Dr. not regulating coumadin properly

[terryj]

This is terryj wife. My husband had his AVR on 09/11/01. After a few months of low INR counts we finally got it to stay between 2.5 to 3.2 taking 7.5 mg. per day. Our GP has been monitoring his coumadin but we have had a problem with them getting his results to us. I have to call them everytime to get the results. I told them we chart it and the surgeon said its the most important medicine he takes. Well, three weeks ago we went in for his six month check up and the doctor said it was 3.6 at his last check and he wanted to drop him from 7.5 to 6.0 mg. for 2 weeks and retest. I tried to tell him I would feed him a few extra salads and it would probably be fine at his next test but I was basically told he was the doctor. After 2 weeks he was at 1.9 and wanted to keep him at 6.0 and retest at 4 weeks. I promptly went over his head and called the surgeon. I was told that I needed to find someone else to monitor his coumadin. I am changing doctors on Monday. We are doing 7.5 four days a week and 6.0 three days a week and will have the new doctor retest in 2 weeks.I guess mostly I just want to thank you all. I have been lurking since right after his surgery. I read and printed all the Bum Tickers info before his surgery. I feel like I know more about coumadin monitoring then most doctors and I feel I owe most of it to you all.

 

[Ross]

Terry they should never have changed the dose. Even if it required a small change, it should've only been 5 or 10%, not a full 20%. Whomever certainly does not know how to manage a coumadin patient. I'm glad we've been of some help to you. Stick around and throw some input in too.

I hope this next Doc does some good for you. I'm going to get you a link to some Coumadin Clinics. You may be able to look one up in your area if you get no satisfaction from the new physician.

http://www.acforum.org/locations.htm

 

[terryj]

Thank you for the list of Coumadin Clinics. The closest one is still a too far from where we live. I plan to stick around. I would like to know if there are any other valvers out there with ATS mechanical valves and did anyone else have their surgery during the 9/11 attacks. My husband was in surgery when it occured.

 

[JimL]

I had some INR checks done by my PCP a few weeks after my surgery; the PCP is about 1 block away, very convenient. But they would send the blood off to some clinic, and the results were not available until the next day. That was not a good system.

When I need to get my INR checked and the finger stick clinic I go to can't do it (it's only open on Fridays), I go to the hospital lab; they draw the blood, I wait around for an hour, and then sign a form to get the results. It's much less convenient than the coumadin clinic (results in 2 minutes), but it's far better than the PCP (results in 24 hours).

I've been regulating my own coumadin dosages since before I got permission back to drive. Some doctors take longer to learn than others that I'm going to take what I figure is right, no matter what they tell me to take.

I mail order my coumadin, and only have to get a prescription once a year; I've always got 5mg and 6 mg pills on hand.

 

[Guest]

I know of one person who was having her valve replaced only two blocks from the WTC when the towers came down.

 

[McCln]

Of course everyone forgot about little ol' me. I had mine done two days after though. But it was a tough time though. I had aortic valve replacement with St. Jude's valve. I can't believe that two years have almot passed. You take care Terryj.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortice valve replacement
St. Jude's valve