Warfarin Sodium side effects

I have been on warfarin for approximately 16 years for DVT and PE x 2. i have my labs done and dosage adjusted as required. Now, I have been diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gerhigs Disease. It is such a rare disease that I have tried to find out if Warfarin for so many years may have contributed to my contracting ALS. I have asked "how long can a patient take Warfarin and what can happen with long time use?" No real answers to that question except that I would probably have died of a clot without the Warfarin. I really would like to know about long time use (15-20years) of Warfarin and any side effects or other complaints. Ken

im on warfarin 3.5 mg everyday since nov 2007 because a pulmonary embolism and a second one on jan 2008 while on therapeutic INR. in march 2008 i had a massive bleeding in my ovary and had an emergency operation to remove the blood from my belly. I have serious anemia, 2 years now, and i am feeling that my life is being wasted away!!! I have serious pain on my neck and back and my left arm is really sore i cam barely move it. I have no energy at all and i am surprised of how i have been trying to get extra energy from where there is nothing left!!!.
I am not sure that those symptoms are relted to warfarin, all I know is that I didn't feel this way before!! And I don't really know how bad it is to have anemia and at the same time be on warfarin.

I also want to be me again!!!

i started on warfarin 10 weeks ago for a single medium P.E. on my left lung (this could be because i have had difficulty in moving around for the past three years following spinal surgery). However, at first i felt fine on warfarin, but in the past four weeks i have noticed changes. Sometimes i get fluttering in my chest but only last for about 2-3 seconds then goes away, Doctors told me this is how my body reacts to the clot. I also have some aches in my limbs and back (put this down to the new job). Furthermore, i have noticed hair loss and damaged, fragile hair.
When this P.E. occurred i was walking with a stick due to the spinal surgery. But once i started taking warfarin my back has recovered so much so that i have returned to work after 3 long years. The job i perform now is doing removals and H.G.V. driving.
I am only 34 years of age and i am taking 9 mg of warfarin a day (with a INR of 2.6) and 30mg of Lansoprazole a day for my stomach (you can feel a bit bloated sometimes).

i have gained weight while on warfarin telling my doctor just made me feel fat and lazy he didn't believe me when i asked if this was caused by this drug. you can not know how much better i feel reading so many emails from people saying they gained from this drug. I also have the puffy face and big belly and tired feeling

Last week I had an issue with my INR - it has always been unstable, but this time was weird. My INR had been 6 and so I stopped the warfarin for 4 days, and went back on my regular 2 mg dose. Then we went on holiday to Washington DC for a week. 3 days in, my pee was the colour of cherry kool aid. Went to the local hospital (thank god for travel insurance). My INR was 7.89 - In the US this is considered critical and I was admitted, and treated with Vitamin K and 2 units of plasma. Within 8 hours my INR had dropped to 1.8 - now too low. The next day down to 1.25, and a week later I am still 1. I am taking fragmin now until I can get my INR theraputic again but Fragmin shots are even worse than warfarin.

An ultrasound showed now issues with my bladder or kidneys, but I do not understand why I was bleeding.

Guess that this just shows the importance of regular checking of INR levels while on warfarin.

I stumbled onto this site while trying to find a reason for these headaches I get sometimes for no" apparent" reason. Imagine my surprise to find your testimonies about your lives on warfarin sodium.At 38, I had surgery to repair a congenital defect of the aortic valve and had to have a hema-shield graph to repair an aneurysm of the aorta. That was in Oct.2002. Warfarin has been a part of my life since then. I was also put on anti-depressants because my family Dr. thought I was depressed since I repeatedly complained of not feeling well.(I took myself off the anti-depressants a couple of years ago.) Extreme fatigue , serious memory issues, thinning hair,dizzy spells and numerous other ailments continue to plague me.Add to that a large weight gain ...and, well, you get the picture. If anyone knows of an alternative to taking this "poison", PLEASE, PLEASE let me know. I just WANT MY LIFE BACK!!! I actually cried after reading this blog. As I explained to my husband, I suppose it was from the sheer relief of knowing I was not going insane!!!

