Sailing while on blood thinners

[webcraft]

I was recently diagnosed with a DVT and have been put on a blood thinner (Eliquis)

How careful do I need to be about bruising, the odd nick etc.

Anyone else cruising while taking blood thinners?

- W

 

[Tranona]

Nothing really to worry about with Apixaban which is the one you are taking. Its big advantage over the more common warfarin is that you do not need regular test. I have been taking it for years and even though I have thin skin from other medication I take because I have had a kidney transplant I don't get much problem from excessive bleeding and bruises are more visually unsightly than a problem. I always have a well stocked first aid kit close by when doing "stuff" such as on the boat or in the garage and have got adept at self administering plasters!

You will quickly find out what works for you to deal with it - just take care to avoid nicks and bruises as much as you can.

 

[VicS]

I have been taking it for several years but until recently only 2.5mg twice daily
My GP has now increased it to 5mg twice daily because "there was no reason to be taking the lower dose" !

No problems whatso ever with the lower dose but small cuts definitely take longer to stop bleeding with the higher dose. I have noticed no increased bruising
I had detailed instructions for stopping it before a recent biopsy and restarting afterwards.

Read what the leaflet recommends re alcohol consumption,

As Tranona says take extra care to avoid cuts and have the where-with-all to treat them handy..

Cut my thumb yesterday on a corned beef can . Took a while to stop bleeding.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

I'm on Edoxaban, which isn't a million miles different, and just find that I need more plasters (or bits of tissue and insulating tape) than I used to.

 

[Koeketiene]

Was on blood thinners for a while some years ago following my last stroke.

Advice I was given at the time was to avoid long passages and to be careful to avoid cuts.
We carried 'skin glue' (cyanoacrylate adhesive) - called Dermabond IIRC.

How do I care for a wound treated with skin glue?

 

[Praxinoscope]

Been on Apixaban for years now, not found any problems, still sailing regularly both single handed and with crew.
Cuts just take a bit longer to stop ‘leaking’ , but not so much that they are a problem.

 

[cpedw]

I had a 6 month course of Apixaban 4 years back due to DVT. The only effect was a temporary ban on blood donating. I carried on as normal and there was no noticeable inclination to bruise or bleed excessively.

 

[johnalison]

Clotting is only the final part of haemostasis, or bleed-stopping. Pressure on a blleding point will virtually stop almost anything and delayed clotting just means than pressure needs to be kept on a bit longer. Not that it helps bruises much.

 

[PlankWalker]

There is a Silver Lining !
Had a DVT many years ago , took blood thinners for 2 years then came off them.
Been off them for more than 10 years now, every thing normal.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

My late wife, who you met, was permanently on Warfarin. She bruised very easily from everyday knocks. When she had heart surgery, she was bruised all over one side! And, if course, any small cut would bleed for a longer time than it would otherwise. She couldn't just clean a cut and expect it to stop bleeding; even tiny nicks (sorry - unintended pun!) had to be covered with a plaster.

That said, the bruising was mainly cosmetic; the bruises were painful in proportion to the injury rather than to the colour. So she could look quite badly bruised but not be in pain.

The major lifestyle issue was having to keep track of her INR values and adjust the dosage to maintain it within the right range. She had her own INR device, but although NICE recommend it, they aren't available on the NHS, though the test strips are. Most people have to be tested at doctor's surgeries on a routine basis. We bought one so we weren't tied to being near the surgery!

Unfortunately, it probably contributed to her death from an intracerebral haemorrhage.

 

[webcraft]

Thanks everyone, sounds like being a wee bit more careful and having plasters/tape handy should do the trick.

Those of you who had a DVT, did you use a compression stocking and if so how long for?

- W

 

[webcraft]

My late wife, who you met, was permanently on Warfarin. She bruised very easily from everyday knocks. When she had heart surgery, she was bruised all over one side! And, if course, any small cut would bleed for a longer time than it would otherwise. She couldn't just clean a cut and expect it to stop bleeding; even tiny nicks (sorry - unintended pun!) had to be covered with a plaster.

