Coumadin/Warfarin = hair loss?
LibbyLiz
15 years ago
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creekgirl
15 years agoLibbyLiz
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Comments (28)Just weighing in on the cat issue--my cat has had access to the outdoors now for 5 years and he kills at least one rodent (gopher, mouse, or rat)every day (which I find evidence of, believe me!) however in all that time I have only found evidence of one bird kill--the long feathers of a pidgeon. I realize that domestic cats are considered the biggest killers of songbirds, however, not my cat. It seems, based on a small bit of google research, that each cat tends to have his/her own "specialty" prey; some like birds, some like rodents, some even get into fishing if they have access. Now and then a cat will be a jack of all trades and kill some of each. I guess what I am saying is that if you have a rodent specialist, that's desirable and you won't have to worry so much about the songbirds. However, I know of no way to tell until your cat actually gets out there and starts to hunt, what his specialty will be. If my cat had turned out to be a songbird killer I would have kept him indoors. Regardless--I also have to agree with the above poster that said that it is rare for a cat to go after squirrels. You'll have to either trap or poison them I'm afraid....See MoreSwelling and bruising in extremities for no reason?
Comments (4)Did they do any blood work -- BNP in particular, also the kidney tests, BUN, creatine and one or two others? Swelling in the extremities can be signs of kidney and/or heart failure, and then with the blood thinners and/or aspirin so many are on, any bleeding at all would be increased. I wasn't familiar with INR, so I searched and from what I am reading, it sounds like a high INR would mean she may have too much coumadin and should have less, not more. Like I said, this is new to me, and I could have it backwards, but I would make some calls and double check. This is from WebMD -- link below: A method of standardizing prothrombin time results, called the international normalized ratio (INR) system, has been developed so the results among labs using different test methods can be understood in the same way. Using the INR system, treatment with blood-thinning medicine (anticoagulant therapy) will be the same. In some labs, only the INR is reported and the PT is not reported. Prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR)1 Prothrombin time (PT): 11-13 seconds International normalized ratio (INR): 0.8-1.1 The warfarin (Coumadin) dose is changed so that the prothrombin time is longer than normal (by about 1.5 to 2.5 times the normal value or INR values 2 to 3). Prothrombin times are also kept at longer times for people with artificial heart valves, because these valves have a high chance of causing clots to form. Abnormal values A longer-than-normal PT can mean a lack of or low level of one or more blood clotting factors (factors I, II, V, VII, or X). It can also mean a lack of vitamin K; liver disease, such as cirrhosis; or that a liver injury has occurred. A longer-than-normal PT can also mean that you have disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), a life-threatening condition in which your body uses up its clotting factors so quickly that the blood cannot clot and bleeding does not stop. A longer-than-normal PT can be caused by treatment with blood-thinning medicines, such as warfarin (Coumadin) or, in rare cases, heparin. What Affects the Test Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include: Taking medicines that can affect the action of blood thinners (such as warfarin) and vitamin K. These include antibiotics, aspirin, cimetidine (Tagamet), barbiturates, birth control pills, hormone therapy (HT), and vitamin K supplements. Having severe diarrhea or vomiting that causes fluid loss and dehydration. This may make the PT time longer. If diarrhea is caused by poor absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from the intestinal tract (malabsorption syndrome), the PT may be longer because of a lack of vitamin K. Eating foods that have vitamin K, such as broccoli, chickpeas, kale, turnip greens, and soybean products. Drinking a lot of alcohol. Taking some herbal products or natural remedies. Wishing you the best in finding out what is wrong. Here is a link that might be useful: Web MD link...See MoreWhat is the Point - Saving for Retirement?
