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vikingsail
Joined: 12 May 1998
Posts: 46
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 Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:26 pm Post subject: Experiences while taking blood thinners and windsurfing. |
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My doctor has finally put me on Pradaxa and warned me to be careful about activities that might cause injury. Was wondering if anyone out there is windsurfing while on blood thinners. Hopefully I'll be off the blood thinner eventually based on my treatment plan but was wondering if there is anyway to salvage part of the 2012 season.
thanx |
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swchandler
Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588
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| Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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For about 6 1/2 years, I was taking Plavix. While I don't know whether Pradaxa is a more aggressive blood thinner than Plavix, I found that there were a few side affects to taking the drug. If cut, I would tend to bleed longer before my blood would began clotting. Nothing too long, but something worth keeping in mind should you have a serious cut requiring medical attention. Secondly, I was more prone to damaging blood vessels under the skin, to include bruising. Sometimes there could be some bleeding in the damaged area. I have to say though, I'm an older guy, and as you age, you find that the skin on your hands and arms gets thinner.
After discontinuing the use of Plavix, I clearly get a bit less of this problem, but I'm still prone to it. However, I do still take a 325mg aspirin daily, which is a blood thinner in its own right, so that's probably why I'm still experiencing some continuation of the problem.
I hope this information helps. |
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carl
Joined: 25 Feb 1997
Posts: 2674
Location: SF bay area
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| Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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I'm only on baby asprin and windsurfing for 20 years. I've never been cut out on the water except for a few fin scrapes while with bare shins out in Maui. At home I usually wear a full 4/3 wetsuit year-round though, plus booties, plus 3/4 finger gloves and helmet. So, if you wear all that and sail conservative, I think it's very unlikely you would have any problem.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or ever even wanted to be a doctor. |
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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935
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| Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:58 pm Post subject: Re: Experiences while taking blood thinners and windsurfing. |
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| vikingsail wrote: | | My doctor has finally put me on Pradaxa and warned me to be careful about activities that might cause injury. Was wondering if anyone out there is windsurfing while on blood thinners. |
Only fish oil, which even at 4Xday is much less thinning than what you're getting. HOWEVER, I'd say you're totally safe ... unless, of course, you cut a foot, bump against any firm object, split a lip, exert yourself and raise your BP even momentarily, sail within a mile of a shark, sail without helmet and face guard, happen to have any spontaneous internal bleed you're obviously at risk for, etc.
I'm sure you've Googled the hell out of all related topics -- thinners in general, YOUR thinner, alternatives or adjuncts such as exercise and diet (some avoidable individual foods can cause CVD symptoms), side effects, primary effects (thin blood), etc. -- so you probably know the answer to your question but are understandably reticent to accept it. Anecdotal evidence (an oxymoron) doesn't help you, because for every X guys on thinners who got away with unstructured exercise, Y experienced emergencies in the same environment. I'd do five things:
1. Research it in enough detail to determine how conservative your doc's advice is. We don't know whether your physician is overreacting due to a propensity towards drugs, or is an unusually open-minded physician who understands and considers every option.
2. HONESTLY evaluate your WSing environment in light of that research, especially its threats such as impact and level of effort. Some sailors putz around and never fall or exert themselves, while others may as well be playing rugby.
3. Decide which is more important to you ... certain loss of this season vs a lower risk of an emergency (times its severity). E.g., a 5% chance of a stroke times its impact if offshore is serious $#!+.
4. Study and pursue the many other solutions to your underlying medical problem. You have many other options, including exercise, diet, different drugs if this one's side effects exacerbate its inherent deliberate risks, etc. As you know, thinners are serious drugs intended for immediate mitigation of serious threats, with serious inherent and side effects, and there are many other longer-term solutions likely to reduce or eliminate our need for thinners.
5. Try to assess and consider the relative threats of sailing this year with vs without the thinner or with less thinning while you throw yourself into the alternatives. Maybe a few months of diligent CONTROLLED gym exercise, diet, and lesser drugs can eliminate by mid-season your need for prescription or OTC drugs.
My plan, based on all the above but ignorant of your details and stroke in general, would be to take the meds, pursue every alternative, monitor your progress, then reevaluate yourself once the season gets great to see whether you can safely play. (My local season, for example, CAN start in April, but since April winds are usually extremely gusty and often brief, I could easily be persuaded to skip them if the payoff were worth it.)
Mike \m/ |
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geohaye
Joined: 03 Apr 2000
Posts: 1437
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| Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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If you're on a serious blood thinner (coumadin, etc. etc.), wear a helmet while windsurfing.
Minor cuts on your feet or hands are not as great of a concern as hitting your head and having internal bleeding in there.
I, too, am not a doctor. |
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rlemmens
Joined: 09 Feb 2008
Posts: 206
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| Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Ask your doctor. He knows better than anyone else. If you miss one season and get 40 more after it was worth it, but if there are complications, is it worth it? |
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isobars
Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:14 am Post subject: |
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| rlemmens wrote: | | Ask your doctor. He knows better than anyone else. |
I used to think that, until too many of them have proved totally or largely incompetent -- very often very dangerous -- even with well-studied life-threatening issues. Trusting one's doctor explicitly is akin to being one's own lawyer. The old song "half of all doctors graduated in the bottom 50% of their class" only hints at the scope of the problem, as the real world further separates the cream from the sour milk.
But as Lemmens says, mixing any serious medical problem with water suggests we should err on the side of caution. |
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benspikey
Joined: 02 Aug 2008
Posts: 167
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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Not do dismiss the risk or make light of it... Some things you just cannot do after injury/disease. This is a personal decision and should only be made by you..
But life is a risk..
Personally I would rather go out sailing than lying in bed.. or stuck in traffic..
Really comes down to how important is sailing too you??
Just my two senses.
If you go out sailing people will talk about you after your gone, (what a stud) no one cares about the guy who checks out in his sleep..
Just curious if sex activites are allowed? Seems like if you can have sex then you can windsurf? Aren't these the same anyhow?? |
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carl
Joined: 25 Feb 1997
Posts: 2674
Location: SF bay area
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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| rlemmens wrote: | | Ask your doctor. He knows better than anyone else. If you miss one season and get 40 more after it was worth it, but if there are complications, is it worth it? |
Doctors are usually ULTRA conservative. They would rather not take a chance with higher mal-practice insurance rates. Most don't understand that normal windsurfing (back and forth) is probably as safe as golf, as long as you're not doing crazy jumps. Would he let you golf or ski conservativly?
Last edited by carl on Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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braden
Joined: 12 Jun 1987
Posts: 73
Location: Providence RI
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| Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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I am a psychiatrist, but I disclaim specific experience or knowledge of Pradaxa. I also note that I have no knowledge of your specific case and my remarks are intended as general ones, not as personal medical advice.
I did read the package insert. So far as I can tell there are no actual studies of people engaged in sports and taking anticoagulants. If you cut your arm or leg that is easy to identify and treat. Bleeding in the brain or internal organs would be harder to detect.
The way I sail, chances of significant injury would be very low. Your style may be more aggressive.
I would agree with those who recommend wearing a helmet. I would add, in the unlikely event that you do sustain a hard blow to your head, chest, or abdomen, stop sailing, and if you feel dizzy or ill get yourself checked out.
The bottom line is, there is a risk here, but it is a small risk and hard to measure, so this is a personal decision and not a scientific one. |
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