Even though I know warfarin doesn't technically thin your blood, I still use the term blood thinners because when you tell the average person about your situation and the meds you're on, the don't really know what the hell you're talking about until you say, I'm on "blood thinners." I don't feel like being the educator on anticoagulants all the time.

I'm not a fan of peas.

As much as I'm not a fan of Coumadin, I much rather be on something which I know saves my life then something like Lumbrokinase which doesn't work. Just my 2 cents.

I personally don't like experimenting with things that affect my quality of life nor do I believe in advocating something with no scientific data. Do I believe supplement and vitamins have their place in helping patients; yes. Do I believe any of the claims that supplement manufactuers make as far as preventing blood clots; no.

Then again, it's your life and you can chose your own path.

I side with Cranky and Laura....

Oh yeah, back tracking on my post about calification of arteries due to Warfarin, I stand corrected. There are no cases of humans having been diagnosed as having calcification resulting from Warfarin use; only rats. I stand corrected.

RMB,
Frozen peas make a great reusable ice pack! I wouldn't reccomend
eating them either though! Never noticed the plasma in the freezer!
I do miss my daily spinach & broccoli.

I agree we would all prefer to treat our clotting disorders naturally. Taking the warfarin pill daily bothers me so much that if I had to add a cocktail of so called natural pills to the mix it would tie me more to my condition. I wish there was a way to determine the minimum dosage of the warfarin needed. Regarding the marijuana use I don't think. Smoking it is a good idea after a dvt pe. Are you high when you are writing these posts? Lol.

Agreed, Pamela!
I only have one other med besides coumadin and painkillers that I need to track
and I have enough trouble.

Bag o' weed would be tempting right now though! Just don't want to risk my health benefits now.

please everyone take whatever you want. Believe your doctors and pharmacists. Don't ever try any alternative or adjuvant therapies. Please try anything. And marijuana can be in butter, oil, glycerine preparations, soda, lollipops, food such as lemon/pecan bars, etc. You don't have to smoke it. Don't do this either. Everyone just tell yourself all these optios are a lie and dangerous. Please stick to warfarin. Whew! Thankyou.

I realize garlic, tumeric, and fish oil are good things when it comes to clotting disorders. I even came across some information once on the internet that they use garlic to treat horses with DVT's. If I would find some research saying that garlic was as effective as warfarin or even close to it I would consider it.

Not everyone here has to stay on Coumadin forever. Some people are very lucky and are free after six months of treatment. It is still hard for those people because they don't want to reclot. For those people the alternative therapies sound great.

Another option of treatment with Warfarin I have heard about is eventually going onto a low dose regimen of Warfarin. Instead of keeping your INR between 2 and 3 you can ask if you are a canditate for 1.5 - 2. I would love this but I don't think I am a candidate unfortunately... To me this sounds like the best solution for those on lifelong therapy.

I don't know the factors that caused you to clot or what clotting disorder, if any, you have. You may be very lucky and have a low chance of reclotting.

Of course, I am suspicious of drug companies that fund studies. The more I read articles in the paper the more distrustful I become. I have been to enough doctors to tell the difference between the ones who are telling me honestly what they know and the ones who are operating out of a fear of malpractice.

Really, I would love nothing more than to see studies comparing natural therapies to warfarin. There is no way to pinpoint who will reclot and who won't.

Taking warfarin also depends on how much risk one is comfortable with. My OB said if she was me with two small children she would much rather take a pill a day to prevent a reclot.

A contrast to this is my birth mother. When I spoke to her on the phone I asked her if she had blood clots. She said she has had many and she has been on Coumadin and heparin, you name it, she said. Now she just takes an aspirin a day. When I called a few months later she told me her veins are all messed up and she mentioned kidney trouble.

She told me she is a big believer in alternative medicine and mentioned acupuncture as well. I am sure it helped her some but it does not seem like it is enough.

Pam