Dropping INR?

[Cooker]

Went for my monthly INR stick this morning and it was 1.9 down from 2.9.
She grilled me pretty good about what I had been eating and I assured her there had been no big change in my diet. I did tell her I had been walking a lot more. On the way to work I thought about the fact that I have been taken off Amiodarone ( 1 month now )(they should have caught it ) and the thread that someone said that would cause a change in warfarin effectivness. They made no change to my dose (5mg/2.5mg) and I go back in two weeks for another check.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

 

[Ross]

The Amiodarone stop should have showed up before now, but I suppose it could take this long in some people. Combine that with your harder excercise and yeap, drop it will.

 

[Mike C]

It could be a number of things but I would strongly suspect coming off Amiodarone. If it were me, I would bump the dosage up a slight bit. My opinion is to keep it towards the high side of the range. Too little room for error when at 2.

 

[RandyL]

Went for my monthly INR stick this morning and it was 1.9 down from 2.9.
She grilled me pretty good about what I had been eating and I assured her there had been no big change in my diet. I did tell her I had been walking a lot more. On the way to work I thought about the fact that I have been taken off Amiodarone ( 1 month now )(they should have caught it ) and the thread that someone said that would cause a change in warfarin effectivness. They made no change to my dose (5mg/2.5mg) and I go back in two weeks for another check.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

If it were me I would retest in 1 week not 2. You are below the recommended range ,not much ,but still below. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Guest]

I think that it is rather soon for stopping amiodarone to make a big change like this. It usually takes 6 months for amiodaroone to stop affecting warfarin. What we have is another warfarin manager with a food fixation. If it isn't food then God only knows what else it could be.

 

[KristyW]

I did tell her I had been walking a lot more.

BINGO!!!!

Exercise plays a huge part in INR management (more than even food). I went from a couch potato at 5mg warfarin/day (35mg/wk) to 5x week walk jog that took me to 7.5mg 4x/wk 10mg 3x/wk (60mg/wk). BIG change. I'm not exercising like that anymore just lazy I guess & I'm at 5mg 3x/wk & 7.5 mg 4x/wk (45 mg/wk).

You need to retest sooner if you are going to keep up this exercise routine (please do...it's good for you!)

 

[Adrienne]

Went for my monthly INR stick this morning and it was 1.9 down from 2.9.
She grilled me pretty good about what I had been eating and I assured her there had been no big change in my diet. I did tell her I had been walking a lot more. On the way to work I thought about the fact that I have been taken off Amiodarone ( 1 month now )(they should have caught it ) and the thread that someone said that would cause a change in warfarin effectivness. They made no change to my dose (5mg/2.5mg) and I go back in two weeks for another check.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

It took a few months after ceasing Amiodarone to get the levels of INR to be in the right zone. They say that Amiodarone can stay in your system for months!

 

[Guest]

I'd probably test someone sooner that 2 weeks, if possible.

 

[Cooker]

Tested yesterday (9-20-06) and was back to 3.0. Go figure.

Tom

 

[Guest]

INR = It's Never Right