Do you have to come off warfain to be tested for APS?

[sharonap]

I seem to rember a consultant saying this but not 100% certain.

[Hidden]

The tests which look for antiphospholipid antibodies are:

the anticardiolipin

the lupus anticoagulant (not be be confused with lupus itself - the name is a double misnomer which has stuck unfortunately)

the anti-beta2-glycoprotein1

You can be tested for the anticardiolipin and anti-beta2-glycoprotein1 bloods while on warfarin but you do need to come off it for the lupus anticoagulant test. There is a test called the Taipei Snake Venom Test which Prof Hunt carries out a Guys/Tommies.

[sharonap]

Thanks kateH

I was confused because when I spoke to my consultants secretary she said you lupus anticoagulant was normal and my brian is so slow that now 2 days later I just thought how could you test me if im on warfarin but than wasnt sure if i had rembered that correctly.

sharon

[GinaD]

OK. So my negative lupus anticoagulant tests may not really indicate a "negative" as I was very much on warfarin when the test was drawn?

( Rheumatology blood work is so confusing.)

[Sal0712]

When I was tested for APS I had to be off warfarin. It was done over a number of months, so to be safe I had to take aspirin every day to prevent clots while the tests were done. Hope this is of some help !!!

[MrsBL]

All my tests have been carried out whilst on Clexane, so they could move you over to Clexane Injections for the time it takes for you to be tested. Although one of my Consultants did say in the early days that it was not worth testing my blood as it was already thinned, thankfully I managed to get to an excellent Rheumatologist who carried ot tests for APS and Lupus Anticoagulant amongs many other things. I have never stopped my blood thinner for any test, they simply write on the form that I am on Clexane, the dosage and how many hours post injection I am at the time of the blood being taken.

Hope all that makes sense and good luck with the testing.

[sharonap]

Thanks everyone I had a feeling I was right. xx

[77tiger05]

I have been on warfain for 17 years and have never had to go off of it for a test. Surgery yes, but they put you on injections of lovenox.

[smellyfootsies in reply to 77tiger05]

I have been on Warfarin for 13 years & agree I have only been taken off for Major surgeory.. When I was tested for APS I was taking 6mg of warfarin. x

[nyctapdancer in reply to smellyfootsies]

I've been on Coumadin for 15 years. never off it. For major surgery I was on heparin until i walked into the OR. Had the surgery been more than 3 hours, I would have been on Heparin during it.

Risk of clotting is way too high for many of us to ever get off anti-coagulants, let alone for a routine blood test or dental work.

[sharonap in reply to nyctapdancer]

Routine blood tests are ok its just the test to diagnose aps, when Ive had major surgery I was on heparin iv instead of warfarin.

[sharonap]

the test im on about is the one for diagnosing aps

[loretta1106]

I've been on warfarin for two years and consistently test positive for APS.