Tea? (Part 2)

[ColinJ]

@ColinJ I had to google Clexane. Hope the results are good. * Man hugs *

Thanks.

There are lots of different brand names; another is Fragmin. It is basically Low Molecular Weight Heparin. They start clotters off on that because it is quick-acting, whereas Warfarin takes time to build up in the body and become effective. (Warfarin can also be supplied under brand names such as Coumadin.)

Last time, they started me on big doses of Warfarin and worked their way down. That is quicker than starting on small doses and working their way up. The thing is though, last time they didn't mention a trivial side effect of Warfarin known as 'penile necrosis'. Yes, PN is what it sounds like - one's penis can go rotten and fall off!

PN is rare, but I am rather attached to the old fella and would rather remain that way! This affliction is more likely to occur if you start 'high' so I said that I preferred to start 'low'. [WARNING - AWFUL PENIS PUN TO FOLLOW!!!] Better to suffer little pricks for a week or two, than suffer no prick at all, for life!

 

[Speicher]

Wocky, I cannot remember which "Smiley" site I got it from, unfortunately. It might have been the same site as Shaun uses for this forum.

 

[Puddles]

- one's penis can go rotten and fall off!

Indeed!

 

[Archie_tect]

A trivial side effect? Trivial??

GWS CJ

 

[Archie_tect]

[Don't believe him Colin... he's telling porkies...]

 

[Puddles]

Relaxing for ten with a cuppa whilst User76 was worn out being a cow all morning so is napping and I have 3/4 hour before the school run....

Here is the little cow wearing herself out....

 

[ColinJ]

A trivial side effect? Trivial??

Exactly!

I am not one of those "Yes, doctor" patients. I have been reading about the drugs and the illness for nearly a year now so I have found out a lot. In fact, I now know things that many nurses and some doctors do not know, so I query what I do not agree with or do not understand.

I read the leaflet that comes with the Warfarin tablets. I'm sure that most people do not bother wading through it, and just do as they are told, but I wanted to know what was what. 'Penile necrosis' leapt off the page at me as soon as I read it, so I then looked that up. (It can happen anywhere on the body, but that is a particularly nasty place!)

I'm sure that patients are sometimes kept in the dark so as not to worry them, but they really ought to be told about these potential problems because they can be serious when they do occur, and can develop rapidly. It would be easy to delay seeking treatment for a day or two if an unusual rash appeared, and that could be the difference between fixing the problem and it being too late.

It is a rare problem but it is one of the things to watch out for if you or someone you know ends up on Warfarin. It is only a risk for the first few days until the drug is working properly. This is why it is important to have the Heparin shots while the Warfarin is building up. Ironically, the necrosis is due to microclotting of small blood vessels, caused by the ant-clotting drug itself! Some chemicals in Warfarin start working before others do, and that can throw the body's clotting mechanism even further out of whack. Heparin can fight that.

 

[Archie_tect]

Thanks Colin... we need to know these things!

 

[ColinJ]

Thanks Colin... we need to know these things!

A lot of people do not know that they need to know, but there is such a huge problem with clotting that it is likely that someone you know is affected now, or will be at some point in the future.

I am constantly finding out about people having clotting problems that I had previously been unaware of. Unbelievably, I was 6 months into my last Warfarin treatment before my sister casually mentioned that our mum had been on the drug when I was a teenager. I knew that she had some clotting in her varicose veins, but thought that ops had sorted those out. (This might be a clue, suggesting a family clotting problem so I am having tests for that.)

STOP PRESS: I just took a call from the lab - my INR level is now in the therapeutic range so the Warfarin is working and I can stop the jabs - yay!

 

[Biscuit]

STOP PRESS: I just took a call from the lab - my INR level is now in the therapeutic range so the Warfarin is working and I can stop the jabs - yay!

Are you cocksure? Ouch! Sorry.

 

[ColinJ]

I got a bit distracted when I was talking about my nasty mug of tea and ended up posting a load of stuff which would have been better in my GWS thread - sorry about that!

In fact ... I can't remember if any of you Tea? regulars are mods, but if one of you is, would you mind awfully moving the relevant posts to that thread for me - thanks!

 

[potsy]

Ditto the hugs but proper ones from me

Man hug from me Colin, you know how these internet rumours can escalate

Jo, would you like to borrow a box to give him your hug?

 

[coffeejo]

Man hug from me Colin, you know how these internet rumours can escalate

Jo, would you like to borrow a box to give him your hug?

Only when you're finished with it

 

[Speicher]

Thanks - that can be my task for this afternoon. It's raining outside and I've gone off the idea of gardening so i'll search for some smilies as I'm watching the TdF team timetrial

Can you let me know where you find it/them?

 

[potsy]

Only when you're finished with it