Coumadin causes death

A few days before Christmas my mother was discharged from the hospital after surgery to repair a hip fracture.

To prevent the possibility of clotting - her Dr put her on Coumadin 10 mg per day. She was 81 years old and had a history of Crohn's disease and weighed about 115 pounds.

Within about 4 days she suddenly began passing blood and also coughing it up. At the emergency room they told us that she was "bleeding out" and all attempts to stop it failed.

The bleeding was discovered in the nursing home at 8:30 am and she died by 8:30 pm the same day.

We would appreciate any suggestions or explanations to help us understand what could have caused this to happen so quickly.

Thank you.

I am so sorry to hear of your lose. I am not a doctor but the dose seems high. I am om 3 mg 4 days and 3mg the rest and I weigh about 134. I would ask why she was on such a high dose. Other meds may have an impact. did she take anything else?

RonOfAtl wrote:

A few days before Christmas my mother was discharged from the hospital after surgery to repair a hip fracture.

To prevent the possibility of clotting - her Dr put her on Coumadin 10 mg per day. She was 81 years old and had a history of Crohn's disease and weighed about 115 pounds.

Within about 4 days she suddenly began passing blood and also coughing it up. At the emergency room they told us that she was "bleeding out" and all attempts to stop it failed.

The bleeding was discovered in the nursing home at 8:30 am and she died by 8:30 pm the same day.

We would appreciate any suggestions or explanations to help us understand what could have caused this to happen so quickly.

Thank you.

Hi Im sorry to hear about the lose of your mother. I am on coumadin and i am taking 5mg four days and 1.5mg three days. I weight 185lbs I had a mirtial valve put in. But not taking 10mg of coumdain that seem like a large dose,try and found out why was your mother given such a large dose of coumdain.there are other meds that shouldn't be taken with coumdain,and there are foods shouldn't be eaten when take coumadin.I may not have help but I know when taking coumdain you have to be careful with what your in take is. God bless, and I pray you found out what you need to know.

I have been on Coumadin for just 8 months but I can tell you that the dosage has nothing to do with weight. It has to do with how your blood responds to the medication by altering (thinning) the clotting factor of the blood. This is also affected by your diet and dosages can be adjusted to fit your diet as well. Generally, patients are started on a minimal dosage and then their "protime" numbers are monitored very closely to determine how the body is reacting at that dosage. While many people are able to maintain "safe" levels with a minimal dosage of coumadin, others, like myself, require 10 milligrams per day (and I only weigh 126). My only question would be why your mother's physician chose to start her on such a high dosage rather than the other way around. Good luck.

I am very sorry to hear about your mother. I have been on Coumadin for only one week and my weight is over 300 lbs. I do know that the dosage has NOTHING to do with the patients weigh, it has to do with the blood and how much well the blood responds. I was on 10 mg. for only 4 days when they took an INR and found that my blood was already 2.5; so they decreased the dosage to 5 mg. but by my having a menstral period has affected my INR level and I was 3.3 on the blood test Tuesday. That's too thin so now they said take 2.5mg for three days and then 5mg for the remainder of the week and retest on Tuesday next week. I do know that the BLOOD determines the dosage NOT the weight. Once again, I'm sorry to hear about your mother and God Bless!

Mary H wrote:

I have been on Coumadin for just 8 months but I can tell you that the dosage has nothing to do with weight. It has to do with how your blood responds to the medication by altering (thinning) the clotting factor of the blood. This is also affected by your diet and dosages can be adjusted to fit your diet as well. Generally, patients are started on a minimal dosage and then their "protime" numbers are monitored very closely to determine how the body is reacting at that dosage. While many people are able to maintain "safe" levels with a minimal dosage of coumadin, others, like myself, require 10 milligrams per day (and I only weigh 126). My only question would be why your mother's physician chose to start her on such a high dosage rather than the other way around. Good luck.

Yes that was my question. 10 is very high to start someone out on!! That is scarry!

I am so sorry about your mom..I too just lost my dad(only 73 yrs old) on April 30/06--it was very very sudden..when 911 arrived he had lost consciousness and when he arrived at the hospital, we were told that there was a major brain hemorrage. The dr confirmed that coumadin caused the brain hemorrage. I feel so awful not investigating this horrible medication before my dad took it...it thinned his blood so much, that when a vessel broke, the blood could not and it leaked into the brain. I cannot bring back my dad , but i want to let the world know" DO NOT TAKE COUMADIN!!!!!

