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nascardonna
Jul 1, 2008, 01:06 PM
My father is a big drinker he has type 2 diabetes and heart problems. Now he is bleeding everywhere and his lips are blue. He is on blood pressure and cumidin medicine what should I do please help

J_9
Jul 1, 2008, 01:15 PM
You need to get him to the hospital ASAP if he is bleeding everywhere. If he is on blood thinners he should NOT be drinking as alcohol is also a blood thinner. If his lips are blue this is cyanosis, which means he is not getting enough oxygen to his blood.

If he is bleeding everywhere call an ambulance.

donf
Jul 1, 2008, 01:21 PM
Cumidin is a very serious blood thinner. Theoretically speaking he needs to be very careful even when shaving. Any nick or cut will bleed for quite awhile.

The secondary problem is the diabetes, it makes cuts very slow to heal, which in turn opens the door for infections.

If you are allowed to talk to his doctor, find out what the doctor is doing to monitor the Cumidin level in his blood. This needs to be done on a scheduled basis. If the level of Cumidin is not control, your dad could bleed to death from a bruise.

I had a pulmonary embolism back in 1990, They used Heparin on me and then switched me to Cumidin for several months. I had to be tested at the same time every week to make sure the Cumidin stayed at the correct level.

Lips turning blue suggest to me his oxygen levels are low. This could be a symptom of heart failure in that his heart is not pumping enough oxygen rich blood through his lungs to feed his entire body.

Also this could be a by-product of his diabetes. Diabetes is a nasty and insidious disease, that does not kill you directly, but does cripple organs and when they fail, you are in serious problems.

Our prayers are with you!

nascardonna
Jul 1, 2008, 01:41 PM
Thank you for the imput I will try to talk with his doctor for he is a very stubburn man. I am not even sure if I am doing this right I am computer illerterit so please bare with me in this

J_9
Jul 1, 2008, 01:46 PM
You are doing fine here.

Coumadin, as has been said, is a very potent blood thinner, and mixing it with alcohol is adding fuel to the fire.

While taking coumadin your father should be following some strict hygiene habits. Such as not using a razor to shave (already mentioned by Donf), brushing his teeth with a soft bristled brush, etc.

Coumadin stops his body's natural clotting ability, which means that he could very easily bleed to death if he doesn't get treatment as soon as possible.

His blue lips also bother me quite a bit. This means that he is not breathing in enough oxygen. He really should be seen as soon as possible by a doctor or in the emergency room.

smokedetector
Jul 1, 2008, 02:10 PM
My dad died of Cirrhosis, being an alcoholic, and that can cause diabetes, excessive bleeding, and reduced oxygen in blood. Obviously there is more going on with him and like the others have said, probably more to worry about, but you mentioned he was a heavy drinker, so it could be something to look into.

Cirrhosis of the Liver (http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/cirrhosis-liver?page=2)

donf
Jul 1, 2008, 02:21 PM
As stated by J-9, if he is openly bleeding and his lips are blue, now is the time to forget the computer and p/u the phone and dial 911.

Do not give you father a choice in this. Get him to a hospital!

ISneezeFunny
Jul 1, 2008, 02:41 PM
Excellent advice given above.

Quick question... by "bleeding everywhere," I'm assuming that the bleeding's not too bad as you're online asking questions... right? I hope?