Author Topic: Coumadin therapy ending (Read 10917 times)

RUSS H. · « **on:** December 22, 2008, 09:57:32 PM »

I was told today I could come off my Coumadin starting tomorrow which is 3 weeks post-op. Has anyone come off this soon? Or is this soon? I'm 52 yrs old. My levels were checked all along and I was fine. Someone told me he had a friend who came off Coumadin too soon and developed blood clots. Now I'm wondering if it is too soon. I do take 81mg aspirin daily anyway. There was no order to go on a heavier dose of aspirin (325mg) instead of the Coumadin.

I do tend to be active, moving around all day. I suppose that helps. Let me know,thanks, Russ

JohnS · « **Reply #1 on:** December 22, 2008, 10:47:41 PM »

Russ,
I was taking 350 mg asprin for blood thinning. I was off at 4 weeks.
JohnS

Mudpro · « **Reply #2 on:** December 23, 2008, 07:16:53 AM »

I was told during a joint replacement class at Union memorial Hospital in Baltimore that everyone except my doctor's patients would come off coumadin after two weeks. Dr. Broucher's patients would stay on a full 4 weeks. In home nursing care has been taking blood samples from me on Mon - Wed - Fri's and dosage has been adjusted down slightly. Beginning next week after in-home care ends (wk 3) I'll need to go get my levels tested from a lab.

But even at the same hospital, and same ortho department, there seems to be a difference between doctor's decision on how long to continue the blood thinning medication.

dvander · « **Reply #3 on:** December 23, 2008, 07:19:17 AM »

I was on Lovenox for just 7 days at home (came home from hospital day after surgery) and then 325 mg aspirin for 45 days. I am at 5 weeks post-op now. No problem w/clots, but sure did hourly ankle stretches to keep legs moving as they recommended.

Dwight V

Barbara · « **Reply #4 on:** December 23, 2008, 09:24:25 PM »

Lovenox x 17 days post op for me. Its interesting how different Dr's preferences are. I agree that the most important thing is to keep doing ankle pumps and moving around.

Barbara

obxpelican · « **Reply #5 on:** December 23, 2008, 09:42:14 PM »

Dr. Gross is like 10 days Arixtra self injections (we Gross hippies are tough)--- no TEDS, just aspirin for a month or so afterwards.

I continued to take aspirin because my mother in-law told me her doctor told her that taking a low dose aspirin every day can help your body so that it does not reject your hardware.

The way I figure, what is it going to hurt?

I am always amazed how each doctor does things so differently, some doctors do not allow a lot of weight bearing post-op, some allow 100%. Some doctors only allow driving after 4-6 weeks, some as little as 3 days post-op.

Pat did tell me once in a chat that US doctors are way more conservative than overseas doctors. I think Pat was allowed to run laps 2 days post op and allowed to do a iron woman marathon 7 days post-op--- ok I exaggerated somewhat.

Chuck