I recently lost my mother in Dec 05. She was on coumadin for the past 15 years for a double valve mechanical replacement. In the past year she changed heart doctors and was having a hard time getting her blood to be the right number of thinness/thickness her doctor took her off coumadin for 11 days, and she responded with TTP which took her life. I was wondering if there were any other cases out there like this, or if anyone has any knowledge if TTP is associated with coumadin. Thank you,

zeta wrote:

I am so sorry about your mom..I too just lost my dad(only 73 yrs old) on April 30/06--it was very very sudden..when 911 arrived he had lost consciousness and when he arrived at the hospital, we were told that there was a major brain hemorrage. The dr confirmed that coumadin caused the brain hemorrage. I feel so awful not investigating this horrible medication before my dad took it...it thinned his blood so much, that when a vessel broke, the blood could not and it leaked into the brain. I cannot bring back my dad , but i want to let the world know" DO NOT TAKE COUMADIN!!!!!

Sorry to here about your dad. my dad was 76 he just died from bleeding in his brain he also took coumadin, to much, it happened suddenly. my email is kathy3649@sbcglobal.net please contact me .did the dr. tell you it was the coumadin?

As a heart valve replacement x 2 patient, I have been on Coumadin since 1989. At the present time I am taking 30mg to 35mg of coumadine per day. For some reason the dr has a problem controling the PT. One dr made the statemnt, " You must have broken some record, taking the much coumadine and still be alive." You think that I am not worried? To me it would be a blessing to only take 10mg be day.

lockrirc@comcast.net

I am currently up to 40mg a day and also have surgery scheduled for the 21st of july. I will be dismissing Coumadin for 5 days before surgery and have been given Lovenox injections to be taken in my stomach. I dread surgeries because of the what if's.......please keep me in your prayers when you go to sleep at night as i do for all of us who's lives depend on this Coumadin. I to have a problem or shall I say the Doctor's have a problem with my INR being regulated. like a roller coaster it goes up and down more down than up. So the circle of dependency is Coumadin. It saddens me a great deal. But i do have hope that one day..........i'll be free from this drug..........God Bless

Robert wrote:

As a heart valve replacement x 2 patient, I have been on Coumadin since 1989. At the present time I am taking 30mg to 35mg of coumadine per day. For some reason the dr has a problem controling the PT. One dr made the statemnt, " You must have broken some record, taking the much coumadine and still be alive." You think that I am not worried? To me it would be a blessing to only take 10mg be day.
lockrirc@comcast.net

Michelle wrote:

I am currently up to 40mg a day and also have surgery scheduled for the 21st of july. I will be dismissing Coumadin for 5 days before surgery and have been given Lovenox injections to be taken in my stomach. I dread surgeries because of the what if's.......please keep me in your prayers when you go to sleep at night as i do for all of us who's lives depend on this Coumadin. I to have a problem or shall I say the Doctor's have a problem with my INR being regulated. like a roller coaster it goes up and down more down than up. So the circle of dependency is Coumadin. It saddens me a great deal. But i do have hope that one day..........i'll be free from this drug..........God Bless
<quoted text>

I understand what you are going through and as you stated," I'll be free from this drug." You must endure, Remember," The race is not to the swift nor the strong, but he that endurth to the end." God bless you, and you are in my prayers.

those are very kind words. Thank you..........

Robert wrote:

<quoted text>I understand what you are going through and as you stated," I'll be free from this drug." You must endure, Remember," The race is not to the swift nor the strong, but he that endurth to the end." God bless you, and you are in my prayers.

zeta wrote:

I am so sorry about your mom..I too just lost my dad(only 73 yrs old) on April 30/06--it was very very sudden..when 911 arrived he had lost consciousness and when he arrived at the hospital, we were told that there was a major brain hemorrage. The dr confirmed that coumadin caused the brain hemorrage. I feel so awful not investigating this horrible medication before my dad took it...it thinned his blood so much, that when a vessel broke, the blood could not and it leaked into the brain. I cannot bring back my dad , but i want to let the world know" DO NOT TAKE COUMADIN!!!!!

I just lost my dad on July 10, 2006, The same way that your dad died, my dad just bled internally, period!!! Has there been any lawsuits or anything on this drug? Maybe if there is enough lawsuits, then maybe the Doctors and the world would wake up!!!!

My condolences go out to you and your family for the loss of your father. I am Coumadin patient and have been for years now. I am not aware of any lawsuits going on but i will keep my eyes and ears open. I am very scared now being on this drug..........at a loss for words..........I sorry

Kay Holley wrote:

<quoted text>
I just lost my dad on July 10, 2006, The same way that your dad died, my dad just bled internally, period!!! Has there been any lawsuits or anything on this drug? Maybe if there is enough lawsuits, then maybe the Doctors and the world would wake up!!!!

My father recently died of coumadin poisoning, he had severe bleeding in his brain. We are persuing a lawsuit. Anyone else out there have this happen? He was on 10mg and 15 mg. a day. Thanks