Warfarin Sodium and doctors

Been on coumadin for a year, horrible medication. Have aches all over, legs, shoulders, back, always tired, want to be off this med. Was taking alternative meds previously...nattokinase, bilberry which are blood thinners but are also SAFE. Then I had no leg pain, no muscle pain. I now take vitamin e and fish oil with the coumadin, no interaction since I've been using them for a long time and are more beneficial than the coumadin as far as I'm concerned. What I need is a naturopathic doctor, but they are hard to find, regular mds have no clue about supplements..all they want to do is increase your prescriptions. Doctors try to scare people telling them they'll have a stroke without coumadin, but have no solution on how to prevent stroke, etc. without drugs.

I am a 40 year old female. I found out 3 years ago that I have factor V. I've been hospitalized for 17 PE's. I was being treated with coumadin, plavix, lovenox. My INR will not stabilize. The doctor has now put me on 30mg. of warfarin a day. and my INR still sets at 1.2. My side effects are awful. I feel tired, week, cold, weight gain, but most of all the terrible headaches. The doctor says it has nothing to do with the warfarin. I stay depressed and now losing hair. I've taken my doctors advice and I'm going back to the cancer center where they are more experienced. I feel like I'm dying everyday and its not in my head. I do believe its side effects. And if its not moving my INR than to me it seems useless to take such a high dosage. Its a catch 22.

Hi I posted this on the Coumadin site when I should have been here,

I am a 66 year old female and up to a year ago I felt 20 years younger now I feel 20 years older.

I fell and broke my hip June '08. Had a hip replacement and developed a blood clot (DVT) in my left leg.

They put me on Coumadin and when that didn’t do the job they added Lovanox (another blood thinner requiring shots in the stomach).

Not only has they not helped but my blood clot is growing.

My symptoms:
daily headaches, debilitating leg pain (the pain is so bad that it is crippling me), fatigue (an overwhelming feeling of tiredness, I set down for a few minutes and wake up hours later.), loss my concentration (trouble doing simple crosswords), can’t study simple directions, numbness in toes and hands. I can go on.

And the doctors? “It’s all in my head. It can’t be the blood thinners.”

I am going to copy your blogs and take them to my doctor and demand something be done.

Thanks again to this site and all of you. I was beginning to think there was something wrong with my mind.

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?

Doctors really kind of hit and miss w/ all these agenda of telling patients that coumadin related symptoms are not at all what it seems..telling patients" it is all it your head"..what it seems and I know that doctors are 'tuned in" to tell patients "what they think they believe or read in textbooks and not listening to the real stories of these patients who are on these meds..they are therapeutic in a way to prevent blood clots in some conditions but in real situations those symptoms created by these meds are purely debilitating to some and having not to live life where discomfort won't hinder one from just living the normal life...free from all these adverse reactions,which are so crippling....I have made a decision to talk to my husband's cardiologist to have him stop taking this so called "rat poison" or surreal "human poison"...he was diagnosed w/ afib and had cardiac ablation..hubby's taking coumadin for about 8 months now-preventively...
but these symptoms had changed him into a very depressed individual..after reading all these tonight..I will take charge and will take control of our lives again and hopefully just live to be healthy again...thanx for all of you that posted these info.......

I am 72 years old and in 1995 I had an artery blockage and had angioplasty.Upon my release from the hospital I was put on several prescriptions, beta blockers, cholesterol, Aspirin, Vitamins, etc. which I had been taking regularly for 13 years without any problems. In 2008 after having chest pain and going to the hospital my heart doctor advised me I had Atrial Defibrillation and put me on Warfarin and also told me to stop taking all the vitamins I was using along with my daily aspirin dose and one of my prescriptions. Since then I have had constant shoulder and muscle pain in my arm and leg. I have had several treatments by a chiropractor and several physical therapy treatments and the pain has not subsided. My memory has gotten worse also however I thought that was due to my age until I read some of the above side effects of Warfarin. I definitely have a lack of energy and also changed my diet due to the Warfarin. I have informed my heart doctor about the problems and he advised it is not due to the Warfarin. I don't agree with him after reading all the posts, but I am not a doctor. I will continue my prescribed dosage and Pt/Inr tests as schedule for a while, but if my pain etc doesn't get better I will probably do like the lady's posting and stop the warfarin on my own.

