Warfarin (Coumadin)

[BarryD]

Hi Guys. I am enquiring on behalf of my mother who is 74 and diagnosed 4 years ago with RA, MDS. She was symptomatic (anaemic, breathless etc) when diagnosed, but has remained relatively stable with blood scores broadly 50% of normal range since. Some sporadic problms in the intervening years, but thankfully nothing major. In June 2008 she was hospitalised due to a severe chest infection. Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter were diagnosed at this time, but thought to be connected to the infection. Unfortunately the atrial fibrillation has continued, and frequency and duration of episodes of irregular heartbeat have increased. She has just been re-evaluated by Cardiologist whohas recommended fitting a pacemaker and treatment with warfarin. I wonder does anyone else have any experience of having MDS and taking warfarin? Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

[Nigel]

Hi Barry
as your post has gone unanswered so far, thought I'd drop my penniesworth in.

This forum is new as of this year and, to date has a fairly limited membership... hopefuly growing over time.

I wonder if you might find more information on the main (international) mds foundation website / forum -

www.mds-foundation.org (link to Forum is top left hand corner).

Do revisit here or 'watch' this topic as someone else may come up with something more useful.

Hoping things go well for your mother


best wishes
Nigel

[BarryD]

Nigel, Hi. Thanks for your post, appreciate the contact.
Regards,

Barry.

[lodesman]

BarryD,
I am a 71 yr old male, diagnosed with MDS mid September this year. Also on Warfarin - for Atrial Fib, which I've had for over 10 years. Atrial flutter was electro ablated in 2000, and went. Pacemaker seems an odd idea since I have been told - both in California where I lived then, and Sydney, where I live now - that Atrial Fib can't be controlled by a pacemaker. If it could, I'd have had it done. I understand that the exception is if the heart rate is consistently dangerously slow. If you have it, you must take Warfarin because it reduces the chance of a stroke by about 5 times. It is a damned nuisance because everytime you graze, cut or bump yourself, your blood takes ages to clot. Just had a complex tooth extraction for which I had to stop Warfarin. Nonetheless, I bled like the proverbial stuck pig but that was my lack of platelets. Hope this helps (some time after your post