Advice needed on blood in urine

[KIMMY60]

I'm on blood thinners rivaroxaban and have had an eye bleed plus bleeding in my urine, you can't see it in the urine but on the tissue when I wipe. I'm not getting much help with the doctors still insist I must take them, I have a very sore lower stomach am getting scared to take them

[Tos92]

I am not on blood thinners myself however, I would think blood in urine needs medical attention. Could you call 111 for some advice? They do have an option available to speak to a pharmacist if you’d rather not speak to the main department where they assess your symptoms. Would you be willing to go to A&E? If so, this might be your safest option tonight.

I hope others who are on blood thinners can help.

All the best.

Tos

[10gingercats]

You do need professional advice on this. Blood,and esp. in urine, can be from many things .I have had it from a bladder infection.I am not a medic so can only express my views from my own experience. Your GP can probably advise you and a simple urine test can rule out infection quite quickly before they need to delve more deeply.I do not think i would stop the anticoagulant unless advised to do so by your cardiologist.

[KIMMY60 in reply to 10gingercats]

I've spoken to two GPS about it and got nowhere they insist I must take my blood thinners because if the AF I havnt had a serious attack since August. It seems no matter how bad the side effects they won't lower the dose which is 20mg it seems obvious to me the dose us too high for me if I have blood . I don't have an infection just so worried I've got internal bleeding with the pain in my stomach and they won't do anything

[ahk59]

Not been on here for years,but feel I must let you know about me,currently in hospital with internal tummy bleeding I cam to AE 6 days ago with chest infection and extreme tummy muscle pain,after taking my INR READING IT WAS 23 YEA THATS RIGHT 23,was put on drip to reverse warfarin INR which went down to 1.1 my tummy is completely black and blue,so if you think u have internal bleeding get yourself to AE,please take care x

[Still_Breathing]

I have just been through this same issue.Went to gp, he looked up the guidelines and did a 'fast track referral' to the urology department for suspected cancer.

I then had to be seen within 2 weeks.

Firstly had a ct scan and within a week had a camera inserted in my bladder via the uretha.

My INR was 5.1 and was also having slight daily nose bleeds ( I'm on warfarin).

I was found to be clear of anything wrong with my bladder, the bleeding was put down to the high INR and since I sorted out my INR I've not had any further blood visible or detected.

[Wooodsie]

Hi Kimmy60, you can get urine test strips from Amazon. Not too expensive, but worth it. I do think you should see a Dr, it surely isn't normal to have blood in your urine

ALLTEST 10 Parameter Urine Testing Strips 100 Strip Pack amzn.eu/d/b6b2kay

[Lagrange]

In addition to this good advice, I suggest that you change your GP.

[KIMMY60 in reply to Lagrange]

I wish they keep giving me appointments with these trainee medics not real doctors and they really don't know what they are on about trying a different doctor Tuesday I just want the dose reduced to 15 rather than 20 as its obviously too much for my body. They won't have it couldn't possibly be the tablets, it's listed as a side effect on the leaflet. Want to put me through loads of unessesary tests just to try and keep me on the tablets havnt had an episode since August it's over the top medication

[Turnipgirl in reply to KIMMY60]

Back in September I got given an appointment with a registrar doctor who i didn't like as she tried to pressure me to be weighed and I refused as it wasn't really warranted!

[scentedgardener]

I can understand your concern, I've had a similar experience. I didn't get much sense out of my GPs either. The only reason I have persisted with anticoagulants is after having problems I refused to take them as pre-AF I always bled too much, so much so it was on my hospital notes that I was "a bit of a bleeder.", and during the time I wasn't taking them I had to go to A&E where a very nice, concerned doctor tested my blood and told me I was borderline for developing a clot, and if I had ANY symptoms of a clot I wouldn't have been allowed home. I also had a conversation with the GP about reducing the dose but he said he couldn't say I would have enough coverage to prevent clots on a lower dose I still remain puzzled when I read of people in other areas attending a clinic to test their blood clotting six monthly or yearly, and it is people who take rivaroxaban, not just people taking warfarin.

Have you asked if you can change to Apixaban or Edoxaban as they might suit you better. I tried them and preferred them but neither agreed with me, but I do have problems with many medications

Has the GP tested a water sample to see if there is any blood in your urine, and what is his explanation for your sore stomach?

I don't think they realise how much anxiety it causes us, or they might be a little more reassuring.

[scentedgardener]

Sorry, I just wanted to add that even if you think you always know when in AF you might not. You can have episodes in your sleep, and recently I had problems with my thyroid which at the start led to me having persistent AF, but I still knew about it. As things have settled down I went back to paroxysmal AF, but started doing an ECG on my kardia morning and evening to see if there was a pattern developing, and was surprised to find I was getting AF sometimes with absolutely no symptoms, which is very odd for me.

