Coumadin, Anyone?
 

I would love to hear from any low carbers who are also on Coumadin. My husband will be having heart valve replacement and aortic aneurism repair on January 15th. He is 37, will be on Coumadin forever after surgery. Losing sixty pounds post-surgery is vital to his health. I started low carbing on December 25th and KNOW this is right for me--but am wondering, what about the heart patients out there on blood thinners? Avoiding Vitamin K, which is found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables, is important. There aren't any other restrictions, which may make this more simple than I originally thought.


Hope someone out there answers my call! :help:

hi Carolyn,

Aneurysm at the aortic root is very serious. Barring any surgical complications, he should do very well after the surgery, and more energy than he's had in a while :)

I posted some information about coumadin/warfarin to another member who must take this medication for life as well. Low carbing will not affect how the drug works, nor will the drug have an effect on low carbing. There's a slim possibility that the valve replacement may cause a tendency for fluid retention, which can mean a small weight gain .. cutting out the salt will be helpful.

With warfarin, vitamin E and vitamin K will interfere with it's action. But there are some other supplements you should watch out for:

• co-enzyme Q10 - is a wonderful anitoxidant, and often recommended for low carbers ... but it's structurally similar to vitamin K.
• vitamin A - can increase the blood thinning effect when combined with the warfarin. Best to take beta-carotene, which your body can convert to vitamin A as needed
• vitamin C in high doses (greater than 1000mg per day) can decrease the effect of warfarin

Vitamin K is produced in our intestine by the normal bacteria that reside there, as well as found in some foods. The dose of coumadin/warfarin is individualized to each person's body process, and takes into consideration the normal production of vitamin K. Prolonged diarrhea from the flu or other intestinal upset, as well as antibiotics can alter the bacterial flora, and may require adjusting the dose of warfarin. Losing a significant amount of weight will also require adjusting the dose, since the body surface area will be less. What a great feeling to have meds reduced because you've lost weight :)

all the best, and a speedy recovery

Doreen

Thank you!!
 

Doreen, thanks so much for this! The more I read the more I am sure that Kel and I can do this together, with any modifications necessary made for him. I KNOW he'll love this food--and since he will be at my mercy (heh heh) for several weeks, I'll have the perfect opportunity to get him hooked. I can hear him now though--"What, no bisquits?"

When, right after the angiogram, Kel's surgeon explained to us just how serious this is, I got the heat rush and the cold chills all at once. He is only 37 years old, the very age his dad died (an accident, not health related) so he is slightly overwhelmed. Looking back though I can see how easily tired he gets, though he did play tennis 3-4 times a week. (His doctor told him no more playing until he is good and healed). He'd fall asleep early in the evening in his chair, then wake up at 2, 3 a.m. unable to sleep anymore. I keep telling him by this time next year, he'll be a much, much younger 38. He wants to believe but he is still scared. I think gaining control of his diet will really help him. I've lost six lbs. just since Christmas Day myself and KNOW this is the way to go.

Thanks again and I'll post later on my success (thinking positive!) with getting Kel to join me on this.