Has anyone?

[SandyGrl777]

ever taken a blood thinner due to whatever reason - heart issues or blood clot issues or at least had one and that is why you had to start taking them? And if so, were you able to get off them due to raw and did they ween you off them?

I am on it due to a blood clot I had sometime ago and can get off after I lose some weight per doctor - but just heard a horror story on getting off them - an experience someone had and it scared me :(

Thanks everyone

Sandy

[Inca_faerie]

I think eating all raw would probably reduce the need for a blood thinner considerably. I don't have any experience with them but for your blood clot you might want to look into getting some serrapeptase. It dissolves non living tissue in the body. (like cysts, arterial plaque, blood clots)


http://www.regenerativenutrition.com/content.asp?id=55

[juliesvoyage2]

I was on Coumadin and Lovenox shots for two years but had to go off of them due to the toll they took on my body (hair loss and weight gain were not fun). I went back on Lovenox shots last year and didn't have a problem going off of them. Due to a blood clotting disorder, I have been told that a blood clot will come back, but I am hoping that the raw lifestyle helps prevent it.

[SandyGrl777]

Thanks..

Inca: I will check that out - I do have a cyst as well so that may help it..

Julie - Thanks for letting me know - not sure if I have a blood clot disorder - they said could have been from the birth control...not sure :) They say I am not on a high dose - now they may have to friday decrease it due to it is to thin since doing this lifestyle and working out at gym...so we will see friday :)

[juliesvoyage2]

I don't miss the days of having to increase and decrease the dosages to keep the INR between a 2.0 and 3.0. My doctors wouldn't let me eat green food, claiming it makes the blood too thin, so I would not have done well at being raw then.

[SharonC]

I am sure that raw will help, especially lots of green smoothies and juice. And, not taking the birth control. It is crazy that drugs cause so many problems, and then they just give you another drug!

My husband took coumadin as a precaution when he had knee surgery while he was in the hospital and a few days after he came home. The doctor wanted him to take for a few months after the surgery, but I convinced him to stop and start nattokinase, garlic, fish oil, cayenne, ginkgo, bromelain, tumeric, CoQ10, lemon juice, grape juice, etc.

Before his surgery, I researched a LOT and talked to my pharmacist friend and pharmacist sister-in-law, so I was confident enough to make it very clear to the doctor/nurses that he would continue to consume lots of greens - he was drinking green juice and green smoothies in the hospital. The reason they tell patients not to consume greens is because they must keep the amount of greens consumed consistent every day and most people (medical staff sometimes included) do not understand, or will not do it, or it is too much trouble to explain, etc. The hospital staff said that yes, since I understood, and he normally consumed that amount of greens on a daily basis, that it would not be a problem.

Ironically, consuming lots of greens helps to prevent this issue in most cases.

[RawKnitster]

I don't miss the days of having to increase and decrease the dosages to keep the INR between a 2.0 and 3.0. My doctors wouldn't let me eat green food, claiming it makes the blood too thin, so I would not have done well at being raw then.

Same thing happened to my Mother. She had to take blood thinners and get a weekly test of her blood thickness. The doctor adviced her not to eat a lot of lettuce as it is a blood thinner. I don't understand why she couldn't eat a lot of lettuce and take less medicine. :confused:

[SandyGrl777]

Thanks Sharon and Julie - i thought the greens thickened it - unless I misunderstood him - I havent been making any green smoothies due to that - maybe I should start..

I heard of nattokinase - HAcres emailed me an article on that - i should take that when off this med...I use alot of garlic and raw vinegar with salads...

I just want off this med :)

[SharonC]

Thanks Sharon and Julie - i thought the greens thickened it - unless I misunderstood him - I havent been making any green smoothies due to that - maybe I should start..
I just want off this med :)

You will definitely be able to get off the drug - you just need to be proactive and take control of YOUR body. Read all this and do some research...

I am sure that you did not misunderstand the doctor - that is what they usually say. I guess doctors do not think we are smart enough to understand, or for whatever reason, they do not want us to understand (possibly job security). Always question what they say!

"Vitamin K is a necessary participant in synthesis of several proteins that mediate both coagulation and anticoagulation. Vitamin K deficiency is manifest as a tendency to bleed excessively. Indeed, many commercially-available rodent poisons are compounds that interfere with vitamin K and kill by inducing lethal hemorrhage." "Warfarin (also known under the brand names Coumadin, Jantoven, Marevan, and Waran) is an anticoagulant. It was initially marketed as a pesticide against rats and mice, and is still popular for this purpose, although more potent poisons such as brodifacoum have since been developed."

