Anti coagulation

[lightpure7]

Both of my sons and 4 of my sisters have been diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder and are all on warfarin. I have never been tested for this missing factor 5 but take turmeric, fish oil and vitamin C to prevent clotting. I am 60 years old and have never had a blood clot. I put my health in God's hands first and foremost!

[BobD Volunteer]

I am unclear from your post if you have Atrial fibrillation as this is the main purpose of this forum. Many of us take anticoagulants for stroke prevention as this condition makes us five times more likely to have a stroke. There are no guaranteed measurable natural anticoagulants so good luck.

[lightpure7 in reply to BobD]

Hi! I have not been diagnosed with afib. I found this site while researching turmeric vs warfarin. I labeled my post anticoagulation and this is the forum the website sent me to. Better health to us all! ☺

[secondtry]

Hi Lightpure, I also draw a lot of comfort from my Christian beliefs. However, I think it is important you get tested for Factor V Leiden like the rest of your family. I have this condition and knew nothing about it developing a DVT on a long car journey 20 years ago; subsequent tests showed I have the heterogenous type (apologies if spelling wrong) not homogenous, the latter being more serious and probably why your family are on warfarin.

You are taking natural precautions but I would step up daily water consumption & exercise, avoid long sedentary periods in car, plane or at a desk and I believe garlic is another recommended supplement. Good luck.

[AnneWorner]

If you have siblings with Factor V Leiden, chances are you also have the gene. You should get tested. My husband developed this suddenly, in his small bowel. He had to have an entire section removed. Factor V can cause serious blood clots, sometimes life-threatening.

[DickW]

I've been on warfarin for years for AF without problems. It is irritating having to be tested periodically and one needs to be aware that foods containing Vitamin K can affect your INR levels. Also that there is a lag between eating such foods or changing your dose and the effect being evident in your INR test.

Before Christmas I made the mistake of moving from warfarin to a newer drug (Dabigatran) on the recommendation both of friends and my doctor because I was about to go to S.E. Asia where my diet would change and I couldn't get regularly tested. The newer drugs are one a day, don't require regular testing and are not affected by different foods.

Unfortunately, Dabigatran didn't suit me, triggering more migraines. On return I requested to go back to warfarin but that process did not work well. The drug literature says that when you restart warfarin you should reduce the dose of the other drug. I did so and had a stroke in my cerebellum the next day. I now know that whenever starting or stopping blood thinners they can have a rare paradoxical pro-clotting effect. (One of my doctors said this is only a problem with warfarin but I believe it affects other drugs as well).

Based in my experience none of you should have a problem with warfarin and, if you decide to try a newer drug you are very unlikely to take a hit like me. If you have never had a clot or a DVT, you are lucky. Personally, I would far rather put my faith in a very well proven medication than either God or food suppliments.

[ILowe in reply to DickW]

Interesting. Rare pro-clotting effect. My mind races with the implications. I am not at all surprised. Fortunately, the modern trends are to avoid stopping warfarin for surgery, and to only reduce the INR slightly.

[ILowe]

Interesting post, and interesting replies. I have only now seen the thread. I have just had a cataract op, and I was advised to keep screen time to a minimum.

Warfarin is the most well known anticoagulant. It is cheap, and easy to handle for most people. It also works in several places, so is used for those with metallic heart valves and gives broader protection than the newer anticoagulants. Look on it as a broad spectrum antibiotic instead of a narrow specific antibiotic. The natural anticoagulants you mention have very little effect. In your shoes, with probable tendencies to problems, I would insist on taking warfarin.