Anticoagulants and Racing

[SteveWK]

So here I sit with my left leg elevated on my chair's ottoman popping Xarelto and giving myself Lovenox injections. I have a deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in my left upper calf knee area. The clot by itself is not dangerous, but if it breaks off and moves, that would be bad. This is not my first rodeo with this problem. I have experience with two prior DVTs, 21 years ago. The first time it happened I didn't know what the problem was. I thought I had pulled a muscle in my calf. It wasn't until the clot moved and collapsed part of my lung that I realized something really bad was going on. Now, six days later, my leg feels 70% of normal, and I'm hoping to avoid the dreaded pulmonary embolism. I'll be on anticoagulants for life.

This brings up my question. Do any of you know how event sponsors look upon a driver taking anticoagulants? Do they disqualify you because of it, or are they just interested because of the potential medical problems in the event of a crash? I've seen the question asked on some event medical forms. The only person I'm putting at risk is myself, but maybe their insurance forbids it for some reason. To be honest, racing in an open track event while on anticoagulants makes me nervous. I could just take it easy, but I know myself and that won't happen.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[RDJ]

you are putting everyone at the event at risk. if that breaks off and you pass out or die you have no idea whatsoever which direction your car will head when you seize up. Don't be a dumbass and put yourself and everybody else in the path

 

[SteveWK]

you are putting everyone at the event at risk. if that breaks off and you pass out or die you have no idea whatsoever which direction your car will head when you seize up. Don't be a dumbass and put yourself and everybody else in the path

You don't understand. The anticoagulants are to prevent another clot from forming. The clot I currently have will dissolve on it's own and doesn't present a health risk to me. The risk with taking anticoagulants is if I get into a wreck and sustain injury the bleeding may be hard to control. So, I wouldn't be a risk to anyone else.

 

[RDJ]

You don't understand. The anticoagulants are to prevent another clot from forming. The clot I currently have will dissolve on it's own and doesn't present a health risk to me. The risk with taking anticoagulants is if I get into a wreck and sustain injury the bleeding may be hard to control. So, I wouldn't be a risk to anyone else.

I DO understand .. and this is what you said

"I have a deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in my left upper calf knee area. The clot by itself is not dangerous, but if it breaks off and moves, that would be bad .

now if you are talking about racing once you are 100% sure the clot is gone ... that is one thing. but racing before the clot is gone is quite another. Based on what you said, which may or may not be what you meant, I stand by my comments.

if you meant racing once you are 100% sure the clot is gone then have at it. you said you have seen the question asked before what was the answer given? I have been to several events and short of signing the standard waiver I have never been asked about my health

 

[thomas91169]

Wait until the clot is gone. Otherwise, like RDJ and yourself stated, if racing causes a piece to break off and go to your brain and lights out, it may be lights out for someone else as well when your car careens into them.

Id imagine your doctor recommended you stay away from strenuous activity while the clot dissipates, I think racing would constitute a strenuous activity.

 

[Torch10th]

Check with the sanctioning bodies. Each have a list of approved medications they will allow you to be on during racing events.

 

[SteveWK]

I DO understand .. and this is what you said



now if you are talking about racing once you are 100% sure the clot is gone ... that is one thing. but racing before the clot is gone is quite another. Based on what you said, which may or may not be what you meant, I stand by my comments.

if you meant racing once you are 100% sure the clot is gone then have at it. you said you have seen the question asked before what was the answer given? I have been to several events and short of signing the standard waiver I have never been asked about my health

Ok, sorry that was misleading. I am not driving at all for the time being, and I will most certainly wait until I am 100% before racing. I am using my leg as little as possible.

I have never had to sign a medical waiver for an event either., but I was thinking about signing up for the Colorado Mile and they do have one. Also, in the past I wasn't taking any meds.

 

[SteveWK]

Wait until the clot is gone. Otherwise, like RDJ and yourself stated, if racing causes a piece to break off and go to your brain and lights out, it may be lights out for someone else as well when your car careens into them.

Id imagine your doctor recommended you stay away from strenuous activity while the clot dissipates, I think racing would constitute a strenuous activity.

The doctor told me to take it easy which was a huge understatement in my mind. I am not driving at all, and I won't until I feel comfortable with it. I have friends run all of errands for me. I'll be taking them out to dinner after I recover.

 

[SteveWK]

Check with the sanctioning bodies. Each have a list of approved medications they will allow you to be on during racing events.

That does make good sense. I was just hoping some other people had experience in this area and could chime in.

 

[bdcardinal]

Brian Vickers can't race because he is on anti-blood clot medication. Funny part is is he sponsored by Xarelto but as long as he takes it, he cannot compete. The list of banned substances for NASCAR is huge, some you need a prescription to get a waiver, some there are no waivers granted at all.

 

[oldmodman]

I take Plavix and I can no longer pass an FAA physical.

So the chances are that if you reported it to the "racing organization" your license would be lifted until you could be examined by one of their doctors.

That is the reason that so many pilots never tell their doctors what they do.

 

[SteveWK]

I just got back from the doctor's and I am out of the danger zone for a pulmonary embolism, knock on wood. I did bring up racing with him and it is not recommended which falls into the common sense category as far as I'm concerned. Maybe there is some way I can come off the med for a few days to attend one or two events a year. I'll have to discuss that with him at a later date.

Brian Vickers can't race because he is on anti-blood clot medication. Funny part is is he sponsored by Xarelto but as long as he takes it, he cannot compete. The list of banned substances for NASCAR is huge, some you need a prescription to get a waiver, some there are no waivers granted at all.

Hmmm, I wonder what the risk is to other drivers by being on a blood thinner. Lots of people take them and function normally. Maybe the NASCAR race environment is hard enough on the body that internal bleeding could spontaneously become a problem.

I take Plavix and I can no longer pass an FAA physical.

So the chances are that if you reported it to the "racing organization" your license would be lifted until you could be examined by one of their doctors.

That is the reason that so many pilots never tell their doctors what they do.

I have a pilot's license too, but haven't used it since the '80s. I got mine while I was still in college. It was a great way to get dates. I could rent a 152 wet for $15/hr back then through the university flying club. A friend of the family is an FAA Medical Examiner. I'll ask him what the reasoning is behind the restriction. I suspect there have been instances of people hemorrhaging for no reason, e.g. a severe nose bleed, or maybe altitude changes affect the risk somehow.

 

[bdcardinal]

Hmmm, I wonder what the risk is to other drivers by being on a blood thinner. Lots of people take them and function normally. Maybe the NASCAR race environment is hard enough on the body that internal bleeding could spontaneously become a problem.

If he gets into an accident, it would be easier for him to bleed out. If he had an accident like Alex Zanardi or James Hinchcliffe where a control arm punctured his thighs and punched up through is torso, there would be no chance of him surviving.