Bruise Be Gone

Bruising is a fact of life for women living on blood thinners. Embarrassment about your bruises doesn’t have to be. Women living on blood thinners are no strangers to bruising. A tight shoe, a light bump against a chair or an over zealous thigh slap while laughing can cause a nasty-looking mark that can be…

Exporing the “Icky Period” Problem

When a younger woman is put on a blood thinner the doctor or nurse isn’t likely to tell her, “Guess what, this is probably going to make your period a bit of a challenge.  It came as a big surprise to me,” said Eliz Greene who is 42 and currently takes Plavix®.  “Talking about the…

Goodbye, Blood Draw!

When she was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation and placed on the blood thinning medication warfarin, Patty Borkowski began regular trips to the Anticoagulation Clinic at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She didn’t realize her experience was different from that of other women on blood thinners. A consistent and controlled blood thinner level is essential for…

What’s In Your Wallet: Be prepared for injuries and emergencies

While blood thinning medication allows many women with heart disease to live productive lives, the risk of bleeding creates peril even from small cuts. “I was told even shaving my legs was too risky while on Coumadin®,” Said Eliz Greene a heart attack survivor and host of the Patient’s Perspective Teleconference presented by the Embrace…

To Broccoli or Not To Broccoli: Managing Your INR

“It is interesting how quickly we become experts in our own health when we are forced to do so,” remarked Eliz Greene, who survived a heart attack at age 35.    “When you are put on a blood thinner like Coumadin® you have to be very proactive to maintain the right level in  your system.”…