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It does seem odd that the sound has increased well after surgery, so I agree: worth discussing with a cardiologist, or your surgeon.

You can get the CoaguChek "Softclix" lancets here, but for some reason although they are the official Roche distributor, they don't sell the pen! However, there's one on eBay.

Not sure if this is relevant to your situation, but my iron count remained low and tests showed that I had "normocytic normochromic anaemia", and I was told that this is because in SOME mechanical valve patients, the opening/closing action of the valve damages red blood cells. I am on an iron...

Whilst that is the correct link to buy test strips from the Roche authorised distributor, in reality I suspect most UK people get their strips on prescription from their GP/local doctor. If they have to pay for their prescriptions, that would be about £10 (US$12). 90% of people don't pay -...

That all makes sense, and the reason they would be allowed to sell in the UK is because the machine is not a prescription item - anyone can buy one. I've just checked, and there are several for sale, both the XS and the INRange machines. However, why buy on eBay for £443 or £551 when you can buy...

Just keep a box of plasters in the kitchen :)

For the benefit of those in the UK and Ireland, and I am sure most European countries will have one too, you can buy the meter from an official Roche distributor, Williams Medical Supplies. The price is currently £299.00 (US$360) though to get it at that price you have to order by phone, as...

For the benefit of those in the UK and Ireland, and I am sure most European countries will have one too, you can buy the meter from an official Roche distributor, Williams Medical Supplies. The price is currently £299.00 (US$360) though to get it at that price you have to order by phone, as...

Welcome, Neil! My AVR was 10 years ago now, but I still learn lots on here :)

Yes, leafy green vegetables such as broccoli do have an impact on INR, so that could well be a factor if your consumption of it has increased since last week? I'm not suggesting you should reduce the portions of broccoli - I agree with the mantra "dose the diet" - not the other way around. It...

I suspect we all "waste" a strip or two as we get familiar with the machine - I still do, occasionally, even after 10 years! I am sure they wouldn't have said a difference of 0.05 - the machines only measure to one decimal place, so I suspect he said 0.5. It is fine if there is a difference of...

My surgeon agreed with your approach, and specified a range of 2.5 to 3.5 for my St Jude valve. He felt strongly about this level of INR, and wrote in my yellow Warfarin booklet "If under 2.5 administer Heparin", which was against the protocols of my anticoagulation clinic at that time.

As some of those are outdoor activities, just wanted to add: if you don't want your surgery scar to go permanently dark, don't sunbathe it for a year.

Yay! A consistent dose at last! A good news post all-round :)

This UK study, by our NHS "regulator" in 2013, would suggest the risk of a stroke is greatly reduced with self-testing [and I would go on to say self-managing, for those willing to do so].

The clinic's dosing still seems weird: the objective is to get in range and take a consistent dose, but they seem to never dose the same amount two days running! With Warfarin taking 3 days to take full effect in the blood stream, it is very difficult to manage it with erratic inputs. At least...

The attitude of the medical profession seems somewhat different in Europe to the Americans: self-testing is seen as better for patient outcomes and supported, rather than trying to push patients to a cumbersome and expensive monitoring industry.

I didn't comment earlier because I "only" had a valve and one CABG done in 2013, but happy to say that, broadly, all went fine. I wasn't expecting the CABG but they decided to do it as there were signs that artery was going to need bypassing in the future, so decided "whilst we're in, let's do...

PS! When you are back in your own home, will you be able to get food delivered? If you will be walking to a store, consider getting a shopping trolley, to avoid carrying weight. Also, if you have any appliances or lamps where the switch is in an awkward place (eg down low, behind a sofa etc)...

Hi @Johnny_H and here's my contribution. I also agree with everything @tom in MO has said. Even though I had a complication (needed a pacemaker, which was inserted 7 days later) and ended up in hospital for a total of 18 days after "the main event", I would say my recovery was uneventful. But I...