Comments (42)Both of my grandparents stayed at home until they were in their late 80's and then Mama had no choice but to put them into a nursing home. My GF lived about 3 years after and my GM is still living. She turned 100 in Sept. She has very good care and is the favorite in the home. She has a double room and has been lucky for the most part about room-mates but she has had a couple that were a chore to deal with. When they retired they had a substantial amount of savings and their home with a few acres of land. We hired one of the home health aides to come spend the night with them for a few months but were paying out about $300 a week and all she was doing was sleeping there. Anyway now my GM has been in the home for about 13 years and all of her money is gone. She gets $30 a month and goes to the beauty shop in the home once a week and the family pays for her TV and phone and any other things she needs. Her money was building up in her account and they told my sister that we needed to spend some of it because she wasn't allowed to have but a certain amount and she was over the limit. Family members moved into their home for a few years and then when it was vacated we sold it and the money went to the home. We had no problem with that. They've taken good care of her and know they will continue to. The main point is that people save their money for their old age and then when they get their and need it for health care the other family members often think it should be theirs. Yes, we've paid taxes most of our lives but nobody can live on the amount of taxes you pay in for a month. Probably the best solution would be to go back to many years ago where extended families just built onto the family home and the kids stayed after marriage and were there to help care for the elderly family members (great-grandparents) and the grandparents are there to baby sit for the grandchildren. Thus cutting out a lot of expenses. Of course we've gone away from this custom for too many years for most to want to do it. G'nite John-Boy! lol Nancy...See MoreHave any of you experienced a low pulse rate?
Comments (39)Thanks all for your tips and advice and questions to ask the Doctor. I probably won't be seeing the Internist for a few weeks as she still has yet to set up her practice here. Sleeper, I was sedentary because of my back pain. I thought it would heal like it did before after taking care of someone and lifting then, etc. I didn't know this time the pain was caused by a fracture and then after talking to the Drs in the ER I remember feeling a severe pain when helping to get off the floor. She had tripped on her oxygen cord. After a CT scan and many ultrasounds they determined I did not have an blood clots. When I first went into the hospital my blood pressure was normal as was my heart rate but then the next day my blood pressure elevated and that was when they gave me just a tiny shard of a blood pressure pill and my heart rate plummeted. They knew it was the wrong drug and said it would take awhile for it to get out of my system. After so many tests they still didn't know what was causing the inflammation in my body nor the edema. I put the edema to lack of movement on my part. Over the next 24 hours they collected my urine and had to keep it chilled for specific tests. They wanted to test for Cushing's but then when I asked if that was what I had they didn't give me an answer. The test showed my body produced too much steroids and cortisol and something else and they were concerned with that. Hopefully the Internist will figure it out. Gmatx, I have always watched my sodium intake. I cook most of what I eat, I like to add spices, peppers and herbs to my food over salt. I do use a little salt if I boil potatoes and if I eat a sliced tomato so it is not a salt shaker problem for me. I maybe eat cheese once a week and maybe a bag Cheetos Crunchy every month or so, Until my brother moved in I had the same box of salt for 10 years. For over a year or more I haven't bought frozen premade foods. We have been treating ourselves to pizza or fast food at the end of the month but not every month. I do eat packaged cookies but they aren't very high in sodium, I drink no sodium or sweetened fizzy Buble instead of pop. I never checked how much sodium was in bread though and I would eat a non deli meat sandwich everyday. I do use salted butter but not in great amounts. I will just have to chart the amount of sodium in the foods I eat now. They never did tell me how much sodium I can have on a low sodium diet and I looked online and the amounts still seemed pretty high for me. The Drs also said my kidneys were okay as well as my thyroid. I had been concerned about my kidneys because I was retaining too much fluid. I was surprised I didn't have Diabetes but then I didn't have any of the symptoms. Even my cholesterol was good. I walked down to the nearest corner last night with my rollator, just a few houses down further than my brother wanted to and then I went out for a ride today. My clothes are fitting less tight because I have lost fluid retention, my legs are getting better, and I can breath so much better, like a weight has been lifted off my chest. My back was sore this morning and I know that was from the walking last night. It is going to start raining for the next few days so I will walk up and down my hallway. I have been doing leg exercises the physio therapist wanted me to do and the marching in place. Instead of eating one meal a day and a snack I have been eating 3 meals a day now. I adjusted my sleep pattern so I wake at 8:30 and go to bed before 1 am. Before I only went to sleep when I was tired and sometimes would stay up for more than 24 hours. I have to see an Gynecologist in April because they couldn't see my uterus fully during the ultrasound. Again thanks for the advice and well wishes. I am going to keep on top of my health now. I already have a new family doctor that will take me once I see the Internist and all my records were sent to the family doctor I still have and I can go see him if something arises in the meantime. I lost both my sisters to cancer, my Mom to pancreatic cancer. I have waiting a long time to be able to collect my Canada Old Age Pension and the Supplement and I am not giving up on getting that money now haha that I am so close to getting it....See Moreagnespuffin
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