I am a 39 year-old man who has been on warfarin for just under three years. To date, there have been no adverse side-effects for me that have really jumped out as being due to the drug. I have noticed that my memory is not as sharp as I once remember it being (no pun intended). One thing most of the posters have to remember is that once you are over age 25 or so, then things really start to go on our bodies. I feel horrible for people suffering from side-effects, but don't forget, not only are our bodies starting to show signs of aging, but most of use have gone through a major illness (which stresses the body) that forced us to be on warfarin in the first place. My illness was a DVT, which I thought was a leg cramp, that became a full-blown PE which almost killed me! I am surprised and thrilled that I haven't had the same side effects as many of the posters here. Don't forget to look at some of the positive things people have written too.

i also forgot to mention that after these little rushes, my head tingles and the left side of my face is pins and needles.

i have been on warfarin since April 2008 when i had a clot in my left leg. since, i haven`t really had much going on until last week. i was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. i got dizzy and had a very cold wave rush up my body twice. when it was over, i couldn`t hear anything and my temples were tingling and my heart rate was elevated along with my bp. the er drs didn`t seem concerned with any thing that had to do with the dvt or the warfarin. their response???????? you drink too much coffee. WELL. i haven`t had a cup of coffee for almost a week, and have also quit smoking. i am still dizzy. my head feels heavy. i get little cool rushes that almost take my breath away, i don`t feel like ME. i feel like someone has taken over the me i knew. my family doctor has done liver, mono, hepatitis, b12, folic acid profiles, all negative. had a ct scan yesterday, normal. having an echocardiogram next week and having a holter monitor put on for 24 hrs to monitor my heart. i have done nothing but sleep since this episode. my husband is scared to death i`m gonna die during the night, he wakes up just to check on me. i haven`t been sleeping very well, as i`m afraid i`m not gonna wake up. i am only 40. i am not ready to let my life go to pot because of a drug that all the doctors insist is "safe". well i don`t know. call me stupid, but if its so safe, why do they kill rats with it????????????

horrible...started taking coumadin in November of 2007--it is now July of 2008 and in recent weeks I have had the most horrible bruising all over my body--deep maroon and deep purple and HUGE! One covers my hip on my back completely and I have others all over me. I have been having severe fatique, widespread pain to include my entire abdominal cavity, my lower and upper back, my sides, sudden headaches, and a general feeling of malaise, weakness in extremities...I am not taking this medication EVER again and I have an appt with my heart doc in a few days. I feel like I've been run over with a paver and aspirin is obviously a better choice for me. What's the use of preventing clots if your quality of life is s__t. After all, it is basically rat poison. Seriously, folks...look at the ingredients on both.

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:
******
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

******

Directly from ***** -

Warfarin side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
skin changes or discoloration anywhere on your body;purple toes or fingers;
pain in your stomach, back, or sides;low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);diarrhea, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;easy bruising or bleeding that will not stop;blood in your urine;
black, bloody, or tarry stools;nosebleeds, bleeding gums, coughing up blood;
feeling weak or light-headed;sudden headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance;sudden leg or foot pain; or sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body.

Less serious side effects may include:

nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;

gas and bloating; or

hair loss.

This is not a complete list of side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Let us try to be grateful that we wake up each and everyday!

I was on Coumadin for a blood cloth I had last year(I originally started on 2.5mg and kept getting bumped up higher and higer as my PT/INR tests kept coming back).

I had most of the symptoms described here. The three worst being fatigue, memory loss and hair loss.

I remember constantly being tired on this medication. I had to go back to work after a few months and I remember not being able to lift much of anything and being extremely tired.

When I would take showers I remember running my hands through my fingers and literally pulling out clumps of hair. Each and every time. I thought I was going nuts.

The worst was the memory loss. I had severe short term memory loss like you wouldn't believe. I would be fine one minute and then space out and I literally could not remember what I had done the day before.

How about MUSCLE SPASMS?? My mom has had right leg and arm muscle spasms for the past 3 weeks, but has been on warfarin since end of March.

I am 24 years old and I had a pulmonary embolism last month. I was on the birth control YAZ for only 3 months, and that's what doctors seem to think caused it. My insurance only paid for me to be in the hospital for three daysand I was sent home with lovenox shots and Coumadin pills.

One month later, my INR is still unstable, fluctuating so much that they are checking it twice per week. My dosage is constantly changing. I have a red, painful rash on my buttocks - it hurts of sit for more than a few minutes. I am losing clumps of hair. I have lost my libido. I am very irritable and snap at my husband several times per day. I have a headache almost daily and frequent nausea.