I had a several small PEs in my right lung 2 weeks after cosmetic surgery. I just turned 37, run every day and in great shape. I was put on both lovenox shots for 5 days and Coumadin for 6 months. After 6 weeks the side effects with Coumadin were so severe (weight gain 14 pounds in 6 weeks, joint pain, tiredness, hair loss) that I took myself off cold turkey and started on NATTOKINASE. I am doing great! I would recommend searching the natural approach like Nattokinase, vitamin E, cayenne pepper, etc. I have stopped gaining the weight and it's starting to come off. All of my other side effects went away too. I've been off 4 weeks now. All of the doctors were mad and scared me when I went off of Coumadin. I had to do my own research and listen to my body.

Im 23 years old. One of the youngest people that is on coumadin I got sick when I was 22. I developed blood clots on my liver and stomach. Due to blood deficiency. I was told by the doctor it was inherited by one of my parents. My side affects are very fatigue, tired for no reason, skin blotches, slow memory, I get tired after 10 minutes of running like Im ready to collapse. Im always dizzy. =( I feel very fragile. I do get depressed sometimes because I feel like im very young at my age for this to happen. I found out I have to be on coumadin for the rest of my life. But we all move on....

E-mail me ******

Hopefully someone can share there idea's or another source of help.

Wow - I'm so glad I found this site. I am 43 years old and had a PE last August in both lungs - every test imaginable has been done and still no idea why I got the PE. I should be on Warfarin for the rest of my life but I can't stand it much longer. I have headaches every day, cold sweats, dizziness, can't remember things, can't concentrate at work and the WEIGHT GAIN! My doctor just tells me to eat healthier but watch those leafy greens! I get no support at all from her. She also put me on Cipralex for depression and I'm now considering going off both medications and seeing a Naturopath. I'm sick of feeling like I'm 80.
L.

It has been a while since i have posted on here, however here goes. I am a 34 year old male taking warfarin for PE in left lung. I have been taking this stuff for 10 months now and fed up. The symptoms i am having are feeling extremely tired most of the time, feeling cold and very mild headaches. Also, i seem to have anxiety and depressive thoughts. I also have cold/flu symptoms which do not go away. furthermore, my hearing seemed to have diminished. I went to the doctors and they suggested having them flushed out. I went for this procedure, three hours later extreme pain, i received a middle ear infection and hardly any hearing now.
However, i do try to keep going, i play a Tuba in a Brass Band, a Concert Band, and now in a Symphony Orchestra. Got to have something interesting in life.
P.S I am also disabled due to having an operation on my spine five years ago.

I had open heart surgery August 23rd 2006 for a conginital heart defeat (Aortic Valve replaced with mechanical St Jude valve). I wanted a bio valve but Drs insisted I should have the mechanical valve because of my age (45 at the time).

Prior to my heart surgery I was a performer, singer/songwriter/actress/comedianne and I loved what I did. It was my life. Now, after 2+ years post-op and on Warfarin (7.5 mg daily for life) I feel like life has ended and I'm just a walking dead person. The effects I feel daily are as follows...

Dizziness
Severe Headaches
Blurred vision
Memory Loss
Fatigue
Weight Gain
Trouble concentating
Fluttering effect in my head/ears- Hard to explain
Hair loss
Unexplained pains in chest & left side of my body
Unable to sleep well
Tiredness- even when I've done nothing to be tired for
Nausea
Gas & Diarrhea off and on
teeth pain- Like I've drank something very cold
feeling in my head similar to a brain freeze- like you ate ice cream too fast
Night bleeds in my month- wake up with a mouth full of blood daily
What do think, is that enough??

I'm going in tomorrow for a cat scan because the headaches have been so bad they feel I need to be checked for brain tumor and/or internal bleeding. When I tell the Drs I think this is due to Wafarin they pratically laugh in my face as if to say, "Silly silly woman, don't be foolish! We know whats best for you. Remember, we saved your life!" Really? Did you?!

I want nothing more than to get off this rat poison and regain my life, but to do so could mean a stroke or heart attack. I would go under the knife again to have the mechanical valve removed and replaced with a biological valve, but do you think my insurance company (Kieser) would pay for a "silly" thing like that? Right!

Welcome to the greatest country in the world!

I'm going to start a website to help people like us. I want your stories, please send me your info, together we might make a change, what can it hurt to try? Email me ******

B.

My mother, 70 years old, been on Coumadin for 3 years (doctor said best to take since she suspected heart palpitations). Mother developed gradual memory loss, over the 3 year period, we didn't think anything wrong!! just a part of aging process!! Then one night she fell on the floor, stroke, we took her to hospital - done MRI and CTscan - result: severe brain bleeding. From that time - 4 months ago - she is now diagnosed with Dementia. I cant even describe how I feel about god damn Coumadin. Wish they never given it to her in the first place.