[Coffeeandwalnut]

I’ve just changed from 16 years on warfarin to rivoxabsn and I’m not having a great time either. I don’t have the issues you do but I have had pain on passing urine, mega headaches, dizziness and generally feeling yuk. I’ve stuck it out for 2 months now. So I’m off to my gp on Tuesday. Most of the things you say are listed in the side effects of rivaroxaban, same as mine. I didn’t have any problems whatsoever on warfarin so I guess different anticoagulants do not like certain people. There are other alternatives I wonder why your gp won’t change you to apixaban (which is supposed to be the safest anticoagulant so I believe) or something. You need to be in charge of your health and pester, mind you I might be back on here saying I’ve had no luck with my gp either 🤣. Wish you the best of luck x

[KIMMY60 in reply to Coffeeandwalnut]

I had the same with apixaban had an eye bleed and severe stomach pain so they changed me to rivaroxaban because I took myself off Apixaban couldn't stand the stomach pain anymore was keeping me awake all night. I'm terrible with tablets if I'm not allergic they just make me ill even antibiotics I'm allergic to several of those. Just have to take natural things to thin the blood and take the risk if I don't get any help at doctors on Tuesday. Have checked out reviews from doctors in our area and they are all worse than ours

[Coffeeandwalnut in reply to KIMMY60]

Awwwww hope it gets sorted, you’ll be drinking lots of cranberry juice then🤣.

[gladliz in reply to Coffeeandwalnut]

Iv'e been on Warfarin for 12 years and some years ago [BCD] I was offered the choice of changing to one of the 'newer' anti coagulents where you didn't need regular testing. I refused as I had no problems with warfarin, my readings were stable and I was being tested at 10 week intervals. If it ain't broke don't fix it is my motto. Was there a pressing reason to change from warfarin? My surgery has a designated clinic for blood tests and now use a finger prick to give you the results and dosage plus next date visit, much quicker than having to send sample to path lab.

[Coffeeandwalnut in reply to gladliz]

The cardiologist suggested it and I went along with it to be honest. I agree with you tho really I should have thought if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I used to get tested at gp every 6 weeks just the finger prick test and that was it. No issues on anything. I ate what I wanted and literally chucked the tablets down my mouth with my other evening meds. On rivaroxaban I have to have it with food, it’s given me terrible headaches and made me just feel unwell and I have become very anxious due I suppose to feeling unwell. Personally I wish I’d never started it and am going to ask to go back to warfarin.

[gladliz]

Just a thought, as you say you can't see any blood in your urine, but it's on the tissue, you haven't been a bit too vigorous in wiping and damaged the skin? It's a delicate area and being on anti coagulents tends to make things worse. Have you mentioned possible urine infection to GP and asked for a test, worth a try if only to set your mind at rest. Hope you find answers soon.

[KIMMY60 in reply to gladliz]

Not from rubbing blood on my pants in between definitely seeing the doctor I'm 61 and finished periods years ago so is not right at all, I've tried two phone calls with GP and getting nowhere, need to try a different tablet maybe. But also get checked for any other problems just in case. Got an appointment Tuesday thankyou for replying it does help with the anxiety 🙂

[Bagrat in reply to KIMMY60]

My feeling is for you to establish where this bleeding is coming from exactly, with the help of your GP, then it can be evaluated.

[shorttail]

Persist in getting your urine problems tested. I had that and ended up with an op on my bladder, a timely intervention.

[KIMMY60 in reply to shorttail]

Definitely something wrong I wet myself this afternoon didn't quite make it to the loo is so upsetting, I don't seem to have an infection though, and hardly needed to go, no burning or feeling unwell, have had two GP phone calls didn't get any help that way, have an appointment Tuesday so will make sure they do some checks and book a scan can't be do careful with unusual bleeding over 60

[Deejay62]

if your doctor won’t help call 111 or just go to a&e. If you’re on any anticoagulant I’m sure you shouldn’t be bleeding for no reason especially through your eyes.

[KIMMY60 in reply to Deejay62]

I've got an appointment to see GP Tuesday, the two other appointments were on the phone doesn't really work. Will get them to check everything and book a scan ,and maybe change my blood thinners. Can't get them to do it on the phone

[Deejay62 in reply to KIMMY60]

No you can’t do anything over the phone. Hopefully you will be listened to when you visit the Gp. Let us know how you get on

[Visigoth]

You should definitely see a GP to get this all checked out, but just to reassure you it doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong. I’m on Apixaban and have had a bad eye bleed but it just looks rather horrendous and isn’t dangerous in any way. I also had a lot of blood in my urine - and I mean a lot! - that you could easily see, so I had a fast track referral for a cystoscopy. Nothing was found to be wrong and since then have had a CT scan in relation to the tummy pain but again nothing has been found amiss and the symptoms have actually improved. A UTI can cause pain as well as blood in the urine, as I know from experience. These are all things you absolutely must get checked, but I’m just saying try not to be too scared because there may be nothing sinister going on.