Connie Schultz Says:
My mom was on coumadin for many years but then her insurance company told her she had to take warfarin as this is the one they would pay for. Is there really any different in these two drugs? It seems to me that she has been having more problems with the warfarin (keeping this medication at the right level) than the coumadin. I was told they were the same medications and do the same. I just wanted to know if some people have difficulties taking warfarin vs coumadin??? Thanks.
No, they work exactly the same for me. I have been taking one or the other for 3 1/2 years because of 2 pulmonary embolisms. I take 10mg a day. At times I go up and down but have been steady for a couple months now on warfarin. Food will change the way it works. Salads and some other greens really mess things up.
I am lying in a hospital bed as I write letter. On Warfarin My INR reading would go up nice and steady and get just over 2 and shoot up like a rocket!! It doesn't do that on coumadin. I did a little research and found warfarin has some of it's chemical make up was synthetically derived as apposed to coumadin which chemicals were naturally and biologically manufactured!!!
3
Verwon Says:
[Moderator]
Friday, 2/20/2009 10:42:05 AM
Under federal law, generic prescription medications are also allowed to differ in the active ingredient by as much as plus or minus 20%. The FDA considers this an acceptable window that will not affect treatment, however, when you are talking about a precisely calibrated drug like Coumadin/Warfarin, this can cause problems for some people.
It could be necessary to ask the doctor to write brand medically necessary on the prescription and avoid the generic if it is causing problems.
Please post back and let us know how you are doing.
Warfarin has caused me no problems. My PT/INR readings are very consistent. There are foods that are natural blood thinners such as walnuts. And foods with vitamin K will do the opposite.
I have been taking warfarin for about three months because of pulmonary embolism. During these months, I have experienced shortness of breath with no apparent reason. Recently, I was to have a surgical procedure and had to stop taking the warfarin for a week prior. During the last few days, I was able to breath with no problem. I now wonder if warfarin is the cause of the breathing problem. If so, I will request to take coumadin instead. Any ideas?
My Mom's Dr. said Jantoven, which is also a generic form of Coumadin, is much more reliable than Warfarin. So we wnt with the Jantoven which is also covered by most insurers.
I was on Warfarin because of a DVT and was vomitting and really sick in my stomach. My Dr switched me to Coumadin. It is a bit more expensive (4 times) but I am tolerating it better eventhough still a bit nauseaus at times. He says it is quite common with the generic brand.
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