Blood thining tablets and cuts..

[milly143]

Following a mini stroke, my Dad has been put on some blood thining tablets. He nicked himself shaving yesterday morning and it took nearly a whole day before he could stop the tiny cut from bleeding. He doesn't have another Doc appointment for a while so does anybody know any methods of stemming bleeding from a cut when you are on blood thining tablets?

[marie26]

If the blood thinning tablets are Warfarin, the anti-coagulant clinic should have given some advice for instances like this. If your father's GP is managing the INR monitoring, the best thing would be to ring for an early appointment and let them know about the prolonged bleeding from a shaving cut. It is quite possible that the INR may be a little high. If he is on Asprin, the GP should also be informed. Applying pressure to a tiny cut for about 10 minutes should stop the bleeding, and ask him not to disturb the cut once it has stopped, to give the reduced clotting time to maintain the small 'scab' formation.

[boxtops]

A styptic pencil (which is a cake of stuff which stings but which stops bleeding) can be bought from the chemist. However as marie says, my sister is on Warfarin following a mini stroke and she has to be so careful not to cut herself. Your dad should go and see the GP or at the very least, go see your local pharmacist (who are very well qualified) for advice.

[maggie21]

personally i would call your doctors surgery in the morning for an emergency appointment. One indication that the dose of warfarin is too high is that you may bleed or bruise easily. Also, if you bleed, the bleeding may not stop as quickly as normally.

[milly143]

Thanks for your answers. I can't remember which tablet he takes for the blood thining ( should have had the sense to look). He is also on asprin so I will tell him to call the Doc later. He is always cutting himself at work which never used to be a problem but he really needs to find out what to do now. Thanks again.

[SMP]

Some years ago my Dad had a triple bypass and was put on warfarin. The day he left hospital he went to stay at his Mum's, who didn't have a phone. Early next morning there was a knock on the door and a there was a policeman with a message from the hospital that they had Dad's warfarin dosage wrong, he was not to shave, handle any sharp knives and to get to the local hospital at once. He was taken in the police car.