I hate these side effects!

I've been on Coumadin for one month after having a pulmonary embolism (caused by birth control). I have painful red patches that look like clusters of pimples. I also have fatigue, nausea, headache, loss of libido, and irritability. I am 24 years old and just got married 6 months ago - these symptoms are ruining my "honeymoon period."

My father is currently in the hospital for his second internal bleeding from coumadin. He had a GI bleed and was discharged a month ago, put on coumadin AGAIN , supposedly monitored and wound up in ICU again, this time he had trouble breathing and was intubated and sedated for two days. I really thought Coumadin killed my father and in reality it almost did.....Now the hematologists are saying he is extremely sensitive to it, and his only other option is heperin shots which he refuses to do (that also has risk of bleeding). he is going to live with the chance of stroke rather than take coumadin a thrid time which is what they are suggesting. (idiots) . he has atrial fib and needs to be on blood thinner but at this point he would rather take his chances or take aspirin even though the doctors are saying it won't work as well. Hopefully there will be new anticoagulants out in the market soon like there are in Canada and Europe.

Coumadin KILLS....8,000 people a year bleed to death from coumadin......yes, it helps people too but judging from this site the side effects are awful...if you can avoid coumadin you should...

I suffered a Pulmonary Embolism December of 2005. Following, I found out that I have Factor 5 (later we found out that all my siblings have it as well as my father). I have been on Warfarin since. I have been told by a few doctors that I will be on it for life. I have also been told by other doctors that I should have had filters put in my lungs so that I don't need the Warfarin anymore. Prolonged use of Warfarin is terrible for you, they say. At the time I started taking Warfarin, I was 39 years old. After 6 months of use I began to loose my hair as well as the curls diminished. I also developed discoloration on my upper lip, face and forehead. 8 months later I was told that I was pre-menopausal...my hormones were changing....night sweats, dizziness, nausea, severe abdominal pain, digestive problems, bowel problems, severe weight gain. They then told me that I had Vertigo and that they were not sure why it began. I am now suffering severe memory problems. When watching a movie, if a commercial comes on I forget what I am watching. I can't read without nausea and dizziness. I get headaches, terrible leg and arm pain. My concentration is very poor. I can't remember what happened the previous day or who my customers are. I don't know what to do. If I stop taking it I will run the risk of another horrible embolism (20% survival rate). My children, 12 and 15, have already lost their father to cancer. They are very concerned of loosing their mother.

Just wanted to add another little bit of fun side effects for everyone.

Last month, I woke up with a pain in my right groin. Since no gymnastics were involved, I treated with ice and ignored it. After a few days, pain was worse, so went to the ER (My home away from home) where a bone density scan was ordered. 4 weeks later I find out that I have a stress fracture of the lesser trochanter (part of the femour just below the femoral head - English translation hip fracture).

Turns out that long term therapy on warfarin (ie. over 1 year) also increases your risk of fractures.

And what does one do for this? Nothing. Orthopedic guy said just go as usual and no physio required. Easy for him to say since he does not have groin pain, and associated thigh/Knee/calf pain associated with accommodating my gait. Needless to say, seeing a new orthopedic guy.

I have started iron infusions monthly as my iron and ferritin levels are low (but hemoglobin is fine).

Still wondering which came first - the insanity or the warfarin!

Fiona

Dealing leg pain and swelling fpr over 6 months - having 2 DVT test and 3 MRI's they finally found that I did have a DVT in my left leg and now I am taking Warfarin as of May 30th 2008. I now have severe joint pain, sore skin/sensitivity, my vision is going I can hardly read anything all of a sudden, so exhausted, sleeplessness - even after taking an ambien and getting some sleep, I can take a shower dry my hair and I am ready to go back and lay down because I am so tired. the doctor says thin blood does not carry oxygen as well so this is why I am tired. I am not anemic as I just had that checked. I can feel my muscles getting weaker. From reading what everyone else says it must be this drug, but I don't think I could live without it since my clot is so massive. I feel like my life will end soon I am getting weaker by the day...is this just my imagination? I know I am depressed but I do think all of the symptoms I am having is from the warfarin(besides the pain from the DVT which is still very painful)

