Blood Thinners and the Cold

1965_Bruce · 03-05-2007, 02:16 PM

My family and I are originally from the midwest, where it gets very cold in the winters. My mom used to be out in all kinds of weather when she was a young lady..but then she moved away from it for 15 years. Now she's back, living in my town, and has experienced another bitter cold winter. She's complaining terribly about being out in the cold even though she's bundled up with turtleneck sweater, coat, boots, and gloves. At first i thought she might just be complaining - after all, does anyone really love this weather? But I'm thinking there might be more to it.

During her 15 years away from the cold, she had surgery and is on a blood thinner - coumadin. Knowing that proper blood flow is what helps keep us warm, and her blood is thinner than it used to be, could that lead to more discomfort when the temperature is cold (i.e. below freezing)? She told me last month several times that her fingers were almost numb with cold even thru her gloves and for 20 minutes after she came inside! Meanwhile, I can go out in the same weather and it almost doesn't bother me. This long cold winter discomfort is spreading into other areas of her life - she's depressed and doesn't go out as much even to the point of not buying groceries or refilling prescriptions because she doesn't want to go outside. Luckily its March and this shouldn't last much longer....

So, I'm wondering if thinner blood really does have an effect on how the body is able to regulate temperature? I should also mention that my mom is over 80 and doesn't seem to have any other physical problems that would have this effect. By the same token, if a person on a blood thinner lived in a place like Arizona where it is 110 in the summer would they not feel as much discomfort in the heat as someone with normal blood? Hmmmmmmm.....maybe that's why so many senior citizens move down south or west! LOL

feelbad · 03-06-2007, 11:01 AM

there "could' be some sort of connection to that but the fact that she is actually feeling numbness in her fingers kind of needs to be evaluated by her doc actually.this could be peripheral neuropathy.is she diabetic?some of this is most definitely an age thing as well.i live in MN the frozen tundra of the north?and believe me,every year,it gets worse and worse for me to even step outside anymore.the cold is really affecting me more and more as the years go by.if she dosen't have alot of body fat to keep her warm,this can be a problem too.the more body fat you have,the warmer you tend to stay,it really does make a difference.i am constantly freezing while my hubby keeps complaining he is too hot when i turn up the furnace so i don't freeze to death.i do not have alot of body fat either and he does.but if she is actually having any real numbness,this does definitely need to be looked into by her doc,just to make sure things are okay.being on any blood thinner would probably actually do the opposite of what she is really having goingon as it thins the blood and therefore,it flows much better.you know what i mean?the thicker the blood is,the harder it is to get it to flow easily to like the tips of the fingers and toes.i would make an appt with her doc just to be checked with regards to her periheral bloodflow.

unfortunetly she,and i will just have to ride this out til the spring thaw.i know how she feels tho.good luck and please let me know what you find out from her doc appt,K? FB

Uryuu · 03-06-2007, 01:45 PM

Does ur mother have a spinal problem? A lot of old ppl got a bent spine. When the spine is not correctly alligned, the energy doesn't flow normally and the body will have less energy to keep it's ideal temperature.

1965_Bruce · 03-06-2007, 02:19 PM

I guess then its normal for older people to not be able to adjust to extreme cold too well? She does not have much body fat, and yes her Dr. has noted Scoliosis - bent spine - as well as osteoporosis, there is not much that can be done about any of that.

morrisun · 03-06-2007, 03:28 PM

I've been on blood thinners for almost 2 years now. Most of that time was spent in HOT Phoenix, AZ. I was just as miserably hot in the summer when on blood thinners than when I was not on them. We are now living in N. Utah where it gets pretty darn cold. I haven't noticed that I am any colder than my husband (who is not on blood thinners).

That being said, has your mom been checked for possible anemia or a thyroid disorder?