Heparin symptoms and conditions

After reading these posts I am more confused than before, because my experience is so far very different. I was diagnosed with DVT about two weeks ago and now take Coumadin daily; the Lovenox injections have been discontinued. The reason I'm so confused is I now feel the best I have in 5 (five) years.

Before being placed on the anti-coagulants I had memory and concentration issues that were progressively getting worse and greatly affecting my job, and had daily headaches. I had joint pain that made it difficult to get up after sitting for awhile; they felt constantly inflamed. I felt fatigued all the time and my muscles hurt like I had really pushed them; I just didn't have any strength, and had muscle cramps. I was constantly yawning and found my jaws hurt from clinching my teeth, subconsciously trying not to yawn. I was extremely sensitive to physical touch, even hugs hurt. I also felt extremely depressed and cried almost daily. My lips and left cheek tingled, as well as other parts of my body. Plus I would get the feeling of sudden pressure in my head (different from a headache) like it was going to pop off, and I my eyes didn't seem to track what I looking at and had difficulty in remembering or comprehending what I just read.

About 6 (six) days after starting treatment it completely changed and these symptoms are essentially gone. I have talked with my doctor and pharmacist and they are baffled. I am concerned this change, while welcomed, may indicate an underlying condition that is not yet diagnosed. Has anyone ever heard of such an impact from starting Coumadin treatment?

Ran into friend at grocery store with mystery illness. Docs attribute it to Agent Orange exposure. Been at death's doorstep for a year. Hands were extremely cold and has little energy. Showed up one day at golf course with oxygen bottle! Asked him if he had taken Levaquin. Unfortunately had. Docs again fail to link antibiotic exposure to his ailments.
I wonder how many illnesses and deaths this poison has caused? Why does the FDA allow this crap? Do you people realize that the average person is clueless about the side effects of drugs like this. Put total confidence and their well being in the hands of ignorant docs and profit crazed drug companies.
Ignorant oncologist failed to link my dad's symptoms to Levaquin, instead attributed them to b-cell lymphoma which just happened to suddenly appear. Rituxan and numerous other drugs (Heparin, Lasix, Gamma globulin, Tylenol, antibiotics, Insulin, steroids, Flowmax, etc.) was too much. A fiasco, people think he died of lymphoma. Was walking three miles a day before taking Levaquin, for an undiagnosed lung infection.

I've been on Wafarin since September of 2008 because of a massive DVT stretching from my jugular vein to my right arm. Since the initial injection of Heparin and oral consumption of Wafarin I have experienced daily migraines. They seem almost like 'pressure-headaches' pushing on the sides of my head, temples, forehead and the bridge of my nose. My thrombosis doctors have sent me for Ophthalmology tests, MRIs, and plan to send me for Neurology tests as well to discover the cause of my headaches. They've put me on codeine, Tylenol 3's, Gabapentin, Naproxen, and Co Sumatriptan because of the fact that I'm so immune to painkillers in general (For the blood clot pains themselves, I was on Hydromorphone, Morphine and Codeine). Although the Co Sumatriptan along with the Tylenol 3's give me some relief, I can't help but wonder if the cause of my daily migraines are from the Warfarin itself.
My doctors are reluctant to agree with me, saying that they plan to take me of Warfarin within the next few months, but aren't certain of exactly when.

Has anyone experienced multiple pulmonary emboli (blood clots in the lungs)?

WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration appears to be giving priority to projects that benefit the pharmaceutical industry rather than helping consumers, a top Democratic lawmaker said on Wednesday.

The head of the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee questioned how the FDA set its priorities given recent controversies over its handling of safety issues, including tracking tainted foods and inspecting drug manufacturers.

A 2007 list of top projects includes plans to offer advice to companies on promoting products, as well as guidance on offering reprints of journal articles to physicians, California Democrat Henry Waxman said in a letter to FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach.

The agency also planned to change its regulations to protect device makers from lawsuits as long as their products are FDA-approved with a so-called preemption clause.

"All appear to prioritize industry desires over consumer protection," Waxman wrote.

The FDA has come under fire in recent years following a string of highly-publicized safety scares, starting with the 2004 withdrawal of Merck & Co Inc's (MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) painkiller Vioxx following heart problems.

The risk of suicide with antidepressants and other drugs, as well as tainted batches of blood-thinner heparin and bacteria-laced produce such as spinach and hot peppers have also fueled concerns.

Asked if it had any response, FDA spokeswoman Heidi Rebello said the agency would comment directly to Waxman
THE DAYS OF RECKONING ARE COMING

I had been diagnosed in Dec 2007 with multiple blood clots in my lungs, I have never had blood clots before, after two c-sections, two pregnancies.
I was so short of breath thinking it was stress due to holidays and work that my doctor advised I should have a V scan of my lungs and that was when I was told both lungs were "peppered" with clots, I need immediate medical attention, I had to give myself Heparin in my belly for one week. I was off work for 3 months, I too almost lost my life, if I didn't have an angel on my shoulder which told me "something is wrong see your doctor" my children would be without a mother, my husband without a wife and I was in total perfect health. I pray and thank God every day for my life.

