I have been diagnosed with A-Fib and have started taking Coumadin (Warfarin). Had Prostate cancer radiation treatments last year and the unfortunate after effects is bleeding. I won't go into details about where but if you have had radiation you may already know. We travel and by taking blood thinner, I am wondering if anybody in this forum has the same problem. And how do you handle the problem? Also how do you get your blood count checked while travelling?

DW was just diagnosed with A Fib. She takes Xarelto so no blood testing is needed. We considered warfarin and decided the other meds were the best way for her. There is a meter and test strips you can buy so you can run your own PTs and report the levels to your doctor. This is one PT Meter, the down side is these are expensive to purchase but they do offer some degree of freedom. I have no idea if insurance would cover some or all of the cost.I have heard of people having standing orders at a national lab chain (like Quest) and just arranging testing that way. There are ways to do this and still have the ability to travel.Best of luck,Doug

If you are medicare eligible the meter Doug mentioned is covered by medicare and probably any secondary insurance you may have. With it you take your own weekly or monthly tests depending on the test reading and call them into a private company. That company then calls your doctor or "Coumaden clinic" with the results. The clinic then calls you if the dose of medicine, coumadin, has to be adjusted. I fortunately am not on coumadin now but was once told I needed to be on it for the rest of my life. Long story but with second opinions, more testing and more dr's I managed to stay off it. Cannot address bleeding, but with the the two it is a problem. I would be getting second and / or other opinions.

I was diagnosed with A-Flutter (A-Fib's low rent cousin, though I can tell you that after a week in the hospital plus a planned overnight return plus sleep study and everything else there was a whole lot of "RENT" my insurance did not cover.. Oh for the old days when they covered it).Though they had me on rat poison when I was in hospital and they were testing every period of time (Multiple times a day) They switched me to Xalarto when I checked out.. There are a couple of alternatives to Coumadin now days... You might wish to speak to your cardiologist.. one of the things I talked to him about is the fact that I'm a full time RVer so weekly visits to the lab are not all that easy to arrainge (Actually they are Great hospital less than a mile from where I go for choir practice every week, but that only applies to my winter-quarters).I was thinking "I need to talk to him about these alternate meds" and then I checked my list of 'scripts and decided that talk was not needed.Walked into ER with A-Fib, Congestive heart failure and 20% heart function..Week later wheeled out and went home, came back a few days later for one procedure.. Weak as a new born over the weekend.. Came back a couple weeks later to be fitted for a monitor, and later to chat with doctor.On those two fittings due to the Wi-Fi in the park I drove up early in the AM, checked into the hospital (Cafeteria that is) for Breakfast, Lunch and Wi-Fi,, When the place got overly busy and they needed my table, I checked out and hiked roughly a half mile to the doctors (Was nice weather, not too cold or hot, not too windy and no rain, liquid or powder type I enjoyed the walk).I must say Doctor was impressed.They put me on assorted diuretics,, I lost over 40 pounds in one week, alas, gained about half back (they cut one diuretic) I will have to talk to him about that when I get back "home". Home,,, is where I park it, "Home" is S.E. Michigan.

I was on Coumadin (rat poison) for several years. I was so glad when my doctor started me on Pradaxa. No monthly checks, no changing dosage, just one capsule a day. I don't know if everyone can take it, but it works for me, and I trust it a lot more than I do Coumadin.

senior-cit A 4 chamber ablation and a pace maker fixed mine. Tampa General and USF doctors... Face plants are not a good thing...

A-Fib | Good Sam Community

senior-cit
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
I just had, a week ago, the "old ticker" zapped back into proper beat cycle. Went to doctor yesterday and am back into A-fib again. Going to get the shock thing again and have an Ablation procedure next week. When the heart was beating properly, I felt better than I have for a long time. Maybe second time is the charm, I hope, got to get those wheels a-turning.
Yogi___Boo
Explorer
Jun 07, 2014
Even though the commercials are dumb as door knobs, and I wrote and told the company so, I take Eliquis. 2 pills a day, no blood work and no side effects (yet).

I changed my Medicare Part D last year, it has a cost of $116/90 day supply.
traveylin
Explorer
Jun 05, 2014
Took warfrin/coumaden for 4-5 years and the monthly blood test was a very necessary pain in the butt. Wears out veins in the stick needle activity. The doc switched me to Pradaxa 3 years ago and am happy as a clam now. No monthly lab work.

pops
BrianinMichigan
Explorer
May 30, 2014
this is the guy I go to in SE Michigan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07Y4UpvbKZ0
wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 30, 2014
Xarelto has a program that reduces the cost to $10/month for the first year. I suspet the other alternatives do as well.. You might check it out.

Since I take "X", I have the program URL here.www.XARELTOCarePath.com

There are two plans depending on the type of insurance you have.. Not sure how it applies to me due to the fact I'm an oddity insurance wise.
LarryJM
Explorer II
May 30, 2014
That's a problem with a lot of these health plans in that the best med is not avail because of cost ... only what is cheapest and will still work. Pradaxa is not cheap and is what I took for a few months when I had a temp case of A-Fib. One needs to have a good overall physical if they develop A-fib since to the best my doctors could tell sudden thyroid issues along with a case of water intoxication caused mine and I went thru two bouts of A-Fib and self converted twice. I even wore a 24/7 heart monitor to ensure I wasn't one of the few that had random bouts of A-Fib and didn't realize it one I got my thyroid issues resolved.

Also, in some individuals even low to moderate alcohol consumption can be a contributing factor to A-Fib.

A-Fib is definitely no fun since it drains you of energy and stamina.

Larry
senior-cit
Explorer
May 30, 2014
Fish 'n ' Grits wrote:
I was on Coumadin (rat poison) for several years. I was so glad when my doctor started me on Pradaxa. No monthly checks, no changing dosage, just one capsule a day. I don't know if everyone can take it, but it works for me, and I trust it a lot more than I do Coumadin.

I am on Humana and was told that Pradaxa was not on our plan. I also travel a lot and checking my blood will be a problem, and I may go ahead and contact my insurance provider and see what they will cover. I would like to not have to get checked wherever we go.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 29, 2014
Yup, When I went for the sleep study they ask how often I got heart burn I ask if the kind I got from Dr. Krischen counted.. He said "Oh, you've had an Ablation" I said Yes, he said NO, I said never.

I also do not have sleep apena.
RayJayco
Explorer
May 29, 2014
senior-cit
A 4 chamber ablation and a pace maker fixed mine. Tampa General and USF doctors... Face plants are not a good thing...
Fish__n___Grits
Explorer
May 29, 2014
I was on Coumadin (rat poison) for several years. I was so glad when my doctor started me on Pradaxa. No monthly checks, no changing dosage, just one capsule a day. I don't know if everyone can take it, but it works for me, and I trust it a lot more than I do Coumadin.

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