Warfarin Sodium and meds

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 was diagnosed with Factor V Leiden after suffering from bilateral PEs in February 2004. I am on Warfarin for the rest of my life (I turn 45 in November). Since starting the Warfarin I have gained about 70 pounds. Nothing I do seem to work. I have tried eating better. I would love to exercise but my knees are shot. Probably from lugging around all this extra weight.

Has anybody else had this problem? From what I have read online, doctor will say the drug doesn't cause weight gain but come on.

Can anything be done short of stopping the medication? I am too afraid to do that. It sucks that there is not an alternative rx that would work.

I suffer from depression too (have for almost 15 years). As my weight has climbed, my meds for depression don't work as well. I am at the end of my rope & slowing losing my grip.

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.

I am 37, and developed a DVT in my left calf possibly due to birth control pills. I was tested for Factor 5 Leiden and since I was positive that may have been a contributing factor as well. Waking up in the middle of the night and first thing in the morning with excruciating pain was a daily occurrence and finally after 2 weeks of Lovenox injections and warfarin the pain subsided. I still experience post thrombotic pain in the back of my leg three months after starting the medication. My INRs are inconsistent and my doctor keeps changing my dosage. I have been avoiding all food that that can interact with the meds, it is extremely irritating. I have been doing an hour of low impact exercise daily and am looking forward to when I can finally go jogging and increase my cardio workouts. I can't wait till I can finally be off the medication it affects everything I do.

Hi, I am a 47 year old female and have been on Coumadin since Nov 1997 after developing several DVT's after surgery for a broken kneecap. Coumadin makes me feel like crap and the only time i have felt good in the last 11 years is when i have come off the medication for dental work or surgery. Some of my side effects are cold chills and cannot warm up, upset stomach, retaining fluid, heavy periods, added weight and my fat looks flabby even though i work out 4 times a week, lethargy, a very heavy neck on occasions and the list goes on and on. My coumadin has become very sensitive to what i put in my mouth. With "nutrients" added to so many foods i find i am now reading labels more than ever. The worst "nutrient" is Omega-3. This can cause bruising and bleeding without any help from Coumadin. Several deaths have been reported in the Australian media. I believe there is research being conducted in Norway using Kiwifruit as an alternative to Warfarin. I hope this is so and they are successful soon.

My dad was started on warfarin for DVT's and PE's after his surgery. He said every time he took a 5mg warfarin he felt dizzy and lightheaded, got very tired and got headaches. My sister said by law, GENERIC medicine only has to have 85% of the medicine in it and can be 15% filler. So we got him changed to name brand coumadin and he hasn't had any of those side effects since. May be worth a try.......

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 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; ******

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.