Acid reflux ?

[Raecee]

Severe Scare

Severe Scare

Well, I don't know about the acid reflux.. but this last weekend I had a major scare. The pain started in my back and next thing I knew my chest/stomach felt like it was being crushed and breathing was difficult. I called my Mom In Law as my hubby had gone fishing. By the time she got to me, it was over and I felt fine.
I got in touch w/ my hubby and he hurried home and took me to the local E. R. where I was immediately taken and all the blood tests and X-ray were done. Nothing was abnormal w/ my heart and my bp was fine. Turns out all the problem was was gas. Although, it did turn out that my INR was 5.7. I am off of warfarin sodium until tomorrow when I see my Cardiologist.
I felt stupid that I had allowed the gas to scare me soo bad, but was glad that the Dr. found my INR to be so high. He said I was suppose to come in to get checked and "God" made sure I did.
I plan on finding out if I should be taking anything to help the "gas" problem, and hopefully get my INR back to normal.

 

[Guest]

A three day hold for an INR of 5.7 sounds excessive. I hope that wasn't the doctors at The DeBakey Heart Center that told you that. You will learn that you are in much more danger from a low INR than you are from a 5.7. At my clinic, a 1 dose hold is usually all I will do for a 5.7 INR.

Let us know what INR you get tomorrow.

You made a good decision to get checked for pain like that.

 

[Raecee]

Update

Update

A three day hold for an INR of 5.7 sounds excessive. I hope that wasn't the doctors at The DeBakey Heart Center that told you that. You will learn that you are in much more danger from a low INR than you are from a 5.7. At my clinic, a 1 dose hold is usually all I will do for a 5.7 INR.

Let us know what INR you get tomorrow.

You made a good decision to get checked for pain like that.

WEll, I went and got my INR checked at the coumadin clinic ( cardiologist's office in Beaumont) ..and it was 1.8 after 2 days w/o my w.s. No, the DeBakey Heart Center gave me my sugeries and new valve, and now I go to a cardiologist in Beaumont rather than drive well over an hour to Houston.
Anyhow, I am basically back to my regular schedual except I'll be taking 12.5 mg of W.S. one day a week and 10.0 mg the rest. Usually I take just 10 mg a day all week.
All I can figure is that somehow I doubled up on my dosage and didn't even realize it. I go back Aug 12 for my next check, so until then I will be very careful of what/when dosage I take.

 

[Guest]

You are learning that most doctors do a fair to poor management of warfarin. Doctors mistakenly fear bleeding when the biggest complication is clotting.

Are you saying that 10 mg of warfarin daily (70 mg/wk) caused an INR of 5.7. Then you held the warfarin for 2 or 3 days and the INR was 1.8, so they increased your warfarin dose to 72.5 mg/wk? If that is the case you have someone managing your warfarin who has a serious knowledge defecit.

I use a lot of car analogies. Being surprised at a 1.8 after a 2 day hold is like being surprised that your gas tank is low after driving steadily for 48 hours. You are low now so they jacked your dose up higher than what made your INR high in the first place?????

Please tell me that I am wrong!!! That I missed something!!! Or that you left something out!!!

In reality you were at far less risk with an INR of 5.7 than you are with an INR of 1.8. Our motto here is that it is easier to replace blood cells than it is brain cells.

 

[Raecee]

I am saying

I am saying

Are you saying that 10 mg of warfarin daily (70 mg/wk) caused an INR of 5.7. Then you held the warfarin for 2 or 3 days and the INR was 1.8, so they increased your warfarin dose to 72.5 mg/wk? If that is the case you have someone managing your warfarin who has a serious knowledge defecit.


Please tell me that I am wrong!!! That I missed something!!! Or that you left something out!!!