I've been an extremely healthy and active individual all my life until I injured my back at work recently. I'm 36 years old and had back surgery in February 2008. I subsequently developed a severe DVT in my right leg which then turned into bilateral PE's. I've been on Warfarin since April 2008 and continue to feel extremely lightheaded, dizzy, and very weak. My blood pressure and heart rate have steadily climbed. The symptoms have been passed off as factors of the PE's, but I have been off of Warfarin for a couple short periods due to additional procedures and have felt better. My doctors say that my symptoms are not due to Warfarin and I've been thinking that I'm dying from something else as they run test after test with no real results. I wish I could find out if Warfarin is truly to blame. I thought maybe I was going crazy about also having difficulty concentrating and remembering simple things. I can't deal with living like this forever.

40 year old male. Been taking Warfarin for 6 months now. Have been experiencing short term memory loss. The worst part is that my feet swell for some unknown reason which causes me great pain and unable to walk. This happens every other month or so.

I'm 46, female.. developed blood clots on my lungs for apparently no reason, found them when going to ER and complaining of bad headache, nausea and left shoulder and back pain. I haven't had a recent surgery, nor was on birth control.

I'm dealing with anxiety, depression, unusual headache, horrible back and upper shoulder pain, itching of head, hair falling out during shampooing, , tightness in chest, trouble swallowing, really bad pain in hips, legs and feel like feet swell. I don't sleep well, even on Ambien.. doesn't keep me asleep. I awake in the mornings around 4:30 with diarrhea, nausea, headache and feel awful. Never get a good nights sleep. My hips hurt as well as dealing with parathesias down right arm and into hand.. feels like needles sticking in my hand. Most days I feel wiped out in the afternoon.. as I try and drag myself out of bed to get some excersise.

Does anyone deal with parathesia's down their arms or hands.. what feels like nerve pain?

Has anyone ever tried Aggrenox, also known as Dipyridamole instead?

Or actually tried the real Coumadin, instead of the generic Warfarin?

Has any other woman out there been told not to use a tampon when on her cycle, as this will cause more menstrual bleeding?

I'm so tired of Dr.'s not having personal experience of their own with this drug.. and telling the patient that they are crazy and need to be on anxiety meds or anti-depressants. I just found out that Warfarin is the main ingredient in RAT POISON..

Has anyone EVER gone the totally nutrition route, juiced and gone radical, telling their Dr.'s that they were getting off of all meds?

Does anyone suffer from feeling like their ears are full, or hearing loss?

I'm so tired of feeling afraid.. and tossed around by Dr.'s who really don't want to do the research, nor listen to their patients.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has some insight..on any or all of the questions..

Hi I am a 36 year old female, and have been on warfarin for about six months now, I was also on it back in 2004 for six months I had a blood clot in my left lung in 04, and was off of them after six months. But now i Dec 07 i had a clot in my leg, and several in my lungs. I have to be on it forever now according to my docs. It sucks, I am having very bad memory loss, blurred vision also, I get dizzy a lot, and as of last week my levels are not high. I was on a smaller dosage the first time around, but I am currently on 7.5 mg, and it sucks, I want to be off of these. So I also do experience the same symptoms as the rest of you. Memory loss is really affecting my everyday life. Also depression is a big symptom also, I have always been a happy person, not any longer.

my body is weak my neck hurts I cant keep my inr up My eyes and nose leak water and my face and left hand and foot stays swollen. PE and Dvt and Factor v homozygous and cushings syndrome. Nausea I lost over 20 lbs in one month tachycardia all the time. CANT CONTROL BLOOD SUGARS I HATE THIS DRUG. I AM 41 FEMALE

