Warfarin question

[Laoshur]

I know a number of us here are on warfarin, although most of you are on it for a different reason than I. Anyway, have any of you ever had a problem with coughing up blood that turned out to be caused by the warfarin? My INR level is only 2.19, so I was quite surprised when the lung doc said that the warfarin could be causing this problem. Anyone experience this?

Rhoda

[Glen Beamish]

I have only been on Warfarin for 8 months and not had that happen.
I have a had a couple doozy nose bleeds, but I am prone to that in the winter anyway, they just last a lot longer with the Warfarin.

[Sarah]

Ouch. yuck. I'm so sorry.

Over the course of six years, I have had an INR of 11.5, 9, and 6 a couple times. It was the last six when I bleed in my brain.

it would be unusual for you to have issues with a theraputic dose but not out of the picture. my theraputic personal theraputic range has been ratched down from 2-3 to 1.5-2.1. you may need to do the same and see if it helps.

good luck! probably having the fragile lungs from the pneumonia is a contributing factor.

[Largehearted]

Rhoda.

I have been on warfarin since July of 2003 and never has that happen. I too have had a nose bleed or two, but nothing from the lungs. I hope they get things adjusted soon.

Leon

[tommysgirl]

Rhoda,

I use to do the coumadin clinic at my last job. We occasionally had pts cough up small amounts of blood. Is it bright or dark in color? Have you had any other type of cold infections recently? Most of these were with elevated INR levels. It is highly unlikely, yet possible that the warfarin is causing this.

Do you have other lung issues? (Forgive me, I don't always remember everyones health issues.) Have you had any other issues with the warfarin? Are your INR levels stable? Sometimes pts react to the generic form of coumadin (warfarin) and then are put on name brand coumadin.

Some docs believe that it stablizes better and has less side effects. I have seen hundreds of pts on warfarin that do excellent without any problems.

The doc that gave you that advice, is he the doc that is following your warfarin therapy? I do believe that the doc that follows your INR needs to investigate this further. Especially since your level was a therapeutic level.

God Bless!
Sherry

[Laoshur]

Thanks, all, for your responses. Thank you, especially, Sherry, for your expert insight!

I do have underlying lung issues, my INR levels are stable and nicely within therapeutic range and yes, the lung specialist who suggested this is the one who follows my INR levels, but he is young and basically admits that he is not sure how to help me. Finding a doctor here in Beijing is a major hurdle, but yesterday the young lung specialist I see told me to leave Beijing after this semester, so we plan to do so.

I suspect I have another infection smoldering as I feel worse today, so I will see how I do and probably try to restart antibiotics.

Rhoda