Question:
I HAD A PREOP TEST DONE AND IT WAS NOT AT A NORMAL # IT WAS A TEST ON BLOOD CLOTTING
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT. — elba C. (posted on April 8, 2002)
April 8, 2002
Was the blood test for protime? And if so, was your INR too high or too
low? Most people with blood clotting disorders have Protein C or Protien S
defficiencies. The blood clots too fast and needs to be thinnned with
coumadin to prevent life threatening blood clots from forming. Most of the
blood clotting disorders are inherited and are a genetic disorder.
However, being morbidly obese can cause a person already predisposed to
clotting, to have elevated INR's. Apparently fat likes to store estrogen
and estrogen is one of the culprits involved in causing blood to clot
abnormally. I have Protein C and I have been on Coumadin for 5 years now.
I used to take 10mg a day, but since I had WLS 11/05/01 and have lost 100#,
my daily dosage has decreased to 5mg. I did not have any problems with
clotting during or after my surgery, but my surgeon called in a
pulmonologist for that aspect of my treatment and I was on Heprin (a blood
clot dissolver) for 4 days post-op and then self administered shots of
Lovanex (another blood thinner) for days 5 thru 9 post-op, while taking my
daily dose of coumadin. I had many concerns about this pre-op and I looked
into getting a Greenfield Filter as well. But my PCP and my surgeon
recommended that I not get the Greenfield Filter, because if you are prone
to clots, then in the long run the filter can cause clots. Once that
filter goes in, it stays in. I would say that first you have to get your
blood regulated, but once that has happened, you should not have any
obstacles to having WLS. You need to talk to your PCP about your abnormal
blood test and get some questions answered first though before you can
proceed. There are several very good web stites that can give you plenty
of info about blood clotting disorders. E-mail me if you have more
questions. Good Luck.
— Susan M.
April 8, 2002
My answer and the one above are contrasting. I have a history of blood
clots in leg and my vascular dr. required I have a greenfield filter put in
before surgery. My surgeon thought this was necessary as well. The filter
is to trap any clot from moving toward your heart or lungs. I had the
greenfield filter put in and two months later had rny surgery. I would ask
your surgeon and see a specialist (a vascular surgeon) about this test
result. I had the factor 5 test performed to see if I had the genetic
predisposition for blood clots. Mine came back negative. So you have two
very different answers.
— pattyw
April 9, 2002
Hi Elba, Was this a test on the inside of your arm to see if the blood
clots within 15 minutes? If so, I had the same one. My blood wouldn't
clot on the left arm so they had a different technician do it on the right
arm. There it took seven minutes to clot. Did they try on both arms? I
was told they are to have a different person redo the test in case it is
something the first one is doing. I THINK the first one put the slice too
deep and that's why it wouldn't stop bleeding. (I have a scar from that
one) The second girl was much more experienced and I had no problem. If
they didn't try both arms with two different people, ask for it to be done
again. They will most likely repeat it in case whatever you had been
eating (or taking aspirin) had thinned your blood. My husband has the
protime tests done monthly, and that is different.
— grammie5
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