Medicare Plans Big Payment Changes for Knee and Hip Replacements

Coumadin/warfarin is the main ingredient of rat poison.

Clemson Fan said:

Coumadin/warfarin is the main ingredient of rat poison.

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I don't have to worry about having rats.

John Cummings said:

They are still trying to find the right Coumadin dosage level to stabilize my INR between 2 - 3. Last Monday it was at 6.9 which is very high and quite dangerous. My eyes became very blood shot. Yesterday it was 4.6

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A few months back my INR was 9.5 and my doc called me at 10 p.m to get to the hospital ER to get some vitamin K and more blood tests...but don't bump into anything. I had no symptoms like blood shot eyes, etc but glad they were fast on getting me fixed up. I have no idea why it shot up like that...I thought it might have been the stress I was under at that time, but they said no.

I have to get regular blood tests for another blood problem called ITP so the doc said to not get on the new drugs as they can just use another vial when the needle is in.

Btw...I hate blood tests but can't avoid them...but a nurse one time tried a butterfly needle in the back of my hands. Never even felt it and that's where they always go now. Finding the vein in my arms has always been hit or miss.

Brian

pwrshift said:

Btw...I hate blood tests but can't avoid them...but a nurse one time tried a butterfly needle in the back of my hands. Never even felt it and that's where they always go now. Finding the vein in my arms has always been hit or miss.

Brian

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I have the same problem with drawing blood. Some people are very good and I can't feel it. Others are brutal. When I was in the hospital a couple weeks ago, they were drawing blood every 6 hours.

The blood test for the INR that my home care nurse does is just like a diabetes insulin test. They prick your finger and then the device gives them an immediate result. I have been off the Coumadin for 3 days now as my last reading on Tuesday was 4.8. I expect it to be down to the right range 2-3 tomorrow when the nurse will test me again. One of these days we will get the right dosage to stabilize it.

Good news. My INR was 2.4 today. My doctor started me back on Coumadin at 2mg dosage. They will check it on Tuesday so hopefully it will stay in range now. I should be able to try and get up and move around a bit now that the INR is down.

I hope so too, John!

Great news John. DH just started 'stabbing' himself this a.m. in preparation for Weds. surgery.

Ingrid

About blood tests...drink more water than you usually do the day before the blood test and also try to drink some when you get up on the morning of the blood test, too. Makes your veins much more accessible, they say.

Fern

jsfletch said:

I asked my cardio about Pradaxa etc. he didn't recommend it because of the risk of excessive bleeding especially in older (75+) people.

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No question that this is one of the risks listed in the disclaimers. I assumed this risk back when I was 74 by switching to Pradaxa primarily to avoid the eating limitations and blood tests that accompany Coumadin. I am now 80, well over the age 75 warning point and have never had an issue.

George

bogey21 said:

No question that this is one of the risks listed in the disclaimers. I assumed this risk back when I was 74 by switching to Pradaxa primarily to avoid the eating limitations and blood tests that accompany Coumadin. I am now 80, well over the age 75 warning point and have never had an issue.

George

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Me too.

Only 73 but I've had a great life so far so if Xarelto has some serious side effect, so what. I'd rather eat what I enjoy, not go thru all the BS testing and not worry if I live to be 74, 84, or 104.

Dying and then being revived with the use of an AED changes one's perspective on things a bit.

Cheers

x3 skier said:

Me too.

Only 73 but I've had a great life so far so if Xarelto has some serious side effect, so what. I'd rather eat what I enjoy, not go thru all the BS testing and not worry if I live to be 74, 84, or 104.

Dying and then being revived with the use of an AED changes one's perspective on things a bit.

Cheers

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The good thing for me is 90% of the restricted foods with Coumadin are things I don't like very much or dislike. The only food I miss is guacamole because of the restriction on avocados.

The blood tests don't bother me as they come to my house to do them and it is just pricking my finger.

SmithOp said:

Dont the patients bear some responsibility to live a healthier lifestyle also? .........

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Yes patients do have a responsibility for themselves, it is a huge factor actually. If only we lived in a perfect world. What should happen when people don't do what they should be doing and develop negative outcomes ?