Re: AFib

KonaKat · ‎03-10-2010

@mishka14 wrote:
@CelticCrafter wrote:
When my m-i-l was diagnosed with it the doctor put her on Coumadin.

It got to a point that if you so much as touched her with a feather she would bruise.

She's on Xarelto now.
thanks CelticCrafter...how is she doing on the Xarelto? I am really not comfortable taking the Coumadin....seems too many bad things can happen...but my Dr. is pushing me to take a blood thinner, I need to decide which one to take...

I have AFib, the paroxyzmal type, and have been on Xarelto 3 years. I have had invasive procedures which required me to be off of it for two or three days. I don't bruise any more than I did before taking it but there is a risk of bleeding with any blood thinner.I have been in an accident with no bleeding complicaitions.

The new types of blood thinners differ slightly so it would be up to the cardiologist to prescribe based upon your lifestyle and other health conditions. The advantage of Xarelto is that it is a one pill a day and like the other new ones does not require dietary management and frequent testing. You need to check your insurance to see how well they cover the new blood thinners as they can be expensive.

**************** "A black cat crossing your path just means that it is going from one place to another." Proud owner of a black cat and a shopper of QVC since the merger with CVN.

pitdakota · ‎03-16-2010

@mishka14 wrote:
@CelticCrafter wrote:
When my m-i-l was diagnosed with it the doctor put her on Coumadin.

It got to a point that if you so much as touched her with a feather she would bruise.

She's on Xarelto now.
thanks CelticCrafter...how is she doing on the Xarelto? I am really not comfortable taking the Coumadin....seems too many bad things can happen...but my Dr. is pushing me to take a blood thinner, I need to decide which one to take...

_____________________________________________

@mishka14, I would suggest you talk about your concerns with your doctor.

Xarelto is only used in nonvalvular atrial fib and might be contraindicated with certain lab values and/or medical history. Same with the other anticoagulants.

Only your doctor and you know your medical history and what might be best for you. But you won't know if you don't ask him/her and discuss your concerns. There may be very specific reasons Coumadin is being recommended. Or maybe not. You won't know if you don't specifically verbalize your concerns & ask about various options.

At any rate, no matter the cause...atrial fib can cause blood to pool in the top chambers of the heart. It doesn't necessarily get pumped out to the lower chambers as it would with someone in a normal cardiac rhythm. This can lead to blood clots forming in the atrium that can then travel to your brain and cause a major stroke. Anticoagulation is very important for most people with A fib. While any anticoagulant will have its risks, the risk of a stroke in poorly anticoagulated individuals with Atrial fib is very real. So I would encourage you to take your concerns to your doctor and the 2 of you work out what is best for you and why. People here don't know your medical history nor prescribing information or limitations for various medications. People can certainly say what they took and what they have, but that doesn't specifically pertain to you.

I assume the onset of atrial fib is relatively new so that this diagnosis and concerns about associated meds can cause some anxiety. But best discussed with your md. Best wishes to you as you make your decisions!

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Shelbelle · ‎03-09-2010

When my mom and my MIL were both diagnosed with A Fib, they were both put on a full aspirin daily, no other blood thinners.

mishka14 · ‎04-20-2013

@Shelbelle wrote:
When my mom and my MIL were both diagnosed with A Fib, they were both put on a full aspirin daily, no other blood thinners.

Shelbelle, that is what I am doing now, 1 full aspirin daily.. It's been 20 months since I was in the ER and was diagnoised with AFib....so far so good with the 1 aspirin a day.

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@mishka14 wrote:
Anyone here taking Coumadin for AFib? What are the side effects that you have with this
medication?

@mishka14 I wouldn't take a blood thinner. Ask about Flecainide.

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

@mishka14 wrote:
@CelticCrafter wrote:
When my m-i-l was diagnosed with it the doctor put her on Coumadin.

It got to a point that if you so much as touched her with a feather she would bruise.

She's on Xarelto now.
thanks CelticCrafter...how is she doing on the Xarelto? I am really not comfortable taking the Coumadin....seems too many bad things can happen...but my Dr. is pushing me to take a blood thinner, I need to decide which one to take...

@mishka14 I had to take Coumadin for 6 weeks after my double knee replacement in 2013. I never had any side effects that I noticed the entire 6 weeks. I hated having to watch my diet and I could not eat all the healthy green vegetables I usually do. The one plus with Coumadin over say Xarelto is that there is a drug to stop the bleeding with Coumadin if you get too much of the drug....but with the newer drugs like Xarelto there is no counter drug and you will just bleed out. ( die) Xarelto is more dangerous in that regard.

But, you do not have to watch your intake of green vegetables on Xarelto. That is a plus I guess.

MoJoV · ‎10-01-2010

@mousiegirl wrote:
@mishka14 wrote:
Anyone here taking Coumadin for AFib? What are the side effects that you have with this
medication?

@mishka14 I wouldn't take a blood thinner. Ask about Flecainide.

I take Flecainide and Eliquis for Afib

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