Blood Thinners and Racing

I've been on Coumadin (generic:Warfarin) for 12-1/2 years, since I had open heart surgery to get a mechanical aortic valve. 

Never had a problem with excessive or uncontrolled bleeding or bruising, including when crashing my bike at +20 mph. 

The term "blood thinner" is a misnomer, more correctly they're anticoagulants.  They don't literally make your blood "thinner" or less viscous, but just cause it to take longer to clot.  In my case it's to reduce the probability of clots forming on my mechanical valve and then breaking away to cause a stroke or heart attack.

I get tested every six weeks to make sure my INR stays between 2.5 -3.5.  All that means is that it takes my blood between 2.5 and 3.5 times longer to clot than "normal" blood.  It still clots just fine. 

In spite of all the old wive's tales, anticoagulants do not cause bleeding.  If you hit your head hard enough to actually cause a brain bleed, then you've got a pretty big problem whether or not you're on an anticoagulant.

Does it increase your risk when cycling?  Certainly to a degree, but it's marginal.  I've never seen a documented case where Coumadin actually was listed as contributing factor in a cycling death, say as opposed to getting splattered across the road by some rednecks in a pick-up truck.

I certainly endorse always wearing a good, well-fitting helmet, but I'd do that whether or not I was taking Coumadin.

If you're really concerned about it, then I would discuss it with a doctor or health care professional who actually understands anticoagulation therapy.  Not all do.

Good luck,

Mark

I'll add my .02/

Been on coumadin since March 2010 due to PEs.  Lifer.  When I got the first 6 month does I decided to just ride the trainer.  Once I became a lifer, I decided that I couldn't live in a bubble, and I'd certainly hate to not ride only to slip and fall in the tub. 

It's a personal decision, my wife and I did not come to it lightly (no kids).  I ride during the week on the computrainer, but outside on the weekends.  I don't ride certain routes, or with certain people.  As Mark said, there is a marginally increased risk, but we were already at risk, so there's just some increase we have to be comfortable with.  I do 99% of the stuff I did pre coumadin, inlcluding scuba, going on roller coasters, mtn biking, haven't snowboarded again, but will, etc.

I've raced sprints, olys, 3 HIMs and doing IM Canada in 5 weeks on thinners

I have my own coagucheck machine and buy my own strips, test every two weeks or so.  I am fairly consistent at low 2s.  If needed, I make small adjustments to keep myself in the low range.

Oh, and I don't follow any dietary restrictions either.  Dose to the diet, don't diet to the dose.   Salads with spinach.  A few beers now and again.

And life goes on

Feel free to ping with any questions or ask here.  There's lots of us out there continuing to do what it is we do.

Well, no real practical difference between Xarelto and Coumadin except they work on different systems (xarelto on the blood factors, coumadin on vitamin k), and of course xarelto does away with diet restrictions and testing.   They both inhibit clotting.

I am sure you've discussed this with your doc, but the sole reason I am not considering xarelto is that at least on coumadin there is a reversal agent in the form of fresh frozen plasma or synthetic vitamin K (although as a practical matter, not sure when this is given following a bleed, and may not be instantaneous).  With xarelto, there is as of yet no known reversal agent, or antidote, although they are working on it.  Point being of course if there is an accident and internal bleeding there may not be a way to slow down the bleed with someone on xarelto.

One other piece of advice I would offer would be to wear a Road ID or Medic Alert type ID bracelet that states you are on Xarelto, just in case. 

Mark