on stroke.

Factor V Leiden is a variation of normal Factor V which is part of the clotting cascade, which is essentially a chain reaction of proteins acting on proteins, ending in the formation of a (fibrin) clot.  Platelets are another part of the body's clotting mechanism, they start things off by sticking together to plug the initial hole in the blood vessel & the fibrin clot then adds to this, making it stronger.

The variation of Factor V that you have makes you clot more easily than those with normal Factor V.

Coumadin/warfarin & heparin/clexane decrease the blood's ability to clot by acting on certain (but different) proteins in the clotting cascade.

Aspirin decreases the platelets ability to clump.  As Factor V Leiden is not related to platelet activity, it would seem not to be helpful in your case.  To me it would seem better to take something that affected the clotting cascade (but don't forget I'm not a doctor).

HTH

Sue