Endoscopy and Coumadin

[Jeannie22277]

I'm wondering if anyone can help me... my father has been on coumadin for a number of years due to an irregular heartbeat and as a heart attack preventative. In December, he had an angioplasty and stent put into one of his arteries. Due to that procedure, he was put on plavix also for 6 months. He had an endoscopy today because he was experiencing dark stools. Over the weekend, he stopped taking the plavix. The Dr found he had three small ulcers, but said they were already starting to heal. he says that they were probably caused by the baby aspirin and the blood thinners, both plavix and coumadin. Dad's cardio said he could discontinue the plavix for good now, so that just leaves coumadin. The internal med Dr who did the endoscopy is taking him off coumadin now for 3 weeks. We are concerned that he might be at risk for a heart attack without it. His INR was 1.3 before the endoscopy due to two vitamin K pills the Dr gave him. Without the coumadin, it could stay thick like that. I'm making my mother call his cardio tomorrow to tell him that the internal med Dr is taking him off coumadin to see what he says. My father is going to be 80 in September. It's just one Doctor after another and you feel like you need a medical degree to keep it all straight.
Thanks for any responses. Jeannie

[StaciL320]

Hi! Please be sure to check with your dad's doctor before going off his coumadin for such a long period of time. While I am not a doctor I can tell you that my dad had to go off his coumadin to have a colonscopy done last year for several days. We all believed there was no danger in him doing this since this is what the doctors instructed, but unfortunately a few minutes after his colonscopy was completed my father suffered a fatal heart attack. While I can't say for sure it was because of going off his coumadin, I wonder if maybe a blood clot formed that traveled to his heart since he was off the medication? He did have a heart condition and took this medication to keep his blood thin, so while I have no proof that going off his coumadin caused the heart attack, I really believe deep down inside that this contributed to what happened.

[Jeannie22277]

Thank you StaciL and I'm sorry to hear about your father. I will make sure we call his cardiologist tomorrow. The internist is seeing him again on Tuesday, but I really don't want to wait that long for his INR to be tested again. My father has an irregular heart rythym which is one of the reasons he is on coumadin.

[Harry]

Jeannie,
I think it would not be wise to be off coumadin unless he is taking a shot of heperain. This is what a brother-in- law had done 3 weeks for hernia operation. He has been on coumadin for 8 years because of irregular heart beating--- he is 77 had 2 rounds of chemo, and radiation treatment.

Just off hand your Dad needs something instead of nothing.Plavix is sorta like a big asprin and is an anti clotting drug and as you know coumadin is a blood thinner--- big differences but you certainly don't want to start bleeding while on either.

2 years ago I was taking Plavix and had diverticular bleeding and lost about half my blood in 4 hours -- I passed out in the ER and the Doc had enough sense to give me a shot of Vitamin K-- it saved my life but 2 weeks later I had 2 1/2 feet of my colon removed. My wife is now taking coumadin for a blood clot in her calf so I have more experience than I want. But make sure the Cardio Doc knows what is going on!!! An INR of 1.3 is normal but not if you are at risk. Coumadin is a real sensitive drug to deal with??

God Bless---Harry

[StaciL320]

Hi Jennie. I am happy I was able to supply you with some information about going off coumadin and the possible affects of that. I totally agree with Harry in telling you about the hepiran shot. Too bad I didn't know about that when my father was going in for his colonoscopy. Whiile I am sure your father's doctors must feel it is safe for him to go off the coumadin, three weeks just sounds like a really long time. My father was off his coumadin for about 5 days and look what happened. While I can't bring my father back, I would hate to see this happen to someone else if there are other alternatives, so please have him check and see if there is something he can continue taking in place of his coumadin. Good luck.

Staci