I really admire you and feel the same way. Once I became a lifer on warfarin, my whole approach about what I felt I could or couldn't do changed.

I don't do BJJ but I do feel that you can still do most things while on anticoagulants. I have kicked box with no issues although it's not something I do regularly or hard core. In fact the reason I don't do it that much is that I find it painful with my DVT leg.

I've also play volleyball, softball and basketball and I do get bruised of course but nothing too terrible. I ride my bike all the time, both city riding and on some paths and easy trails. And I hike quite a bit.

My feeling about the whole thing is just awareness, knowing the risks and being sensible, and having a plan in place if something goes to hell. For instance, I wear a medical alert bracelet so if I'm alone or can't speak for myself, at least EMTs or the hospital will know I'm on warfarin should I have an accident or get hurt.

I've been on warfarin for 7 years and honestly, I hurt myself more doing stupid stuff around the house than doing activities. That and I live in a cold weather state so I could go on forever the number of times I've wiped out on ice just walking the dog or out my back door. I fell down the stairs off my back porch last month while sweeping snow off my steps. Stupid stuff but if I let fear take over, sheesh, I'd never leave the house.

I had a massive PE when I had my DVT and I was quite critical, so I always think, I didn't survive that just so I could sit around and do nothing for the rest of my life.

rmb thanks so much for responding! I completely agree about the awareness and balancing those risks so you don't put yourself in a horrible position. I see that many people feel like life has to completely change once on anti coagulants but I don't think its necessarily true. For me its just continuing to be safe like I have throughout my entire life. I am not going to go out and become a boxer, but I was not going to do that before the DVT, and I certainly never planned on becoming a knife juggler. Haha and yes you are correct I think I bang my knees, shoulders, elbows and cut myself more doing day to day tasks at home then any sport I have ever competed in.

I had a question about pain with your DVT leg? I have read that if you exercise more and, for lack of better terms, work the leg out it will reduce the pain. I am new to this but I think exercising helps the smaller arteries and veins create new branches which can help with edema. Although I guess if major damage has been done it's hard to come back from that.

Yeah, I am a big believer that activity helps with the overall recovery from a DVT. I think our bodies just naturally create collateral veins but I do think activity helps with blood flow and just mentally, it's a blessing, right? I have post thrombotic syndrome which for some people, it's terribly painful even when not being active, so in that case moderate exercise can cause debilitating pain for some people. I'm fortunate that my PTS is not severe. For me, it's certain things that cause pain, anything where I'm pounding my leg too much on impact. So I'll do those things sparingly when it's bad, but I find more joy in other things, like bike riding. Actually, I find bike riding to help with my PTS symptoms. Plus, I love being outside so that's usually where I'm spending my time.

I'm not a hard core athlete or anything like that but I do think people do not do themselves any favors by not being active as soon as possible after diagnosis, even if it's to just walk, swim, etc. Of course, if you have a leg injury/surgery that caused the DVT, that may not be appropriate. I can only speak for myself here, but I don't really fear pain, and I think sometimes that's what holds people back from taking those first steps into being active, just worrying that it may hurt too much. Then there's fear of bleeding to death, but I think that's something where it's just using common sense and understanding what you're doing. I love the knife juggling reference because I've used chainsaw juggling as an example myself as something you'd probably NOT want to do.

Did you ever see the movie The Crash Reel? It's a great documentary about snowboarder Kevin Pearce and his recovery from a traumatic brain injury. But the heart of it is him coming to terms with not being able to snow board any longer, how not doing the thing you love the most can also be a catalyst for finding joy and meaning in other things. I know this is not the same thing as a TBI, but that's how I feel about people on warfarin, that you may have to stop doing certain high risk things, but that can also open a door for other things, things that can be just as fulfilling.

Part of living well is being able to cope and adapt.

I think my leg clot and PE might have been mild ones if there is such a thing. The other people on here know much more about DVT and PE's than I ever want to learn about.

Two days after leaving the hospital I was out on this farm feeding horses. This was right after the ice storm that hit us hard. My town was ground zero for the brunt of the storm. I worked longer and harder to get this place back to normal. That meant loading my truck with the limbs that had to be cut to go on the burn pile. I had to have these fields ready for the horses due to arrive in April.

Luckily I only had four horses on here until the next month. I was slow but getting the horses fed, the farm chores done. Two weeks later I was having to load heavy bales of hay into the farm cart. Then there were five horses and they all still needed blankets at night.

That spring and summer I had a huge veggie garden that had to be weeded along with summer farm work. I put most of the garden produce in the freezer and canned a lot. When the leg would hurt I would rest and go back out. This past summer I cared for seven horses; that meant feeding, scrubbing water troughs and hosing down hot sweaty horses at the end of my day. The only thing that really bothered me was mowing for too long with the tractor. After a few hours my leg would be complaining.

Work on a horse farm is never the same every day and you do get hurt. I tripped over the cat who didn't like being fed last. A branch would come under the canopy on the tractor and smack me in the face. Several times I would have a huge bandaid on my hand because it was scrapped by the branches. I had bruises on my legs from bumping into the equipment. Its quite dark on here at night. I tripped over a water fountain that was apart to clean and my right knee landed on part of the fountain. I had a new dog that had no manners. More bruises. Then the grandkids are toddlers and want Nana to hold and chase them around the house. The baby boy giggles when I crawl around behind him.

This past week was spent cutting up more logs and hauling them to another burn pile. The last bit of damage from the ice storm last March and I did have help. Some of them were a bit heavy but I managed.

I'm a big believer in staying active. I'm more careful about how I work. I would love to be riding again. I have some good well trained horses on here but I'm a bit more careful around them. I find that the more active I am the better my leg gets. Its raining today and that right leg is noticeably larger. I'm not outside so I'm sitting around. Time to start scrubbing floors and cleaning house.

Hi GSPBJJ

I recently started thinners and was planning to start bjj classes before this prescription. I would still like to start classes and would love to hear about the precautions you take,

Regards

Vadimys

HI everyone!

SO I am a LITTLE late to the conversation! I have been doing a lot of googling and ye popped up.
I'm on warfarn and have just started BJJ. Sure there is a LOT of bruises but nothing to get me overly concerned yet.

What do you guys think now? It has been a year since this went up, so have ye continued yer contact sports or give it up for other stuff?

I am a fairly active person who bruises a lot but today, less than 3 hours after practice I have bruises where there were hooks put on my legs... Overall though I am in much better shape now than when I first and second got blood clots but still, want to be careful but also want to know how to defend myself without striking.

What is your opinion guys?

Researching warfarin and BJJ and found this conversation thread. Have been doing BJJ for a few years but now taking warfarin for superficial thrombosis. Really love JJ and nothing else really could substitute. Have been a rower, swimmer and tried Aikido but there is something about BJJ that is unique. Anyway, not sure of my next plan. I will be purchasing ear protection and maybe padded rash gear and will be more aware when rolling. Would anyone have any experiences with this ?