Hello lovely ladies, hope you have all gone through Christmas in as good spirits as is possible.
A quick question if I may - are all you currently on chemo also take blood thinners?
I am kind if sick and tired of my constantly runny nose. All those little things really get to you after a while, don’t they.
Have a healthy 2020 year.
Love
Grace
I injected Clexane (brand of heparin) throughout my chemo. I was originally prescribed it due to a pulmonary embolism found during my MRI scan and was originally given a timeframe of 6 months injecting. When this period was over I spoke with my oncologist about stopping injecting but he suggested I carry on because he believed that the blood thinner helped protect my veins during chemo so I injected for another 2 months.
The runny nose, nose bleeds (really spectacular at times and sometimes it looked like a massacre had taken place 🥴) were a nuisance and injecting was a literal pain but if it both cleared the PE and protected my veins then the thinners were worth it.
I hope the thinners do their job for you and once you stop them that the nose issues clear themselves up too.
I hope you have a good 2020. ❤️Xx Jane
Hi Grace. Initially, I had a major op, then 3 months chemo, followed by another major op & another 3 months chemo. I had blood thinners to follow both ops. I'm a terrible coward & my husband had to do the injections for me.
After 18 months more, the cancer returned & I went onto 6 months more of chemo, along with 6 months of Avastin but no blood thinners that time as there wasn't another op. I'm still on the Avastin (only) - that's now been for 5.5 years . The Avastin's been brilliant for me but I've never needed the blood thinners, as no ops. I do however get the runny nose and also raised blood pressure - it rises v slowly no blood thinners at all in that time. They do get me down a bit but Avastin isn't like chemo with so few side effects, so I don't have much to say about them - a small price to pay for still being in remission.
So good luck to you with it all. Pauline.
Thank you. I will ask my onc next time i see him. I am hoping that at least every now and then i can skip a day or two, eg when i am planning on going out etc.
I had two PEs show up in a scan and was immediately put on those shots (2X per day in fatty parts of the body) then after the PEs cleared my hematologist said she will move me to pills which I will be on for the rest of my life. I have had more chemo than I would like to admit and have been on the thinners throughout. I do have a runny nose more than what I thought was normal--is that from the blood thinner??
No, its not the blood thinner - I've been on thinners of one sort or another for a genetic clotting problem for over 30 years and they don't cause a runny nose - they might cause a nose bleed if your blood gets a little too thin, and you're more likely to have a nose bleed if you've got a cold or something and keep blowing your nose, but they don't increase mucous secretions. Some chemotherapy drugs cause runny nose though.
Miriam
Hi Grace-53, Yes, started Dalteparin before chemo, because of very small clots in the lungs. Have to do it for 6 months (1 month down) and yes I noticed my nose runs, when I'm eating. I do find it easier to stand when my husband gives me the injection into my tummy, don't hardly feel or the stinging afterwards. Hope this helps.
I had a picc line put in back in may and got blood clots on it within a week, so been on blood thinning injections since then. I didn’t notice anything different with my nose till I started weekly taxol in October, since then my nose has been more blocked up and when I blow it, it’s usually mainly blood, though no nose bleeds. Been told I’ll be injecting for the foreseeable future
I was diagnosed with AFib during a presurgical appt with my oncologist. It was a surprise to me as my General Practitioner had never caught it. After a month of testing before I could have my debulking, I was put on Warfarin and have taken it daily now for 4 years. It's in pill form and I have to have monthly blood tests. It's only in the past few months I have noticed a constant runny nose. I didn't thing of it perhaps being related to the blood thinner. I have never had a bloody nose, tho, and am concerned that your dose may be too high?
I'm surprised you're on warfarin - these days they tend to use Apixaban or a similar drug instead; these newer thinners are not so much affected by things you eat and don't need regular monitoring like warfarin. I was on warfarin for 12 years ages ago now - if the dose is too high, what you'll get is nose bleeds, not a runny nose...
Miriam
I WILL bring that up at my next appt. with my cardiologist. I HATE being so restricted in what I can eat or not eat. I am in the States and Warfarin is their go - to. Also it depends on what my insurance will pay for. But thank you!! I haven't heard of Apixaban. Will research!
Warfarin is tricky ( I’m on it ) - in Uk the new style anticoagulants aren’t popular with GPS on cost grounds - also warfarin is easier fo reverse and , although it might be ok now , they weren’t licensed for use in cancer patients - my oncology team were ok with my taking them but GP didn’t want to authorise an off licence use - given with ovarian cancer , who can say we are cancer free, it seemed reasonable and I’ve mostly managed ok on warfarin though pain medication can spike me d
It won't be the blood thinner causing a runny nose, much more likely to be the chemo, which is known to do that.
Miriam
I am currently taking blood thinner Xarelto ( Rivaroxaban) in pill form. No side effects. No runny nose or nose bleeds or anything. I am also on chemo treatments.
In Dec , I developed 3 blood clots in neck & near the port that I had inserted on Nov 1, 2019. The doctor said the port caused the clots in 3 separate veins. I need to be on thinners as long as I have the port.
Last year 2018 while on chemo, I had a large clot in my left leg. I was on injections of Dalteparin for 6 months (as long as chemo lasted). No side effects from that except for sore & bruised abdomen from the needles.
Does anyone know if you can travel (airplane) while on blood thinners? I keep forgetting to ask doctor.
I asked doctor if I can have an occasional glass of wine while on blood thinner. Doc said to ask pharmacist. I asked & pharmacist aid to ask doctor. No answer from either. The Xarelto website stated that 2 alcoholic drinks per day is OK and if you need to drink more, then discuss with your doctor. I just wanted a glass of wine to celebrate New Years eve.
Hope the new year brings good health to everyone.
I've been injecting Clexane for the past six months as a result of some small pulmonary emboli discovered on a CT scan. When I saw my oncologist yesterday I asked if I could now stop, given that she'd initially said I was to continue for at least six months, but she told me I should continue with them. At no point have I had a runny nose.
My husband was on Warfarin for eleven years, prescribed as a result of Atrial Flutter, discovered as a result of a stroke. Despite his consultant's advice that he should be moved onto the more modern equivalents, his GP was most reluctant to change. However, his blood results started to fluctuate widely, probably we were less careful with his eating patterns after so long and he finally agreed to change him to Edoxoban. So much easier but of course no medication is totally without problems. So far, so good, six months in.
Oh Grace, we all suffer from different problems whilst on chemo don't we! I'm currently on Daltaparin blood thinning injections, which I dread. I go back to Rivaroxaban tablets when the chemo is over. Every now and then things get to me and I wonder if it's all worth it but something inside us all refuses to let us give in. I have had stage 3c since early 2018 and 12 months of that I've been having treatment. The rest of the time in constant fear. Looking back at the good moments during that time I think perhaps it is worth it. My granddaughter is 12 this month and seeing the excitement in her beautiful face when she rushes through our door is worth another year of anguish and hope at least.
My love to you,
Angela xx
Thank you Angela.
SEvere diarrhoea with blood in stools
blood transfusion prep
Low white blood count
Blood draw clotted unable to use. 
Pain blooded bowel pain 
