Generic Coumadin i.e. Warfarin medication is used for preventing the blood clots forming or from them getting larger, allowing the body to naturally dissolve them.
Coumadin is an oral anticoagulant that inhibits the synthesis of clotting factors thus preventing blood clot formation in the veins, arteries, lungs, or the heart. Blood clots can occur in the veins of the lower extremities usually after periods of immobility. These clots can break off and become lodged in the blood vessels of the lung pulmonary embolism causing shortness of breath chest pain and even life-threatening shock.

Blood clots can also occur in the atria of the heart during atrial fibrillation. One of these clots can also break off and obstruct a blood vessel in the brain causing an embolic stroke with paralysis. Coumadin i.e. Warfarin is important in preventing the formation of blood clots. It is also important to prevent extension of clots already formed and to minimize the risk of blood clot embolization to other vital organs such as the lungs and brain.

However, before taking Warfarin i.e. Coumadin medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient and read it carefully. Talk to your doctor about all the possible risks of taking Coumadin medication. However, Coumadin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. Hence, for more information, consult your doctor and your medical pharmacist.

Follow the directions given by the doctor exactly for the usage of the Coumadin i.e. Warfarin medication and also read the prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.

Coumadin may be taken with or without food. Since Coumadin is metabolized by the liver and excreted by the kidneys dosages need to be lowered in patients with liver and kidney dysfunction. Frequent blood tests are performed to measure blood clotting time protime during Coumadin treatment. Protime results help doctors adjust medication dose to avoid excessive blood thinning and risk of bleeding.

If you wish to use the medication for your children, please contact your pediatrician for the dosage.

If you notice any of the symptoms, which seem severe or persistent to you, please contact your doctor immediately. However, your doctor may need to monitor you carefully for side effects and alter the doses if necessary.

The two most serious side effects are bleeding and necrosis gangrene of the skin. Bleeding can occur in any organ or tissue. Bleeding around the brain can cause severe headache and paralysis. Bleeding in the joints can cause joint pain and swelling. Bleeding in the stomach or intestines can cause weakness fainting spells black tarry stools vomiting of blood or coffee ground material. Bleeding in the kidneys can cause back pain and blood in urine. Other side effects include purple painful toes rash hair loss bloating diarrhea and jaundice yellowing of eyes and skin. Signs of overdose include bleeding gums bruising nosebleeds heavy menstrual bleeding and prolonged bleeding from cuts.

Inform your doctor if you experience any of these side effects or some new side effects occur which appear too bothersome to you.

Inform your doctor if you are allergic to the formulation of this medication or any other medication in any other form and also inform your doctor about any other medication you may be taking in any other form, as they may affect the way your medicine works.

Many drug both prescription and nonprescription OTC can affect the anticoagulant action of Coumadin. Some medications can enhance the action of Coumadin and cause excessive blood thinning and life-threatening bleeding. A few examples of such medications include Aspirin, Tylenol, alcohol, ibuprofen i.e. Motrin, cimetidine i.e. Tagamet, oxandrolone i.e. Oxandrin, certain vitamins and antibiotics. Patients on Coumadin should regularly consult their doctor before instituting any medications on their own. It is also advisable for patients on Coumadin to carry identifications to alert other health professionals.

Moreover, Coumadin i.e. Warfarin may also interact with some kind of foods, varied medications, herbal products, nutritional supplements, vitamins, other OTC medicines, some vaccinations etc. Acquire more information about the interactions of the Coumadin medication from your doctor and the medical pharmacists.

In case of overdose call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
If the suffering patient has collapsed or is not breathing call local emergency services at 911. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.

Do not allow any other person to use your medication without getting doctor’s prescription themselves and also avoid using this medicine for other health conditions on your own. Keep the medicine away from the children and pets.

Also inform your doctor, if you are pregnant or are breast feeding. If you conceive during the course, inform your doctor immediately. Do not share your medicines with anyone, even if they have the same symptoms, for it may harm them. Do not begin, increase, decrease, or stop using this medicine on your own. In short discuss your complete medical history with your doctor, before taking the medicine.