Hi,
I have been on Warfarin since 2002. I suffered multiple pulmonary embolism's in both lungs. My first was in May 2002 and even though I had excruciating pain in my left shoulder area & could not lay down as this worsened the pain, the NHS x-rayed my torso!!!! & sent me home with medication for a kidney infection. I gave it a few weeks but the pain did not go completely & was moving to my right side, I was coughing up 'tablespoon' size clots of blood. My GP was not happy & spoke to a colleague at the hospital. I was sent straight in,(July) thorough tests done & I was found to have suffered multiple PE's.
I tried to sue them for medical negligence but it was turned away by the court as there was not enough evidence on my notes ie; some info was not written down & most was unreadable to even other medical professionals.
Since Aug 2002 I have been on Warfarin & am on this for life.
A blood test showed that I had a genetic blood disorder called 'Factor V (5) Leiden heterozygote'. This causes my blood to form clots much easier & quicker than the average person. If you have this disorder, as a woman it is important that each time you have a child you are treated with Heperin after each birth. I had 5 children & was not treated therefore I suffered with my PE's.My children have been tested for this & 3 of them have it. My daughter was glad she found out before having children as she hasn't had to suffer what I went through.
I ask one thing.... Please TELL your GP that you want a test for the above disorder. As I suffered my PE's & that I have this blood disorder I have to stay on Warfarin for life.
If you need any more info I will tell you as much as I know. Feel free to ask questions. my email is; ******

Last Christmas (07) I was diagnosed with pneumonia in the the right lung and x rays ordered. Xrays revealed an "unknown mass", or so they thought... they decided to redo - confirmed them and ordered CT scan... mass was gone, but there was PE in both lungs... so started the coumadin. I am type 2 diabetic as of Jan 07... have been managing my diabetes with healthy diet and regular exercise (A1C 7.4 to 5.4 in 9 months) ... no drugs... so the prospect of coumadin for life bothered me. However, my doctors all made a great case about how safe it is compared to other drugs... I lost 35 lbs in 07 after changing my lifestyle... and felt great. I am here today because I gained 20 lbs in 4 months of coumadin therapy (no change in how I was living), have aching muscles, chest pain and shortness of breath, and thinning hair.

After 2 days on the web I find only doctors and pharmacies say no side effects, but the hundreds of testimonials of actual coumadin guinee pigs like myself are finding a lot in common. For me, Im off it tonight.

Im 21 and this is the 2nd time ive had DVT-
4 years ago when i was 17 i had 3 extensive clots in my right calf, thigh and abdomen. I was put on warfarin for 6 months.
Last month I had the same pain and swelling in my right abdomen and leg and was again diagnosed with 3 more clots. now im on warfarin for life.
I am tired and weak all the time, aching and sore, itchy, hot&cold, bloating-stomach cramps and diarrhea most days, i am getting NO sleep as well as having depression.
And no doctor seems to want to listen. Its ruined my social life and education as Im too ill to walk etc. Im also an insulin dependant diabetic.

I have been on Warfarin for two years now and on it for life, i had a blood clot in my left leg. While i was reading everyone's side effects, it was like i was writing it myself...I experience the same symptoms........Foggy mind, short term memory loss (i even have a notebook now wherever i go now), fatigue, thirsty all the time, headaches, strange sore sensations in my legs/body especially when its cold.....all of which i am told Warfarin has no such side effects and that im imagining it.........i have been told this over and over and over. Im soooo glad im not crazy lol and that there are also people out there that are experiencing the exact same stuff that i am.

Hi
I had a blood clot in my l. leg. I had an angioplasty and was put on 4mg of Warfrin daily.
Since I started on Warfrin I have developed a hearing loss and a rather severe feeling of soreness when I rise from a chair. I really feel like I can't make it thru another few months.
Maybe the warfrin is not the problem. I have heard of no other warfrin users getting hearing loss.
Love to hear your Warfrin experiences
Ernie M.
Canberra, Australia

Interesting find, I put in Warfarin, hair loss, because my hair is thinning out quite rapidly. It has changed texture (unruly and thin), and it has virtually stopped growing. I am experiencing migraine like headaches which I have not had for 20+ years. I have constant stomach trouble, cold chills in the evening where I cannot warm up (my nose goes freezing cold). I am very fatigued. I do believe my short term memory has also been affected which dramatically. The drug scares me to death (?).

I had surgery two months ago and on 4/8 developed a Pulmonary Embolism. I am now on two shots of Lovenox per day and 10mg of Warfarin. My INR is only at 1.9 after 3 weeks. I have recently developed pain in my left leg starting in the hip and radiating to the knee. Is this normal? Also, I have one hard lump in my stomach most likely at an injection site. Is this normal?

My Mother was put on warfarin after her stroke and has completely deteriorated. Her mood was quite good and her energy was ok but now she looks really ill. Very lethargic, very depressed and talks of death all the time. We keep telling the Doctor at the hospital that this change occurred with the introduction of warfarin. He says it is not the warfarin. She also itches her head all the time. It is so distressing to see her in this state when she was doing so well before. I wonder if a high dose of soluble asprin would be a solution - even if not as good as warfarin, she may get herself back.

