4.2 inr, yay!

[Gail in Ca]

I can finally eat a couple of real salads, and I surely did enjoy them.
I normally don't eat salad because it really lowers my inr, and i take enough coumadin as it is. So this was a real treat!
Gail

 

[Ross]

A little high on the INR but hey, you enjoyed yourself. What kind of greens are you using to make your salads?

 

[Karlynn]

The greener the greens

The greener the greens

I've heard that the greener the greens, the more K in them. Iceberg doesn't have as much as Endive etc.

I have salads a few times a week. I don't think it does our health any good to stay away from foods that are good for us, except for the Vitamin K issue. I think as long as we are consistent, don't binge and our INR isn't jumping all over the place we're okay.

My beloved Dr. B (who is now gone, but saw me through thick and thin) told me to not make a change in my diet for Coumadin, that I thought I wouldn't be able to keep. Salads is something I kept in. I just don't go crazy. Unfortunately I love spinach and spinach salad, but that is one thing that I did completely eliminate. I never had it regularly, like other salads and vegetables, so I just gave it up.

Karlynn

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Sounds strange, we get excited about a slighty elevated INR as an opportunity to eat the foods we love. I am the same way Gail. Tested at a 3.1 yesterday.

Have any idea if green olives contain higher amounts of K than the regular variety? Only thing I did different. It was a mix of feta, greek olives, green olives. And, oh yes soaked in olive oil. Real heatlhy I know drained most of the oil off before eating but I am sure that added to a lower than usual INR. Oh well, was still within range and enjoyed my little snack.

 

[Georgia]

Me, too II

Me, too II

Had inr checked today - 4.1 (doc wants between 3 - 4) Thought of this post as soon as I heard and had a little giggle. I had a nice bowl of broccoli with cheese sauce (I eat a little broccoli every week but not a nice size serving very ofter). Yummy.

Let's see - before the reunion - do we want the inr high so we can eat, or low for drinks? Hmm-m-m-m. . .

 

[Ross]

Just carry some extra Popeye food and such, you'll be fine!

 

[Gnusgal]

Last year a lot of the teachers at my school decided to go on diets. They ate nothing but salads every day for lunch. And I was SOOOO jealous! There were days when those salads looked heavenly. So I'd be drooling over their salad, while they drooled over my pasta dripping with sauce. Just can't ever seem to be happy with what we have, can we? I like it when my INR is slightly high, too, so I can induldge in a big ceasar salad or spinach dish. This week I was also at 4.1, so I've had spinich pizza and I'll be having spinich enchaladas later this week as well.

 

[Kim]

Niki,

When your INR is at 4.1 do you reduce your dosage, or just indulge in greens? Just wondering because I have been struggling with a high INR that continues to be high even with dosage changes for the last 6 weeks. On Wednesday it was back up to 5.6. I think that when school is in session my diet is more consistent because I always pack the same healthy lunch, but I would have thought this INR business would have settled down by now. THis summer I was up to 9.5 daily and now I am going to try 8's. Just wondering!

 

[Gnusgal]

Kim

Kim

Wow! 9.5! I would definately adjust dosage at that point, but for my 4.1 I do not. I simply indulge in leafy greens. Now, if I do that and my INR still stays up there, that's when I think about changing my dose. That's what I did this summer. For a long time I was taking 9 mg every day. But this summer I spent a lot of time up at 4.5 or higher, and finally gave in and lowered my dose to 8 mg. I've stayed on that since. But I didn't change it until after I had tried to lower it with diet. I always keep a little bit of mixed greens or heart of romaine in the veggie drawer just for such an occasion. Of course, some weeks the lettuce goes bad because I don't get to use it all, unfortunately. I try to incorporate at least two meals a week that contain green leafy veggies. It seems to work fairly well, and on the weeks I only have a little, I know I'll be high. Hope this helps and you find a solution to your high INR!

 

[Kim]

Hi, I guess I didn't make myself clear. My INR was 5.8 and my doseage 9.5 mg. The highest INR I had this summer was 6.8. That was scary enough!! Thanks for sharing your plan for a high INR.

 

[Granbonny]

For Kim and Niki

For Kim and Niki

You girls need to drink a can of V-8 juice every morning before you go to school. How often do yall test? Hope only monthly or you will never get in range changing dosage, ect...I have never changed in 15 months..but I do home testing..Once every 3-4 weeks. Try to stay in 2.5-3.5.. Never below 2.0 or higher than 4.0 Just add a tad if I'm below or higher than this range. Works for me. Bonnie

 

[Kim]

My doctor's office, when I am out of range like this, has me testing weekly. I think in the two years I have been on Coumadin, the most I have gone between test is 2 weeks. It stinks!
Hey Bonnie, I do like V-8!!

 

[Granbonny]

Kim

Kim

Yikes..2 years. Time to get your own Protime. Get your Doctor to write a script for you..QAS will do all the paper work. Bonnie

 

[Gnusgal]

Oh, I really don't change my dose all that often. I think, in the last year, I've only had to change my dosage once when it wasn't due to surgery or procedures or stuff like that. That is, once I finally took charge of my dose changes instead of listening to the nurse who kept having me change dosages any time I was above 3.0 (and I was even in range!). I check it weekly, just for piece of mind (and to know when I can have an extra salad), but I'll only change a dose if I go three or four weeks drasticly out of range (like this summer when I was above 4.5 for three weeks). I much prefer using my diet to adjust my INR than changing my dose.

By the way, I do have a ProTime, or else I wouldn't check this often!

 

[Ross]

By the way, I do have a ProTime, or else I wouldn't check this often!

Nonsense, you just like to prick your finger.

 

[Gnusgal]

Ross, you caught me. I have this strange fascination with having little bruises on my fingertips. But hey, it sure beats HUGE bruises all over my arms.

 

[Granbonny]

Niki

Niki

Great picture. How long have you had your Protime? I was addicted to mine too...but learned..Hey, what can happen in 2 weeks or 3 weeks? I missed a dose a month ago and cut our motorhome trip short a day to come home to test. Guess what. 3 days later. Still in range? When I had a yearly checkup from my PCP..He said. don't test but once a month. He does not regulate me. My Card's nurse does..And she said the same thing. Every 4 weeks.But I do test at 3 weeks. I'm afraid I may get a letter from from carrier saying I test too much Bonnie

 

[Gnusgal]

I've had my Protime not quite a year now (got it last November). I'm sure I could probably go every other week without a problem. But I'm not sure if I would feel comfortable with going a month, quite yet. Probably some day. Maybe I'll skip tomorrow and wait a week to see what happens...

The picture is a favorite of my husband's. It's from our honeymoon two years ago. We went to Disney World.

 

[ccrawford]

Hi Niki - Besides that left-handed Coumadin, I grow left handed Spinach on my farm. Works like a charm

 

[Gnusgal]

LOL I just might have to hit you up for some of that.