Information For The Recently Diagnosed
Possible Side Effects of Coumadin®

I found the following on a website dedicated to Factor V Leiden patients who need the warfarin/coumadin due to the genetic issues:
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Here are some of the side effects reported by members of our mailing list who are on Coumadin®:

Hair thinning-hair loss
fatigue or being tired more often
taking longer to recover from cuts or bruises
sun burn or sensitivity to light
depression.
You may experience some of these effects or none of them.

Also reported: Uneven INR's with generic coumadin®. I refuse to take generic coumadin® (warfarin). My INR will not stay stable on it. But some folks like it. It's a personal choice.

Possible side effects of LMWH:

Bleeding is the main adverse effect, either major (internal) or minor (injection site bruises, easy bruising, etc).
osteoporosis may be an issue with long-term use
very rarely an allergy develops, called HIT (heparin-induced thrombocytopenia)
liver tests (enzyme levels) may become temporarily elevated, but usually return to normal and rarely lead to the need to stop LMWH
last but not least: empty wallet syndrome (very expensive drugs)

link

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The following article in the WSJ may explain the reason for the significant number of Adverse Reactions to statin drugs.

Why You Can't Tell Where
Your Medication Was Made
April 8, 2008; Page D1- Wall Street Journal
Bananas come with those little stickers listing their country of origin. Why not pharmaceuticals?
That's what some consumers -- and even some physicians -- are asking since the Food and Drug Administration linked the deaths of 19 people to contaminated batches of the blood thinner heparin from China.
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I encourage every patient with a bad experience taking statins to contact the FDA (see, July 1, 2008 posting for FDA contact info).

The following article in the WSJ may explain the reason for the significant number of Adverse Reactions to statin drugs.

Why You Can't Tell Where
Your Medication Was Made
April 8, 2008; Page D1- Wall Street Journal
Bananas come with those little stickers listing their country of origin. Why not pharmaceuticals?
That's what some consumers -- and even some physicians -- are asking since the Food and Drug Administration linked the deaths of 19 people to contaminated batches of the blood thinner heparin from China.
******

I encourage every patient with a bad experience taking statins to contact the FDA (see, June 29, 2008 posting for FDA contact info).

It is sad to read that so many people have these side affects using Advair. My Poppa has been on Advair a long time and has had numerous problems that I now believe are attributed directly to this medication. At the WASHINGTON TIMES in the search archives I found an article called: BAD DRUGS AT A PHARMACY NEAR YOU by Henry Miller.. In summary it states that the drugs we are buying from other countries, are fake. The drug Heparin led them to this conclusion after 100 children died in Panama. Heparin is used to treat malaria, and when the medication did nothing the did a spectral analysis revealing that the active ingredient was replaced with a poison that with first glance looks like Heparin. It does not end there. The triads and Russian mob are linked to the fake drugs and whats worse is all our drugs come from out of country. It goes on to say that insulin and other life saving meds are also at risk.... Please reply if needed -to know more, I have immense computer power and have sent alerts and Quad sucker to find out more that has been hidden...

Pulmonary Embolism - blood clots in my lungs which were caused by a presumed blood clot in my leg, which was caused by my Yaz. This is a very dangerous situation, and I was very lucky.

I was put on Yaz (same as Yasmin but with a smaller estrogen dose) due to irregular periods and a presumed hormonal imbalance. That was in September '07. Four month later, on Jan 1, '08, I went to the ER with breathing difficulties, and weakness in my arms and legs. I had been having muscle cramps/ charley horses in my right calf, but that was the only other health problem I had experienced. I thought I was having an asthma attack. So did the ER - at first. After I did not respond to the breathing treatments, and I became completely out of breath and exhausted after walking across the hall to the restroom, the ER doc checked my D-Dimer level to see if I was at risk for blood clots. He said if it came back over 500, he would have to do further testing for clots. It came back 4500!! I was sent immediately down for a CT Scan which showed mulitple clots in both lungs, mostly small, but several of significant size. I was immediately put on oxygen and a heart monitor, and an IV drip of heparin was started. I was in the hospital for 4 days, had to learn to give myself shots of Lovenol in my stomach until my pill form of blood thinner had time to kick in. I am now taking Coumadin blood thinner every day until July, when my D-Dimer will be checked again. Depending on the results, I may come off the Coumadin, or I may have to commit to it for 3 years. However, I was tested for all the hereditary blood clotting disorders and all came back negative, so my doctor feels as though the cause has to be the YAZ! Everyone tells me I was very lucky and that I could have easily died, especially when I was just thinking I was having an asthma attack and put off going to the ER for a few days. If you are taking Yaz or Yasmin, and you begin to have difficulty breathing, any kind of leg cramps, weakness, or tightness in your chest (I had also been having severe heart burn) - go have yourself checked out!!!!!