Remember, it is very important to keep regular appointments with your doctor to study the way your body is responding to the course. And if you are going to have a surgery, tell your health care professional that you are using Coumadin medication.
Carry with you at all times an ID card mentioning your name, the medicine you are taking, the dosage, the name of the person and your health care professional they should call in case of an emergency.

Inform your doctor if you are suffering from psychosis, have thyroid, any blood disorders, had any recent surgery, suffer from diabetes or take alcoholic beverages.

The blood test that is used to monitor your blood during warfarin therapy is known as the PT or INR, your doctor will keep checking the same to determine if your dosage needs to be changed.
Also avoid alcohol and alcohol containing beverages whilst on a course with this medication.

And in case, if you wish to use the medicine in children, please contact your pediatrician for sure before its use.

If you missed the dose, do take the medicine immediately provided that there is ample of time in between the next dose. However, if it is almost time for the next dose skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Never double your doses to cope up with the missed. And in case, if you miss your one or two consecutive doses consult to your doctor or physician for guidance and continue further.

Generic Coumadin i.e. Warfarin medication is used in treating patients with blood clots in the lower extremities to prevent extension of the clot and to reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism. Patients with pulmonary embolism are treated with Coumadin to prevent further blood clot emboli. Coumadin is also used in patients with atrial fibrillation and artificial heart valves to reduce the risk of strokes. It is also helpful in preventing blood clot formation in certain orthopedic surgeries such as knee or hip replacements. Coumadin is also used in preventing blood clot closure of coronary artery stents.

However, it may also be used to treat some other medical conditions which may be determined by your doctor accordingly and consult a pediatrician for the use of this medication in children.

The generic Coumadin i.e. Warfarin medication may be prescribed for other uses also, so ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about the Coumadin i.e. Warfarin medication.

Store generic Coumadin i.e. Warfarin, at room temperature below 15-30°C 59-86°F. Keep the medicine in the container, it came in and always keep it tightly closed. Check Expiry date without fail. Keep all medicines away from women, newborns, children and pets. Do not freeze in any case. Also, keep it away from heat, dampness and direct light. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down. When the medicine is not in use or outdated it should be discarded. Take help of your pharmacist in disposing this medicine properly. In any case, do not store the Coumadin medication in the bathroom.

Following precautions must be taken during consuming generic Coumadin i.e. Warfarin:

1. Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had: kidney disease, lung disease, liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, low or high blood pressure, asthma, heart attack, irregular/slow heartbeat or any other severe disease etc. Also inform, if you drink alcoholic beverages or are a tobacco smoker etc.

2. Also acknowledge your doctor if you need to undergo any kind of surgery, including dental surgery or need an x-ray procedure that uses contrast agents. So, inform your doctors immediately about it, so that the doctor can decide whether to continue taking Coumadin medication or stop it during the surgery.

3. Let the doctor also know, if you are in-taking or are planning to take any prescribed or non prescribed medicines, health supplements or any other OTC medications, vitamins etc.

4. Do not use the Coumadin i.e. Warfarin medication, if you have any kind of allergy to it or to any ingredients of it and tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and get treated.

5. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast feeding before taking Coumadin medication. Hence also, inform your doctor immediately when you plan to conceive, or become pregnant during the course.

6. Do not share the drug with others unless they are prescribed by the doctor themselves. And if your symptoms of side effects do not improve in few weeks or if they become worse and bothersome, check these conditions immediately with your doctor.

7. Please, use the Coumadin medicine in the prescribed amount and do not overdose it or use it for the longer period of time. Do not discontinue on your own and consult your doctor before doing so to avoid further problems.

8. Regularly, keep your appointments with your doctor and keep an eye on the progress or side effects that has been noticed during the complete course.

9. Also, avoid smoking and consuming alcohol and alcohol containing beverages during the complete course to achieve good results.

10. Discuss your diet with your health care professional, as this is very important whilst taking warfarin.

11. This medication can cause birth defects or bleeding in an unborn child, if you think you are pregnant contact your doctor immediately.

12. Do not change warfarin brands without consulting your doctor, and if you notice a change in color of your warfarin pill check with your pharmacist or health care professional to ensure you have received the correct medicine.

13. For more information, contact your doctor and your pharmacists and also discuss the risks and benefits of the generic Coumadin.