Welcome Back
It has been more than 3 years since I posted on this blog and a lot has changed in the field of clotting since then. The most significant difference is that COVID has come along and caused all sorts of clotting issues. So I thought now was the time to look at some of these, especially as it seems like we may have to deal with COVID in New Zealand.
I plan to run a series of blogs looking at COVID, clots and shots.
Topics
- Why get the vaccine?
- Are there risks with the vaccine?
- Protecting the vulnerable
- COVID and heart disease
- What if I get COVID?
- Am I at risk of clots?
- Should I stop my blood thinners?
- Does long COVID cause clots?
Hope you will join me. If you wish to follow the series please subscribe, you just need to enter your email.
Feel free to comment and share the blogs.
Get vaccinated
If you are not vaccinated, the one thing you can do to help yourself is to get a vaccination. People with heart disease, high blood pressure or clotting problems have a higher risk of complications if they get COVID, so now is the time to act.
I am extremely pro-vaccine. I am one of the 6500 doctors who signed the open letter supporting vaccination. I would encourage everyone to get vaccinated for their own safety and for the protection of the community.
As a young woman I had recurrent deep vein clots over a period of some 5 years, one being an abdominal clot. Having been free of DVT’s for quite a number of years, and taking no anticoagulants, I then developed another calf DVT. My consultant thought I should now be on anticoagulants for life, with my deep veins being pretty wrecked..
So how long have I been consistently taking Warfarin? Over 30 years now. Fortunately I am very stable except when ill, having surgery, going on a long-haul trip or making a drastic change in my diet. I don’t plan on the latter two again, and hope for no more surgery.
I have no side-effects from the Warfarin, other than the expected bruising and bleeding more readily.
Double vaccinated against Covid-19, I encourage everyone I know – who hasn’t yet done so – to do the same.
Thank you for INR Online, making it so easy for me to get tested at my local pharmacy.
Thanks Jean. Pleased you find INR Online an easy way to get your warfarin monitored. Now available in 160 pharmacies.
Dear Paul and Angela,
I was so pleased to see in my email inbox that you have returned to share more of your valued information. I had a PE a few years back, 2013 I think, and am on warfarin.
I have my INR checked at Rangiora Pharmacy and so pleased to have it done in this way as my veins had become very compromised. So many I know are on the new anticoagulants but my Respiratory Specialist [ think is also a Pulmonologist] says to stay on warfain. I have never seen a haematologist.