I've Been a Paramedic for 11 Years. Here Are 4 Things Doctors Warn You Should Never Do On Blood Thinners
If you take Eliquis, warfarin, Xarelto or any blood thinner, I hope you read this before the next time you walk out the door.
Because what I'm about to tell you isn't the bleeding warning on your prescription label. Your doctor has already covered that.
They're simple steps that 90% of blood thinner users never even think about, even the careful ones who never miss a dose.
When I brought this up with Dr. Morgan, a cardiologist I work with at the Sanford Medical Center, I expected a shrug.
Instead, what he revealed left me both surprised and worried.
He said there were four things he wished every blood thinner patient would stop doing, starting tonight.
The third one is the one almost everyone gets wrong. And it takes about 10 seconds to fix.
#1Never assume a small fall is "just a fall."
Picture it. You trip on a rug, bump yourself on the way down, laugh it off, and move on.
For most people, that's the end of it: a bruise, some soreness, nothing more.
But here's what almost nobody realizes: every bruise is internal bleeding. Normally your body shuts it down fast. It forms a clot, patches the damage, and you never think about it again.
But when you're taking blood thinners, that same bruise can become more dangerous.
The bruise spreads wider. It heals slower. And if the fall was harder than you thought, especially a knock to the head, bleeding you can't see can quietly become the most dangerous thing in the room.
What to do
If you hit your head while on a blood thinner, get checked the same day. Don't wait to see if a headache shows up.
And that leads to the question I'm always asking myself on scene: does anyone here know she's on a blood thinner?
#2Never assume someone will know what you take.
This is the one that keeps Dr. Morgan up at night.
Picture it again. You're at the grocery store, alone. A car backs out without looking. Or you simply faint in the parking lot.
When I get there, you might be confused. You might be unconscious. Your husband or daughter isn't there to tell me.
Here's what I'm working with: what I can see. Cuts. Swelling. Your pulse.
What I can't see is the medication in your bloodstream that changes everything. It changes how closely I look for bleeding I can't see. It changes what I tell the hospital before we arrive.
And when you can't speak for yourself, the EMTs on scene need to know one thing immediately: are you on BLOOD THINNERS?
Wearing a medical identification (ID) changes how EMTs treat you. It tells them to look for bleeding they can't see, and whether to adjust treatment or rush you straight to a trauma center.
That's why more and more blood thinner patients now wear a medical ID.
your bracelet can."
Which raises the obvious question, the one almost everyone gets wrong: "Can't my phone just do that for me?"
#3Never rely on your phone to speak for you.
I understand why you'd think that. Your phone has emergency contacts. A medical ID screen. Fall detection.
Now let me tell you what actually happens.
In rural areas like mine, the average wait for an ambulance is about 14 minutes, and roughly 1 in 10 people wait close to half an hour.
When I finally reach you, I'm not reaching for your phone.
The 10-Second Wrist Check
Within the first 10 seconds, I'm on my knees. Two fingers on your wrist, feeling for a pulse.
It's one of the first things almost every responder does. Which means your wrist is the one place I'm guaranteed to look.
I don't know your passcode. I'm not digging through your purse. Your phone might be in the car, under the seat, or cracked on the pavement.
Every second I'd spend searching is a second I'd rather spend on you.
Which brings us to the fourth mistake, and it's the biggest one I see blood thinner patients make.
#4Never think, "It won't happen to me."
Think about it. Nobody plans a fall. Nobody schedules a car accident. That's exactly the point.
But you still wear a seatbelt. Not because you know you'll crash today, but because you can't know which day you will. And on that day, it's already on.
A medical ID works the same way. You put it on once. It sits there quietly every day. And on the one day you can't speak, it protects you.
So what actually keeps you safe?
I'll be straight with you, because I've seen this go wrong.
Some hospitals hand out medical IDs for free. But most people never wear them.
And the reason is almost silly: they look like hospital equipment. Bulky. Clinical. A plastic band that announces to the whole world, "I'm a patient."
That's why, when someone asks me where to actually get one, I point them to Wear In Case.
Here are the main reasons why Wear In Case passes the 10-Second Wrist Check
- "BLOOD THINNER" engraved, not printed. Engraving doesn't rub off, so it's still readable years from now.
- A red medical symbol responders are trained to spot, sitting right where my fingers go.
- Made to be worn, not hidden. Dainty, lightweight, looks like jewellery. Women forget it's on, which is exactly why it's still on when it matters.
- 316 surgical-grade stainless steel. Built not to rust or tarnish in the shower, the pool or the garden.
- Fits wrists from 6.5" to 8". Gently bend to size. No tools, no clasp to fiddle with.
You can check the available designs here if you're interested, but both Dr. Morgan and I recommend getting one today.
Check Availability Now →I've seen the drawer bracelets. I've seen the phones under car seats.
And I've seen what a two-word engraving can do in ten seconds.
Put it on before you need it.
P.S. If you're reading this for your mom or your husband, don't wait for them to buy it themselves. They won't. Order it as a gift. It ships in a box that's ready to give.
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