This is very near and dear to me-- my cousin's husband just died and they believe it was from contaminated heparin and on top of that, I am also a secretary at a medical malpractice firm and I have been talking to clients who have gotten very sick after using heparin. Sounds like all of you have experienced some side effects, but its hard to tell whether or not they were related to the other drugs or procedures that were going on. My first suggestion is to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. This stuff is bad news. I'm not a lawyer, but I work for lawyers that do this and I am in contact daily with the doctors and nurses that work for the firm. I would be more than happy to help if you have any legal questions. Just email me and I will do what I can.

I'm a 42 year old woman, been on Coumadin on and off for almost 8 yrs due to 2 DVT's after childbirth in February, 2000. The scar tissue has completely blocked the main vain in my left leg and am on Coumadin to prevent new clots from forming. Symptoms from the beginning have been: memory problems, concentration problems, fatigue, low libido, every muscle in my body hurts to the touch, my skin looks like I have smoker's skin (I don't smoke), anxiety, rash around my ankles, I have almost no patience on most days and continual hair loss. They changed my dosage 5 months ago to 10mg one day & 7.5mg the next 2 days. Since, then symptoms have gotten almost unbearable at times. My current Dr. claims the Coumadin isn't causing any of it and won't listen. 5 yrs. ago, during my second pregnancy, I was on heparin shots twice a day instead of theoumadin and I felt incredible. Why is it that when there are so many people that have problems with this medicine, nobody will listen and come up with a solution C?

Had a PE in both lungs 10.07 on warfarin 5mg a day, very sore ,aching joints, tried, HOT FLASHES day and night , just tried hard to find excitement. I'm 46yrs was very active, had lots of engery. Can't drink alchol. Feeling very old. Carpal tunnel worse in elbows feels likes the needal goes right threw the bone.

I had a PE 2 weeks ago,ended with cloths in both lungs,had injections for first week,now just on warafin 10mg daily.Only yesterday I thought I was going to black out,like a huge rush thru my body,and always feel light headed,like most the doctor said these are not side effects of warafin,but prior to taking warafin I never had dizzy spells.Just like to thank all you people for sharing your thoughts,as I feel now that at 42 I have to live like an 80yr old,and its comforting to know im not the only one.

Has anyone experienced bilateral achilles tendon tears on Levaquin therapy?

Been on warfarin about 3 weeks due to an a-fib condition.. Dose is 2.5mg a day. Since starting I cannot sleep, feel very tired and fatigued and slight sour stomach. Doctors say this is due to the a-fib but I don't think so. All I hear from my doctors is no side effects. Hs anyone else experienced these symptoms, and/or is there a website where I can find some answers.

I take 7.5 mg. of warfarin daily, and have been for about 5 years. The biggest problem I have is dizziness, the inabilty to concentrate, vision, and waking up at night, everynight. I am a healthy 54 year old male, and have regular test run twice yearly.

I just started taking Warfarin on December 11, 2006 due to blood clots from surgery. My protime numbers won't go over 2.0, so I'm taking 12 mg and will probably start Lovenox injections. All my life I have rejected taking pharmaceuticals of any kind, and now this. I've told my doctor to get me off these meds asap, but now I have to see a hemotologist. If he says warfarin for life, I'll tell him no thank you. I will not live the rest of my life poisoned. As for side effects, the only thing I've noticed is a fitful night's sleep. I really haven't been that tired. I do get achy, but figure that's from physical therapy from surgery.

Tetracycline is directly affected to a condition known as Idiopathic Intercranial Hypertension or more commonly known as Pseudotumor Cerebri. It is a very rare neurological condition. It causes Cerebral Spinal Fluid to build up on the brain and therefore causes servere headaches and permanent loss of vision due to pressure built up on the optic nerves. I had taken Tetracycline off and on for many years as a treatment of acne and was always told that the headaches that I had were migraines until I was hosptialized and finally diagnosed correctly by a Neurologist who promptly took me off of the medication. After learning all of this I have done much research and I was already in a high-risk category for this condition and Tetracycline is directly listed on every website as a cause of this condition. I SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN PRESCRIBED THIS MEDICATION!!! There are no warnings on the medication to indicate that it causes this condition and my healthcare provider was not aware or she never would have prescribed it to me. Now I live with a VP shunt, blood clots in my brain and constant headaches. What a price to pay to get rid of acne!

3 days after initially receiving an injection of heparin i felt very ill on the 4th day i suddenly experienced severe muscle weakness and could not move; it felt like my body had gone in to shock. this happened several times over the next few days with episodes coming on very rapidly and taking between 2 and about6/7 hours to pass. i also experienced rapid mood changes and sometimes could not bear the feel of material on my legs - hypersensitive? Fortunately the heparin was discontinued after 3 days