I am 31 years old. I was first on warfarin when I was 15. I was on the BCP and a smoker as well. just 2 months of being on the pill I developed a DVT in my left leg. I was on the warfarin for about 2 years then came off. I reember being tired alot but that was it. Then again when I was 22 I developed yet again another DVT in my L leg.. as well as 3 PE in my lungs. I was prescribed warfarin and I was on that for 2 years .. was taken off due to dizzy spells. Now again I am on warfarin .. for the rest of my life. I have a genetic disorder for clots and had a mini stroke. By the grace of GOD I only have a limp in my right foot... the side effects I experiance now are dizzy spells, headaches, blurred vision, and muscle aches and spasms. If your docot is denieying these side effect they really just dont think its serious enough to take you off. All my doctors over the last 16 years have all told me of these side effects. What you eat and drink has alot to do with it and other meds you may be takeing. I am also on chantex and beleive the two together are to be the cuas se of my syptoms. I also experiance tingling for shor periods. I have been on it now for one week. My doctor told me once it is regulated to a point where I dont have to up my dosage or lower my dosage and I am pretty much at a steady dosage the side effect will cease, until then I think if you dont like your docotor and dont beleive hes looking out for you in your best interrest yo ushould find another one.... Thats important... you must have a docotor you can trrust and one whom will listen to you.

I am 28 and just suffered a pulmonary embolism (P.E.), very unusual for someone my age. I went into the hospital three times before they found it. I had severe pain in my upper left back, shoulder blade and neck when I first went in and the doc told me I was just having muscle spasms...I played Division I basketball for 4 years and am now a coach...I told him it wasn't a muscle spasm, but he sent me home with Ibuprofin....The second time I went in, I had worse pain two days later and told him it wasn't going away that something was really wrong. They did lung ex-rays, MRI and didn't find anything. They did no ultrasound or CT...hmmm. The third time I went in, I had terrible pain in my right side as though someone was stabbing me in the side. Couldn't catch my breath and was in absolute agony.
Finally they did a CT and ultrasound and found it at 6:30am on a Monday evening. I am very lucky that the third time I was admitted into the ER after a week, that they did a CT that found the P.E. I very easily could have died.

I was on Yasmin birth control for a year, unusual for a clot to occur after taking birth control for that amount of time, so they are not sure if that caused it and are still uncertain of the cause for my P.E. Maybe a blood disorder that I have not yet been tested for.

At the beginning of my warfarin treatment, I didn't experience headaches. Now though, after about 3-4 weeks...I am experiencing headaches in the middle of my forehead that are driving me crazy. I'm wondering if it is stress from all that I have gone through...an extremely painful experience...or a side effect of the drug.

Also, pain in my legs have been a problem. They feel heavy, like carrying around lead and I don't feel like I have much energy. I don't have much of an appetite anymore either. I have always been extremely active, stay at a healthy weight and have wanted to eat meals! Not so much anymore.

I'm not a smoker, and eat healthy foods...This is all very uncharacteristic for me and I'm extremely frustrated. I understand that it will take a while for me to recover from all of this, and inpatience with the matter could be a problem causing stress.

If you have any feedback, please let me know.

I've been taking Coumadin for five years without many side effects. I've never gotten a rash from it, but my new girlfriend breaks out in a rash whenever we come into contact. Could she be getting the rash from my Coumadin?