That said, the bruising was mainly cosmetic; the bruises were painful in proportion to the injury rather than to the colour. So she could look quite badly bruised but not be in pain.

The major lifestyle issue was having to keep track of her INR values and adjust the dosage to maintain it within the right range. She had her own INR device, but although NICE recommend it, they aren't available on the NHS, though the test strips are. Most people have to be tested at doctor's surgeries on a routine basis. We bought one so we weren't tied to being near the surgery!

Unfortunately, it probably contributed to her death from an intracerebral haemorrhage.

The good thing about the 'new' oral anticoagulants is that you don't need regular blood monitoring.

- W

 

[AntarcticPilot]

The good thing about the 'new' oral anticoagulants is that you don't need regular blood monitoring.

- W

I guess it also depends on the reason for it. She had a metal replacement heart valve, so her INR had to be maintained in a range that inhibited clotting at the valve, but which would still allow normal healing without internal bleeding. The range wasn't very wide, and her INR was affected by diet. We regularly joked about her taking rat poison!

 

[Gwylan]

I was recently diagnosed with a DVT and have been put on a blood thinner (Eliquis)

How careful do I need to be about bruising, the odd nick etc.

Anyone else cruising while taking blood thinners?

- W

Been on them for years. Cruised without major incident.

Yes a scratch or nick with a blade or bloody barnacles and I bleed easily and bruises appear mysteriously.
Wear footwear for the dinghy and paddling.

Buy really good strip plasters. Experiment with different makes. Home Bargains a Poundland can be good.

Not a death sentence, well not for me. Just need to be a bit more careful

 

[RAI]

Thanks everyone, sounds like being a wee bit more careful and having plasters/tape handy should do the trick.

Those of you who had a DVT, did you use a compression stocking and if so how long for?

- W

Compression stocking for about a year, now whenever my leg starts swelling up. I am still on Xarelto rivaroxiban but mainly to minimise risk of needing a hospital bed again during Covid.

 

[st599]

The good thing about the 'new' oral anticoagulants is that you don't need regular blood monitoring.

And the bad thing is that there are no antidotes, unlike warfarin where vitamin K could stop it's work.

I'm on Apixaban for life. I do bruise more easily than I used to and little nicks bleed for ages. I carry some amazing stuff made from shellfish that can stop just about any bleed, even arterial.

However the big issue is internal bleeding, the only treatment for someone on non-Warfarin thinners is infusion until the effects of the drug wear off. As such, the more far-flung parts of the globe are off limits for me now (not that I could afford insurance anyway).

 

[TSB240]

I am on Rivaroxaban since an unexplained PE. No DVT but family has Leiden V gene history (look up super clotters!) Hardly used to bleed after a deep cut.

I have carried on sailing but can assure you stopping external bleeding is the least of your problems.

Bruising, cuts and grazes are managed with superglue, spray on plaster and good bandage or bindings. These have worked for me on a couple of occasions.

The biggest issue is protecting your head either in a trip slip or fall, or from an accidental gybe. I was told in no uncertain terms if I was knocked out at any stage I should get to A and E immediately.

I never rigged a preventer until given this advice!

Steve.

 

[johnalison]

Compression stockings have been in universal use for a good while but more recently I gather that their use post-operatively has been found to have no effect on the rate of DVT or emboli. I wouldn't take this as meaning that they have no effect in all circumstances, and so far as I know they do no harm, but it is is something that I would seek up-to-date advice on.

 

[Tranona]

i started wearing compression stockings about 6 months ago as part of healing a lesion from having a Basal cell carcinoma removed from my shin. any nick or scrape on the shin for me takes ages to heal, but since wearing the stockings have not had any bangs or scrapes on the legs. For me they also help control ankle swelling because my kidney can't always deal with excess fluid. Very comfortable to wear. So a big thumbs up from me.

 

[Zing]

You should get off that stuff: