Warfarin Sodium and dizziness

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.

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.

I had a Vertebral Artery Dissection and was put on 5mg of Warfarin a day. Since then I have felt a constant dizziness/lightheadedness that wont go away. It's not so bad that I can't deal with my day, but more of an annoyance. It kind of feels like I just drank a beer really fast and now I'm buzzed.

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.

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.

lightheadedness, dizzyness and headaches

and painful toes

Thank God I'm not the only one! I was actually relieved when I found this site. I was an active 60 yr. old female until hit with blood clots in lt. leg that went to lungs. I've been on Warifin for almost four months these are my side effects: extreme fatigue, back and leg pain, over-all weakness,decrease in flexability of limbs, dizziness, vision changes even from day to day, memory loss( I've always been known for my great memory). I did mention these to my hemotologist last month and he sent me to ER. Cat scans of head, chest and abdomen all were normal. Every doctor I have seen says Warifin is not to blame but all this has developed since I began taking it.

Dizziness and Headaches

Extreme lethargy, exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, occasional dizziness, anguish, headaches after taking Warfarin for 4 months, average dose 7.5 to 8.0mg daily.

Doctor and nurse said problems might be due to Tramadol I was taking at same time (for arthritic pain), but when I stopped the Tramadol for two weeks, there was no change. Doctor and nurse said NOT a side effect of Warfarin, but when I stopped taking Warfarin for a week, the symtoms went away and my family saw right away that I was "back to normal".

I am very upset that these very distressing side effects of Warfarin are not stated on packaging or by medical profession. I know of two other cases similar to mine in the UK.

Extreme lethargy, exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, occasional dizziness, headaches after taking Warfarin for 4 months, average dose 7.5 to 8.0mg daily; doctor and nurse said NOT a side effect of Warfarin, but when I stopped taking it for a week, the symtoms went away and my wife saw right away that I was "back to normal".

Doctor and nurse said problems might be due to Tramadol I was taking at same time, but when I stopped the Tramadol for two weeks, there was no change.

I am very upset that these very upsetting and distressing side effects of Warfarin are not stated. I know of two other cases similar to mine in the UK.

extreme light-headedness/dizziness