I am a 49 year old male. I had my aortic valve and a part of my aorta replaced 5-1/2 weeks ago. The valve had a congenital defect and it was replaced with an artificial valve. I was able to do aerobic exercise and jog right up until my surgery.

The main problem that I have been experiencing has been numbness and pain in my arms and upper back. This has been present for the last 4 weeks. My right arm has been the worst. Most of my right arm is numb. Muscle strength has dropped in my right arm. Also for the last two weeks, part of my tricep muscle in my right arm does not "fire". I cannot move my arm in some directions. I was referred to a neurologist and he indicated that there is nerve damage. I will be having an EMG this coming week.

I am not taking a lot of medications. I take 100 mg/day of Metoprolo which I have been taking for the last two years. I am taking 5 mg of Coumadin, and I take some fish oil. I also took Amiodarone for ten days after surgery and then discontinued it.

Most of my muscle pain symptoms started 1-1/2 to 2 weeks after surgery (after starting Warfarin), and they have progressively gotten worse. Some symptoms can come and go. Symptoms include:
-Sharp pains in my arms, back, and legs
-Left and right arm aches, sharp pains in forearms when reaching
-Numbness in my right upper arm, left and right forearms, inside of my left leg, fingertips of the right hand, left thumb
-Loss of strength in my right arm. Tricep muscle does not fire (3-1/2 weeks after surgery)
-Skin is sensitive and feels uncomfortable on my arms, back, chest, and stomach

I realize that unexplained aches and pains are probably the norm after a major surgery. The numbness and pain in my arms seems to be out of the ordinary and chronic. The surgical doctors have not been able to offer any explanation, they referred me to the neurologist. Since the surgery went well, I feel that they are pretty much done with me. I feel that I am on my own.

I did try switching from Warfarin to Coumadin to see if that would make any difference. That was about 3 weeks ago and it did not seem to make any difference.

The surgical doctors do not think that the Coumadin could be causing my issues. I have read about rare, but serious Coumadin side effects that include muscle and joint pain, numbness. At this point, I am very concerned that I could lose more use of my right arm. I will be contacting my family doctor this week for advice also.

I HAVE BEEN ON WARFARIN FOR 6 WEEKS SINCE A BROKEN FOOT GAVE ME A BLOOD CLOT FROM MY ANKLE TO MY GROIN. I'M ONLY 34 AND I HAVE NO ENERGY, I'M LOSING MORE HAIR EVERY TIME I BRUSH IT, AND I CAN'T CONCENTRATE. I'M SUPPOSED TO TAKE IT AL LEAST 6 MONTHS AND THEN HAVE ANOTHER ULTRASOUND TO SEE IF THE BLOOD CLOT IS GONE. THE DOCTORS SAID THIS COULD BE LIFELONG. I'M ON 5MG RIGHT NOW. IT SUCKS.

I'm 52 y/o male, started warfarin 6 weeks ago and the last 10-12 days I have noticed a LOT more hair in the tub drain when I shower. Also, my eyesight is getting worse by the day and if I lay down on the couch to watch TV, forget about it...sleeping right away! Had more to say, but can't remember! I do know my neck and back hurt and I am supposed to be on this crap for 2 more months, but I think I am going to pass. My Doctors already love me, so I'm sure this will be the straw...good luck everybody

I am 34 after taking Warfarin for 6 1/2 months I have lost almost all of my hair, gained 30 lbs, severe headaches and extremely tired. I feel horrible and have expressed it time and time again to my doctors. I have finally gotten the green light to get off of this horrible medicine today!!! I pray that I will be back to my old self soon.

24 yr female diagnosed with PE and DVT. I have been on Warfarin since may of 08 and it has turned my world upside down. Weight gain (20lbs in 3 months), major hair loss, very bad acne, and memory loss. Not to mention i can't shave my legs or anything else for that matter with out getting major in grown hairs. I NEVER had any of these problems before. I am loosing muscle mass and feel as if I am a 70 year old woman. I don't know what to do but cry. The doctors keep telling me its not the medicine but I feel it is, my body is telling me it is. things are not easy, and it is affecting me I feel for the rest of my life.

Hi, I have a blood clot in my arm,From mri dye.Since then my life has been a nightmare.On lovenox 2x time daily on my 20 with the shot. my stomach is black and blue and yellow from the shot.And i have big bumps in the stomach area.Now taking 6mg of Warfarin. Must a gain 6 lbs on that drug. I told the doctors about the side affect. They just look at you with a puzzle face.I go for weekly blood test. and my blood is still real thick.

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

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 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????????????

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!

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...

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.

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.

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.

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 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!!

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'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?