I am a 33-year-old female. I was taking YAZ birth control. I woke up on a Friday morning with a bad cramping feeling in my left calf. By the end of the day, I was limping. By the middle of that night into Saturday morning, I woke up in such excruciating pain. I could not walk without help. I went to the ER. They ran an ultrasound and found nothing. They said I had a "pulled muscle" and sent me home. Went to my PCP on Monday. He said it was "phlebitis" and sent me home. He told me to return in 3 days. Did that. This whole time I told them my left foot was cold, the leg was discolored, and that I could not walk! Hello! I went back in 3 days, but this time he was finally alarmed when he couldn't find a pulse in my left foot (never checked that in the first place) and sent me back to the ER. The same jerk ran another ultrasound, and there was the clot. I've been on warfarin since February. In the beginning, I had TERRIBLE HEADACHES (which have since subsided). Now I am dealing with this: CONSTANT BODY PAINS (especially my back and ribs), OVERALL BODY SORENESS (kind of like when you have the flu), FATIGUE, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, BLOATING AND GAS (I wake up with a huge painful puffy stomach every morning), CRAMPS (like having a period without one), sometimes DIARRHEA, STOMACH ACHES. When I reported the initial body pains to both the specialist and my PCP upon my follow-up visits after being discharged, both looked at me like I was crazy or making it up or something. I came home in tears after seeing the specialist. I thought he would be the one to know about this stuff! Instead, he made me feel like an idiot or crazy person. I was totally insulted and cried on the way home. I am so annoyed and have lost all faith in doctors. They should all have to retake their Anatomy and Physiology courses so they can be reminded what their ears are for. Why don't they listen to their patients? This is insane! I am so disgusted with this whole mess. I just want to give up.

Natto Kinase is an alternative to Warfarin and I am now using it. I have had stomach upset and gas with Warfarin and do not trust most doctors anymore. I went to five doctors with pain and swelling in my left lower leg, and shortness of breath. I put the diagnosis in their pockets. I stated: "I'm on estrogen, couldn't this be a DVT?" Oh no, this is normal we women age. The US Health Care system is nothing more than about money. It is money-driven, not care-driven. The ultrasound was cheaper than the idiots I went to. I do not plan on staying on Warfarin and am delighted the Japanese can offer an alternative!!

Needless to say, Warfarin almost killed me. I was put on it after an apendectomy gone wrong which then turned into a bowel resection. In between the two surgeries I ended up with pulmonary emboli. I was put on Warfarin and also had a vena cava fiter put in. I'm a 40 year old female and have never felt so sick in my life. I was exhausted, constantly throwing up and had chronic diarrhea. Also my INR elevated to an 8 after constant vomiting causing the need for a plasma transfusion. Ugh! I kept telling my Drs. that I thought it was the coumadin but no one seemed to listen. As a result of my last hospitalization (7 admissions since 12/5/2008) they finally took me off of the coumadin (Warfarin) and now I am a totally new woman. The stuff took a week to get out of my system but thankfully I feel great. I hope this is helpful to anyone suffering.

Kind of funny I forgot one of my main complaints of this drug, but it is the forgetfulness. My mind is not as sharp as it used to be, sometimes I feel like I am in a fog. My recall can be really bad, too. Someone can ask me a simple question and I draw a blank. My dad was on this stuff for years, he has since passed, but he had the same memory problems, although no one ever thought it was from Warfarin, but now I wonder.

I have been on Warfarin since the end of Aug. 2007 when I had my mitral valve replaced with a mechanical valve. I will be on it for the rest of my life. My doctor.'s all assured me there were no side effects other than the bleeding risks. I now know this is not true. The side effects I am dealing with make me sometimes wish I had chosen a tissue (pig) valve, even though I would be guaranteed another heart surgery within ten years. I am 39 years old and a mother of two young kids. Since being on Warfarin I have experienced various body aches that come on suddenly but don't stay long; extreme hot and cold; itchy hands and feet; dry hair and hair loss; seeing "spots" usually followed by a headache; very thirsty; ongoing bowel troubles, possibly developed colitis; but the worst side effect for me is the fatigue and depression. I feel like I traded in my old self for my mechanical valve. Like I said, I'd have to have a tissue valve replaced eventually, and as bad as heart surgery is, I'd rather have 10 happy years w/out Warfarin than this struggle I deal with almost everyday. My brother is a surgeon and even he buys into the "no side effects" b.s. I work out as much as I can, which used to make me feel great, now I feel like it helps me get by but not the positive effect it used to have on me mentally.

I have been on Warfarin for 6 months, and have had a lot of the side effects that I have been reading here since I found it. I thought I would chime in now. I was on Prednisone for Colitis when I was rushed to ER with a clot in between my eyes. I was started on Warfarin when I left the hospital and within a couple of days my legs swelled up really bad. I had to go buy slipper 2 1/2 sizes bigger than normal just so I could walk around. I have lived with them since. My Doctor says it is the Prednisone, but I was on that about a year before the swelling started.