Vitamin K does not technically 'thicken' the blood - it is what keeps you from bleeding to death when you cut your finger - it is a natural coagulant. That is why ONE of the MANY dangerous side effects of 'blood thinning' medications is bleeding to death. Blood 'thinning' medications do not technically thin your blood, they block vitamin K (our natural coagulant mechanism), so blood 'thinners' are anticoagulants. The natural blood clotting mechanism of vitamin K is part of the delicate balance and is how a healthy body is designed to work.

Also, doctors do not bother or care to tell patients that Vitamin K is VERY IMPORTANT for MANY other reasons besides not bleeding to death!

"Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that is most well-known for the important role it plays in blood clotting. However, vitamin K is also absolutely essential to build strong bones and prevent heart disease, and it plays a crucial role in other bodily functions other than blood clotting."
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/03/24/vitamin-k-part-two.aspx

The following article explains eating greens when taking this drug...

Coumadin (AKA Warfarin) prevents blood clots by blocking the action of vitamin K--and that's why your doctor wants you to avoid foods that are high in vitamin K. Consuming too much vitamin K will essentially undo the effects of the medication. But you're absolutely right that these foods are some of the healthiest foods you can eat. In addition to vitamin K, foods like broccoli and kale contain important cancer-fighting compounds along with lots of fiber, vitamin A, and other good stuff.

There is a way for you to get all the health benefits of these foods without interfering with your blood-thinning therapy--but you'll need to work with your doctor.

With blood-thinners, it's critical to get the dosage right. Too much medication and you are at risk of uncontrolled bleeding; too little, and you are at risk of a blood clot. Your doctor calibrates your dosage with a blood test that measures how long it takes for your blood to form a clot.
The amount of medication it takes to get the right clotting time is directly tied to how much vitamin K is in your diet. If you eat 4 servings of broccoli one day and none the next, it's going to very hard to find the right dosage of medication for you. The easiest way for your doctor to make sure that you get about the same amount of vitamin K every day is to have you avoid foods that contain a lot of it. But then--as you've pointed out--you're not getting the benefits of these great foods.
With a little effort, you can have the best of both worlds

Getting all the health benefits of broccoli and other vitamin K-rich foods without messing up your medicine will take a little effort from both you and your doctor--and you'll absolutely have to work together. But I think it's well worth it!

Once you've cleared it with your doctor (don't skip this step!), your job will be to be sure that you get about the same amount of vitamin K from your diet every day. You can generate a list of foods that are high in vitamin K with the ND nutrient search tool. You can also use ND's pantry tool to keep track of your totals automatically. Don't worry about small variations from day to day--it's the big picture we're worried about here. The easiest thing might be to plan to eat one serving (but only one) of a vitamin K-rich vegetable every day.

Meanwhile, your doctor's job will be to test your blood-clotting time and adjust your blood-thinning medication (if needed) to accomodate the amount of vitamin K in your diet. Here's another good article on working with your doctor to navigate through the necessary adjustments. http://blog.nutritiondata.com/ndblog/2007/01/broccoli_wars_v.html

The following is from Dr. Foster's website...

Q and A: Dangers Of Prescription Blood Thinners: And Safer Alternatives http://www.drfostersessentials.com/store/Q_and_A_current.php

[juliesvoyage2]

I had my blood clot while not on any birth control, and I ended up being diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder. Either my blood clots too much or too little, and with all of the greens, it is as thin as water. At least I don't need to worry about getting blood clots.

[SandyGrl777]

Wow thank you Sharon and Julie for all this great info ----it is nice to know that I can do green smoothies as long as I stay with them and be consistent with what I am doing to thin my blood so they will take me off the meds and just maintain it with raw and proper eating....wow I learn alot being on here - things I never even would know or think of :)

[rawstrength]

I have heard that gingko has a blood thinning action. When I take gingko, I notice that my hands and feet are a lot warmer and I can think more clearly, probably due to improved circulation.

Where to get gingko? Find a gingko tree and pick the leaves, quick! before they turn yellow and fall off in the autumn. I have some drying in my room right now, so I will have a supply for the winter. This definitely beats paying $50 a bottle for it in the store.

[Zuri]

I have heard that gingko has a blood thinning action. When I take gingko, I notice that my hands and feet are a lot warmer and I can think more clearly, probably due to improved circulation.

Where to get gingko? Find a gingko tree and pick the leaves, quick! before they turn yellow and fall off in the autumn. I have some drying in my room right now, so I will have a supply for the winter. This definitely beats paying $50 a bottle for it in the store.

You want to pick the leaves off when they're yellow. That's when all of the medicine in them is alive and awake so to speak.

[freshlight]

Walker writes that freshly pressed lemon juice has a blood thinning effect.......