Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Can Coumadin Cause Inflammatory Reaction When You Stop It?
Question: HI,
I HAD A BLOOD CLOT IN THE SAPHANEOUS VEIN THAT WENT THROUGH A CONNECTOR VEIN TO THE DEEP SYSTEM CAUSING A PULMONARY EMBOLISM, FOLLOWED BY VERY HIGH NOREPINEPHRINE LEVELS( 2X NORMAL) AND ANEMIA FROM BLEEDING ON THE COUMADIN. I ALSO DEVELOPED CHEST PAIN AND TACHYCARDIA MOST OF THE TIME AND FLUCUATING BLOOD PRESSURE. THE WORKUP FOR PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA WAS NORMAL, SO THE DOCTOR TOLD ME I HAD LOST MY ALPHA RECEPTORS FROM PREDIABETES AND PUT ME ON CLONIDINE AND A BETA BLOCKER. THIS MADE MY HANDS SO PAINFULL I COULD NOT TOLLERATE IT. THE NEW ENDOCRINOLOGIST DISAGREED WITH HIM AND TOOK ME OFF THE CLONIDINE ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE I STOPPED THE COUMADIN. I TOOK COUMADIN FOR 7 MONTHS THEN STOPPED. 2 TWO DAYS LATER MY FINGERS AND TOES WERE SWOLLEN AND ACHY(NOT THE JOINTS BUT IN THE SOFT TISSUE) FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS IN THE MORNING. SO I TOOK IT AGAIN AS A TEST AND THE SYMPTOMS SUBSIDED HOWEVER MY DOCTOR WANTED ME OFF COUMADIN FOR 30 DAYS TO RECHECK MY CLOTTING FACTORS. SO I STOPPED IT AGAIN AND MY FINGER AND TOE SYMPTOMS GOT PROGESSIVELY WORSE UNTIL I COULD NOT EVEN PICK UP MY PILLOW IN THE AM, AND THE SYMPTOMS LASTED ALL DAY. MY DOCTOR PUT ME BACK ON IT BECAUSE HE DID'NT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND I GOT BETTER AGAIN ALTHOUGH MY SYMPTOMS DID NOT COMPLETELY GO AWAY. I DEVELOPED A SMALL HARD CORD ON THE SIDE OF THE DISTAL PHALANX OF MY FINGER THAT WAS QUITE PAINFUL WITH MILD SWELLING. IT LASTED 4 DAYS THEN RESOLVED. ABOUT THIS TIME I WAS ALSO TAKEN OFF THE BETA BLOCKER. THEN THEY PUT ME ON BABY ASA AND STOPPED THE COUMADIN AGAIN. THE NEXT MONTH IT HAPPENED IN MY TOE. RHEUMATOLOGICAL W/U WAS NORMAL, MRA OF MY HANDS SHOWED THAT THE ARTERIES IN THE PALMAR ARCHES AND FINGERS OF BOTH HANDS WERE OCCLUDED BUT COLATERALS WERE PRESENT, LATER ANGIOGRAM SHOWED THE FINGER ARTERIES WERE OPEN BUT BOTH PALMAR ARCHES IN ONE HAND AND ON IN THE OTHER WERE ABSENT. I HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF MIGRAINE MEDICATION USE BUT IT WAS VERY MINIMAL FOR THE YEAR BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR NOW MY HANDS AND TOES ARE STILL ACHY AND WEAK. THEY THINK IT COULD BE VASCULITIS BUT TESTS HAVE NEGATIVE EXCEPT A DIFFUSION TENSOR MRI OF MY BRAIN WHICH WAS SUGGESTIVE OF VASCULITIS. CAN COUMADIN HAVE SOME INFLAMMATORY REACTION WHEN YOU STOP IT? OR POSSIBLY BE COVERING THE SYMPTOMS OF A PROBLEM THAT APPEARS WHEN YOU STOP IT?
