Coumadin....

mishka14 · ‎04-20-2013

my doctor wants me to start taking Coumadin for AFib......anyone else take it for this?

I am resisting this and feel that just an aspirin a day is enough.....thoughts out there...

K9buddy · ‎03-09-2010

Afib increases your chances of a stroke. Aspirin isn't enough to counter a stroke of someone with afib. Most people with afib are on the new blood thinners such as xarelto which does not require regular blood work to monitor levels. Coumadin does require regular blood work. Some people try to scare you from taking the newer blood thinners but I know 4 people with afib and they're all on the newer ones with no ill effects.

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

My dad has AFib & takes Coumadin & Aspirin daily. His arms look all bruised from the Coumadin. He said it's nothing more then rat poison.

You could discuss an alternative with your doctor.

mishka14 · ‎04-20-2013

@K9buddy wrote:
Afib increases your chances of a stroke. Aspirin isn't enough to counter a stroke of someone with afib. Most people with afib are on the new blood thinners such as xarelto which does not require regular blood work to monitor levels. Coumadin does require regular blood work. Some people try to scare you from taking the newer blood thinners but I know 4 people with afib and they're all on the newer ones with no ill effects.

the new blood thinners, like Xareltro are very expensive....and I have crappy insurance.

Coumadin is cheap....this is our wonderful U.S. health system......time to move to Canada...

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

It is very important for a person who has A Fib to take coumadin. I realize what a pain in the neck it is to have to get the blood drawn and all but the risk of throwing a clot and having a stroke or heart attack or pulmonary emboli are very high.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@mishka14 wrote:
@K9buddy wrote:
Afib increases your chances of a stroke. Aspirin isn't enough to counter a stroke of someone with afib. Most people with afib are on the new blood thinners such as xarelto which does not require regular blood work to monitor levels. Coumadin does require regular blood work. Some people try to scare you from taking the newer blood thinners but I know 4 people with afib and they're all on the newer ones with no ill effects.
the new blood thinners, like Xareltro are very expensive....and I have crappy insurance.

Coumadin is cheap....this is our wonderful U.S. health system......time to move to Canada...

Some of those other drugs can have serious side effects. There are lawsuits out there.

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

@mishka14Why do you use a doctor you think knows less than you know? Is it time to find a new one - or at least to get a second opinion?

I haven't needed coumadin yet, but I do remember the testing it requires is an annoyance, but the aunt who used it never had even a TIA after her doctor prescribed it. (I'm thinking the newer blood thinners weren't on the market when she was alive because I really don't remember we were offered any alternatives once she went from several relatively minor TIA's to a massive, damaging stroke.)

Please do take care.

K9buddy · ‎03-09-2010

@Nightowlz wrote:
My dad has AFib & takes Coumadin & Aspirin daily. His arms look all bruised from the Coumadin. He said it's nothing more then rat poison.
You could discuss an alternative with your doctor.

Why would your dad be taking both Coumadin and aspirin? Sounds like over kill.

Shelbelle · ‎03-09-2010

My Mom had A Fib for years and never took Coumadin or any blood thinners , just a full size aspirin daily and Amioderone.

Way too many commercials for the so called new blood thinners and the class action law suits against them, that alone is enough to scare you to death.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

OK - let's discuss the subject of coumadin being rat poison. Sheesh. Yes, rat poison contains coumadin but that is because rats can't throw up so they eat the coumadin in a very large quantity for their body weight and it makes them get a GI bleed and they die from the GI bleed. A person would never take anywhere as much as the rats relative to their size. So - people are monitored closely to make sure they don't take too much coumadin and that their clotting times are within strict standards. The rats consume a huge dose comparatively. Any drug taken in a huge overdose would have horrible side effects.