After using DOAC’s (direct oral anticoagulants) for two weeks, I was happy with the results. They provided me this ‘new’ medicine because they block a single blood clotting factor to treat the blood clot in my leg. I was in less pain. I even could use my leg a bit more. I even prepared a meal because I could stand a bit longer, with my left leg resting on a stool.
I knew that using DOAC’s can lead to problems like bleedings. Something I didn’t expect to happen to me.
Then one day, the blood was everywhere. It scared me and my daughter. She was scared I was going to die. I called my orthopedic. Because we were in the first pandemic period of Covid-19 al communication went by phone. The orthopedic spoke with a hematologist. I had to stop my medication and start with another blood thinner and injections the next day. The bleeding stopped.
On crutches, I stumbled to the pharmacy for my new prescription of medication. I got Acenocoumarol, a blood thinner that is less stable than the DOAC’s and effective on more than one blood clotting factor. And Innohep to adjust me to the Acenocoumarol to get is stable. Between a 2.0 and 3.0 INR. I had to get myself stabilized to Acenocoumarol by using injections of Innohep every day.
I also had to take blood samples to check my INR. I will tell more about that in my blog, “CoaguChek.”
