I have been told that I have a blood clot in my leg and have been
given warfarin. How long should I remain on this medicine?
If you have blood clots in your
legs, you need to be on a blood thinner –which is warfarin. It is sold as
Coumadin and is an excellent drug for people with blood clots. If blood
clots are not treated, they may break off and fly off to the lung. In most cases of a first time blood clot in the leg, you need to
take the medication for at least 6 -9 months. Unfortunately, most doctors are
clueless about duration of therapy and never discontinue this medication.
Patients are often on warfarin for years. The only people who need life long
anticoagulation are those who have inherited coagulation disorders. In
addition, you need to wear compression stockings for the rest of your life to
prevent post phlebitic syndrome.
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