I have a lot of weakness, and feel I cant get anything done home or work due to no energy. I have gained a lot of weight. The thing that bothers me the most is the pain in my legs and arms. I cant take anything for the pain due to the Colitis.

I have to say I went in for extreme headache and that is when they found the clot. I am a long time Migraine sufferer, and when I told my Headache Doctor that I was having headaches again they up my meds for that. I have not even had a Migraine since I started the Warfarin. My Wife is even surprised. I usually have at least one a month.

I was told to stop the Warfarin on Friday and am wanting to know more about if the side effects are going to go way. I would like to get my weight down, and the pain to go away. Guess time will tell.

Been on 5mg Warfarin for past 2 months. Developed severe headaches, resulted in MRI brain scan. Thank God all clear. Severe hair loss and dry coarse hair, sour smelling stools, weight gain.Fatigue. But Doctors and specialists reassure you, none are from the Warfarin!!! DON'T THINK SO!

My father has been taking Warfarin for 13 years now 2.5mg a day. He's been complaining of headaches, heavy feeling in his head, dizzy spells, extreme fatigue,swelling of his legs, spontaneous numbness of his fingers, blurred vision, cold hands and feet, loss of balance and memory loss. I have spoken to his Doctors and no one believes him that the Warfarin is doing this to him. By the way, he was diagnosed with AF 13 years ago.

Does any one experience the same symptoms? what can he do? he is 77 years old.

To everyone who has posted here I would like to let you know that most of the symptoms you are complaining of are listed on the United States of America Food and Drug Administration web site (google search fda) as side effects of Warfarin. Also is listed the drugs that will interact badly with Warfarin like steroids with my doctor put me on. It is a hard site to navigate my wife and I spent 4 hours finding all the information I needed to print and can now stuff it in my "it cant be the Warfarin" doctors face and ask him why he has not done his homework on this very dangerous medication. Please remember that your doctor is YOUR employee. I hope this helps all of you as I feel your pain having shared many of your side effects myself.

Jimmy

Thank you all for confirming what my doctors say can not be the Warfarin. Did you Know that it is RAT POISON? I have had one nurse and one doctor confirm that fact. After reading all the side effects that people are having I am not having much faith in the " it makes the rat bleed to death" storie.

I forgot to mention I am only 27

In July my calf hurt for over a week I went and had it checked out and they found a small DVT I was sent home and prescribed Lovenox and taken off my birth control. The next morning I had trouble breathing and went to the ER I had multiple PEs in both lungs. I was in the hospital for 5 days and sent home with a non-therapeutic INR, Lovenox shots and warfarin sodium. I have to regularly increase my dosage I am now up to 15mgs 6days a week and 10 the 7th day. I have recently started seeing small unexplainable bruises, even though my INR is still not and only has been for a short time since my release from the hospital. I have had severe chest, leg and other body pain. I have been to the ER so much I have just stopped going. I have horrible headaches and fatigue especially after they re-up my meds. My periods have been off the charts as well. I think I am done with this and I am really considering taking myself off the meds

I had a side effect of hot joints and pain when I first started taking Warfarin. I couldnt take my multi vitamin Centrum because it had vit. k. I started taking Citracal plus and all the bad effects went away. Who knew i was so dependent on my multi-vitamin. Hope this helps. It's worth a try .

I have been on Warfarin since Sept 2004 when I had multiple blood clots in both lungs. Since then I have had two more PE's (one with a therapeutic INR) and a blood clot in my left arm (INR was also therapeutic). Genetic tests show nothing.

Since starting Warfarin I have had
- dizziness issues,
- eternal extreme fatigue
- hair loss
- short term memory and cognitive issues,
- joint pain and
- head aches all the time. I think the headaches are the worse since I can't take any NSAID's for them.

I have lost weight and push myself to exercise because it is supposed to make you feel better, right? Well not yet. I keep waiting.

I have not been able to return to work and worry about the long term implications of this.

Many times I have wondered about my sanity and if I was imagining all of this, so finding this forum at least lets me know that there is a possibility that it is not all in my mind.

I have been seeing a psychiatrist to help me work through the almost dying 3 times thing, but it is hard to accept since no one knows why I throw the clots. My INR is not stable in spite of close monitoring of Vit K and other drugs, and my INR must be taken twice a week.