Warfarin Sodium and little bit

I have been on Warfarin for 12 years and I am only 18 years of age. I was born with a congenital heart defect and have had many operations in the first 6 years of my life, including 3 open heart surgeries.
When I was 6 years old I had my last open heart surgery where they put in a St Judes mechanical valve. I don't know what my dosage was when I first starting taking Warfarin, but I am now on 7.5mg with an INR between 3.2-3.5

Sometimes I feel like I have a little bit of memory loss. I would forget the most basic words.. but I'd slightly remember what it looks like. I'd have to sit and think for a while until it would pop into my mind again. I really do hope that I don't get other side effects such as hair loss :(

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

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.