I HAD A BLOOD CLOT IN THE SAPHANEOUS VEIN THAT WENT THROUGH A CONNECTOR VEIN TO THE DEEP SYSTEM CAUSING A PULMONARY EMBOLISM, FOLLOWED BY VERY HIGH NOREPINEPHRINE LEVELS( 2X NORMAL) AND ANEMIA FROM BLEEDING ON THE COUMADIN. I ALSO DEVELOPED CHEST PAIN AND TACHYCARDIA MOST OF THE TIME AND FLUCUATING BLOOD PRESSURE. THE WORKUP FOR PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA WAS NORMAL, SO THE DOCTOR TOLD ME I HAD LOST MY ALPHA RECEPTORS FROM PREDIABETES AND PUT ME ON CLONIDINE AND A BETA BLOCKER. THIS MADE MY HANDS SO PAINFULL I COULD NOT TOLLERATE IT. THE NEW ENDOCRINOLOGIST DISAGREED WITH HIM AND TOOK ME OFF THE CLONIDINE ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE I STOPPED THE COUMADIN. I TOOK COUMADIN FOR 7 MONTHS THEN STOPPED. 2 TWO DAYS LATER MY FINGERS AND TOES WERE SWOLLEN AND ACHY(NOT THE JOINTS BUT IN THE SOFT TISSUE) FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS IN THE MORNING. SO I TOOK IT AGAIN AS A TEST AND THE SYMPTOMS SUBSIDED HOWEVER MY DOCTOR WANTED ME OFF COUMADIN FOR 30 DAYS TO RECHECK MY CLOTTING FACTORS. SO I STOPPED IT AGAIN AND MY FINGER AND TOE SYMPTOMS GOT PROGESSIVELY WORSE UNTIL I COULD NOT EVEN PICK UP MY PILLOW IN THE AM, AND THE SYMPTOMS LASTED ALL DAY. MY DOCTOR PUT ME BACK ON IT BECAUSE HE DID'NT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND I GOT BETTER AGAIN ALTHOUGH MY SYMPTOMS DID NOT COMPLETELY GO AWAY. I DEVELOPED A SMALL HARD CORD ON THE SIDE OF THE DISTAL PHALANX OF MY FINGER THAT WAS QUITE PAINFUL WITH MILD SWELLING. IT LASTED 4 DAYS THEN RESOLVED. ABOUT THIS TIME I WAS ALSO TAKEN OFF THE BETA BLOCKER. THEN THEY PUT ME ON BABY ASA AND STOPPED THE COUMADIN AGAIN. THE NEXT MONTH IT HAPPENED IN MY TOE. RHEUMATOLOGICAL W/U WAS NORMAL, MRA OF MY HANDS SHOWED THAT THE ARTERIES IN THE PALMAR ARCHES AND FINGERS OF BOTH HANDS WERE OCCLUDED BUT COLATERALS WERE PRESENT, LATER ANGIOGRAM SHOWED THE FINGER ARTERIES WERE OPEN BUT BOTH PALMAR ARCHES IN ONE HAND AND ON IN THE OTHER WERE ABSENT. I HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF MIGRAINE MEDICATION USE BUT IT WAS VERY MINIMAL FOR THE YEAR BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR NOW MY HANDS AND TOES ARE STILL ACHY AND WEAK. THEY THINK IT COULD BE VASCULITIS BUT TESTS HAVE NEGATIVE EXCEPT A DIFFUSION TENSOR MRI OF MY BRAIN WHICH WAS SUGGESTIVE OF VASCULITIS. CAN COUMADIN HAVE SOME INFLAMMATORY REACTION WHEN YOU STOP IT? OR POSSIBLY BE COVERING THE SYMPTOMS OF A PROBLEM THAT APPEARS WHEN YOU STOP IT?
Brief Answer:
Coumadin may be covering symptoms of a problem
Detailed Answer:
The blood thinning effect of Coumadin might be covering symptoms of peripheral vascular disease, which you have in your hands. . You have documented narrowing of blood vessels in your hands and I suspect it exists in your toes and possibly other areas of your body. I suspect part of what happens when you take the Coumadin is it thins your blood enough that it is able to flow more easily through those narrowed vessels, and thus the pain decreases. You might want to ask your doctors about other blood thinners to improve the blood flow. Coumadin does not cause inflammation when it's withdrawn.
Coumadin may be covering symptoms of a problem
Detailed Answer:
The blood thinning effect of Coumadin might be covering symptoms of peripheral vascular disease, which you have in your hands. . You have documented narrowing of blood vessels in your hands and I suspect it exists in your toes and possibly other areas of your body. I suspect part of what happens when you take the Coumadin is it thins your blood enough that it is able to flow more easily through those narrowed vessels, and thus the pain decreases. You might want to ask your doctors about other blood thinners to improve the blood flow. Coumadin does not cause inflammation when it's withdrawn.
Note: For further inquiries on surgery procedure and its risks or complications book an appointment now
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