In reality you were at far less risk with an INR of 5.7 than you are with an INR of 1.8. Our motto here is that it is easier to replace blood cells than it is brain cells.[/QUOTE]

I am saying that I have been taking 10 mg of warfarin sodium daily for some time now and keeping my INR at 2.9 - 3.0 until last Saturday when I went to the local E. R. where they said that my INR was 5.7(at the local hospital not Dr. Sweet's office ).
Following Dr. Sweet's instructions I stopped taking my W.S. until I could get it checked on Monday. Today I went to my Cardiologist ( Dr. R. Leldon Sweet ) 's office and had my INR checked there (per Sweet's instructions ) and according to them my INR was 1.8. I am schedualed to take 12.5 mg on Mondays and 10.0 mg the rest of the week .
Best I can figure.. the only way my INR could have been 5.7 is if I doubled up on my doses, but my family is most always w/ me when I take it. I do NOT remember doing such a thing.
I haven't been eating much salad the last few weeks (kinda tired of it) so my Vitamin K intake has been down.
Basically Yes I am now taking 72.5mg of W. S. a week. The only other difference is that I have been finishing my Coumadin brand and now taking Jantoven brand (cheeper for me ). And I don't see that that would cause difficulties.
I don't know who's machine is screwie, but I can only pray it is the E. R. s. I do not have the money to test the theory, but will be sure to pass on the news to them.
Rachel

 

[catwoman]

Rachel:
Do you portion a week's worth of warfarin at a time in a compartmentalized container? That helps to avoid doubling up on warfarin. Also lets you know if you've taken it.
Two years ago, I learned very quickly that I needed a 7-day container. It's easy to determine if I've forgotten to take my warfarin. I refill about Wednesday & carry extra pills in 2 pieces of my luggage (rollerboard & a small overnight) & have some at work -- "just in case." I take mine at breakfast, which gives wiggle room in case I've had an interruption.

I know what you mean about getting tired of salads. I joke w/ family & friends about having "a plate of vitamin K" when we go out to eat.
I try to vary how I get my vitamin K: beef & broccoli stir fry, cole slaw (thank heavens I like a bowl of GOOD cole slaw!), minestrone w/ cabbage & spinach, Japanese spinach salad, grilled asparagus, etc. etc.

 

[Raecee]

Rachel:
Do you portion a week's worth of warfarin at a time in a compartmentalized container? That helps to avoid doubling up on warfarin. Also lets you know if you've taken it.



No, I don't use one of those.. I take my warfarin @ 7:00 directly after supper and my bp med when I lay down for bed at night. I have the med in different places since I take them in different room, although I have thought of getting one of those especially since I'll be taking the warfarin for the rest of my life.

As much as I love salads, and slaw, and have never much cared for "greens" (collard, mustard, and such ) or spinich. And rarely will I eat them cooked in any form. I much prefer my vegetables raw. I can't wait for it to be time to plant the cabbage ( which I only eat in slaw ) so I can make my own slaw. Gotta love the garden !

Rachel

 

[catwoman]

Rachel:

By "greens," I meant ALL green stuff (lettuce, mustard greens, turnip greens, etc.) that has vitamin K. I like mustard/turnip greens -- guess I inherited that from my mom, who grew up in northeast Texas near Texarkana. But I only eat them rarely now and only in small portions.
I buy shredded slaw w/ carrots & red cabbage and add a low-fat dressing to it. My mom used to make a really good slaw, with lots of carrots, red cabbage & green bell peppers, in addition to the regular shredded cabbage. Dressing was high in sugar & fat, so she doesn't make it any more. (She's an insulin-dependent diabetic now.)

The 7-day compartmentalized containers are really great. Before my surgery, I thought people who needed them were nuts. Now, I guess I've joined that category... I even look for new "designs" in them. Even have one for my show cats, so I can carry amoxicillin, anti-diarrheatics, etc., for emergency situations on the road.
I never have to question whether I've taken my meds for the day since I started using a 7-day container. Until then, I'm sure I forgot one or two doses and I know I doubled up one time.