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Had Stroke. Have Clot In Leg. Feeling Pain. On Warfarin. Suggestions?
Question: Hi there, I had a stroke in march and while in hospital I got a 82cm clot in my left leg, Its very painfull tonight and I keep getting a pain in the right side of my head, I am on warfarin but my levels have been 1.3 and just gone up to 2.4, I don't feel like im getting right answers from my docter so this is why im on here, really not sure what to do?????
Hello and thanks for your query.
I shall make an effort to provide you with good professional recommendations specific to your questions.
I understand that your headache issue has got you worried in the backdrop of your medical history. Headaches are quite predictable with evident stroke history which you may have comprehended already. But, the intensity of this headache has got you concerned that in spite of being on warfarin therapy.
I believe, looking plainly at your INR values you are adequately doing well on warfarin as your INR ratio of 2.4 is well within the 2-3 range that is normally seen as a target for those on this therapy. I assume whilst your stroke treatment in March (this year - I presume) all your head scans may have been done while planning your discharge. And it is now 5 months since - you may want to take a second opinion from a neurologist whom you are comfortable with and would answer all your questions after clinically examining you in entirety.
I have to admit - I can only tell you things theoretically that the cause of your headache can be due to some after effects of the healing of neural tissue after your stroke or a new one in development stage. But, this would not hold good as a full clinical evaluation is required in order to diagnose another stroke again. The causes of headache are many and hence correct diagnosis is important before any appropriate treatment.
Between, the most important thing for you now is to keep calm and relax. And do the required as soon as possible. Try to seek help from family or friends and then focus on the right doctor for you. And do not self medicate unless you inform your prescribing physician before hand as many drugs do have interactions with warfarin - which I am sure you have already been told.
Let me know if I have missed out any other concern in your question.
Yet again, I duly appreciate your query to me, I do hope that you have found something useful to help you and I shall be glad to answer any further apprehensions.
Sincerely,
Dr Sujeet N Charugulla,
MBBS, MD.
Consultant Physician.
I shall make an effort to provide you with good professional recommendations specific to your questions.
I understand that your headache issue has got you worried in the backdrop of your medical history. Headaches are quite predictable with evident stroke history which you may have comprehended already. But, the intensity of this headache has got you concerned that in spite of being on warfarin therapy.
I believe, looking plainly at your INR values you are adequately doing well on warfarin as your INR ratio of 2.4 is well within the 2-3 range that is normally seen as a target for those on this therapy. I assume whilst your stroke treatment in March (this year - I presume) all your head scans may have been done while planning your discharge. And it is now 5 months since - you may want to take a second opinion from a neurologist whom you are comfortable with and would answer all your questions after clinically examining you in entirety.
I have to admit - I can only tell you things theoretically that the cause of your headache can be due to some after effects of the healing of neural tissue after your stroke or a new one in development stage. But, this would not hold good as a full clinical evaluation is required in order to diagnose another stroke again. The causes of headache are many and hence correct diagnosis is important before any appropriate treatment.
Between, the most important thing for you now is to keep calm and relax. And do the required as soon as possible. Try to seek help from family or friends and then focus on the right doctor for you. And do not self medicate unless you inform your prescribing physician before hand as many drugs do have interactions with warfarin - which I am sure you have already been told.
Let me know if I have missed out any other concern in your question.
Yet again, I duly appreciate your query to me, I do hope that you have found something useful to help you and I shall be glad to answer any further apprehensions.
Sincerely,
Dr Sujeet N Charugulla,
MBBS, MD.
Consultant Physician.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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