posted
Taking it sub-q, I assume? Use the fatty part of the abdomen for injection. Rotate injection sites in a clockwise manner.
Oral route? See below.
ABOVE ALL- FOLLOW the doctor's instructions!!! Make it to ALL lab appointments for monitoring of dosage/bleed time.
Posts: 69 | From Wisconsin | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Have you ever been on Coumadin (warfarin) before?
If so, many of the same precautions are applicable. Heparin is like Coumadin, only it acts more quickly.
Do you have a cardiac condition (valve prolapse, artificial valve, A-fib..etc) ?
I'm sorry, I don't see the connection between the Babs/Barts and need for Heparin unless the Coumadin no longer works for you. Are you immobile or have you had recent surgery or a history of DVT?
Posts: 69 | From Wisconsin | Registered: Apr 2007
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
Hi Turtle
I used heparin for over 3 years and my daughter for a couple of years, during pregnancy and right up to delivery.
The dose we are given is extremely low and I have not really talked with any docs who were conserned considering the dose. I had a surgery and wisdom teeth pulled while on it, no problem, no concerns.
I personally think that heparin over a longer period of time had a major impact on the long term remission I have been in. I don't think I would be where I am today without the use of the heparin. There are a few here that used heparin for lengthy periods and I think that the majority are in long remissions. Lymetoo is one I believe. I have never spoken to anyone who had a "serious" issue like excessive bleeding or osteoperosis while on this low dose.
There are some who didn't like it for various reasons, but I don't remember any who were harmed by it permanently or had their lives threatened.
It potentates antibiotics, so I feel that is a really good plus. That seems to equate to less abx, doing the same or better job then without heparin. I was extremely ill, to the point of looking like I was terminally ill and I am now in remission to the tune of about 85-90% with the use of ABX only pulsed and at extremely low doses.
Then there are studies indicating that heparin inhibits babesia all on it's own, that is a major plus-plus, possibly it does the same for Lyme. I have posted the Babesia study here a couple of times.
I did not have to use injections. My doc had a compounding pharmacy make it up in a nasal spray and it worked perfectly. He does this for most of his patients. So grateful as I hate shots!
I have posted a lot here on heparin and it's benefits.
Posts: 1251 | From california | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Oh, I see. Heparin is used to potentiate abx....interesting. It's good that you have a doc prescribing that for you. I don't think the conservative medical community would consider it. Usually, if a patient is on abx for a run-of-the mill infection, their PTT or PT/INR is monitored and the dose of Coumadin or Heparin is adjusted.
Interesting stuff, this is.
Posts: 69 | From Wisconsin | Registered: Apr 2007
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
Tori, Warfarin and Heparin are similar only in that they are both blood thinners, that is pretty much where the similarities end.
Warfarin stays in the blood stream for days, while Heparin is gone with in hours making it much easier to reverse IF there were complications. Complications are extremely rare at this dose though. Warfarin is much more difficult to reverse qucikly when less is needed.
Heparin is considered far more stable then warfarin. Warfarin is the drug of choice for those treating blood clots because it does not have the potential of causing osteoperosis that heparin does have at the very high doses given by IV in the hospital. It is important to recognize the difference in us though, we do not take those kind of doses. Ours are infinitly minute by comparison.
There is research and a study out of Japan showing the effectiveness of Heparin on Babesia. It would be worth your while to look it up.
Posts: 1251 | From california | Registered: Apr 2005
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
I was not given the heparin to potentate the abx, although that is one of the many pluses in taking heparin.
I was given heparin to to treat hypercoagulation. This is the primary reason we are prescribed heparin. Lots to read here about that subject too. If you aren't familiar with it, you might find that you have it after reading up on it.
It is a common issue when chronic illness is present.
Posts: 1251 | From california | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
That is good to hear, Jellybelly. My first reaction to reading that Docs were prescribing Heparin for Lymes was -Yikes, these guys sure ARE daring!! (compared to ducks)
I am aware of the differences between Coumadin and Heparin, as I administer them countless times daily. I often see patients sent home on SQ Heparin to prevent the formation of blood clots status post a surgery that immobilizes them, so without knowing that low-low doses of Heparin are used to inhibit babesia, I naturally assumed that paintedturtle had another reason to be put on it.
I am new to the forum and have yet to read all of the volumes of information available. Thank you for the clarification and the info of a Japanese study.
Posts: 69 | From Wisconsin | Registered: Apr 2007
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
Nice to meet you Tori! You must be in the medical field, like a doc maybe, no, a nurse? Do you have Lyme or are you looking to help us with it?
Posts: 1251 | From california | Registered: Apr 2005
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I am not a fan of drugs! Worry a lot about taking them. In denial of the severity of my situation.
Indeed, there's a "very significant" problem with the blood clotting and sticky platelets. thus the heparin. I am allergic to warfarin based on testing. I've not been on any of this type of stuff before.
As for the babesia, it is possible it has caused the clotting problem, I don't know. Doesn't seem to matter what caused it but that it is there making my treatment more impossible since the medicine doesnt' get to th cells due to the clotting not to mention the mitochondria and adrenals but that is entirely separate..
Hmmmmmm....is there any good news here?
Lucky to have a dr. I have a lot of issues going on. Lucky to know about it.
I fear the treatment will kill me.
Will be on many medications. Well....JellyBelly....I'll look to that remission...and try to keep a positive outlook as I fight through the further babesia, bartonella, and lyme treatment along with all the other
quote:Originally posted by painted turtle: I fear the treatment will kill me.
No way as long as you're keeping your lab appointments. It's VERY safe and NECESSARY for those of us with hypercoagulation.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
It's been found to be a major component in babs treatement. Babesia live off the hemogloben in the red blood cell. Heparin makes the bacteria unable to attach to the RBC.
Heparin also helps break down the fibrin so that the abx can get to the tissues better.
My daughter started it a couple of weeks ago, and it was HERX CITY!!!
Just had her first post heparin lab work. We haven't seen the results, yet. But, her blood was much easier to get out. It's hard to get hot fudge through a needle.
It's such low doses, it doesn't have the long term affects.
If you do a search on here, you'll find a lot of people who tried it.
My daughter uses a lozenge that dissolves in her mouth. We have it compounded.
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