Foods that raise INR

[Herb M]

I am aware of the many foods that lower INR, but only know about Mango that could raise INR. Are there any other foods that raise INR.

 

[Ross]

Courtesy of Catwoman:

According to the Coumadin TM leaflet I have from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., the following have the potential anticoagulant effects:
Alfalfa
Angelica
Aniseed
Arnica
Asa Foetida
Bogbean
Bolde
Buchu
Capsicum
Cassia
Celery
Chamomile (German and Roman)
Dandelion
Fenugreek
Horse Chestnut
Horseradish
Licorice
Meadowsweet
Nettle
Parsley
Passion Flower
Prickly Ash (Northern)
Quassia
Red Clover
Sweet Clover
Sweet Woodruff
Tonka Beans
Wild Carrot
Wild Lettuce

(Sweet clover is what researchers first found coumarins (anticoagulants) in, after reports that cattle in the upper Midwest were hemorrhaging. The cattle had been feeding on the clover. I don't know where you'd get it for human consumption.)


If you will check the Anticoagulation Forum here, you'll see that we recommend that you "dose the diet, not diet the dose," meaning you base your dosage on your normal diet, instead of cutting back on your dietary intake to suit your dosage of warfarin. Whoever manages your warfarin should be basing your dosage on your INR, not your INR being based on your dosage.
__________________
Marsha
MVP 1990/MVR (St. Jude) & ASD repair 6/24/03 Baylor Med Center, Dallas TX

 

[Ross]

Bare in mind, foods play a very small overall roll in your INR. You'd have to eat an extraordinary amount of something to make a dent in INR. If your consistent or at least half way close, don't worry about what you eat. Eat normally and dose that diet.

 

[Herb M]

Ross I am aware of the diet and dosage. I am within range now, but at the lower the lower but I prefer to be in mid-range. I occasionally eat some greens more than I usually do and that seemed to move my recent INR from the mid range to the lower limit.

I have been taking coumadin for 18 years with out any dosage adjustmens, except for a couple of times when I had to temporarily increase it for a couple of weeks.

Relying on physicians is not always the best thing to do. I think I know more than most of them about coumadin therapy. A few months ago I was told by a nurse in the doctors office that my INR is much too high and need to make a quick adjustment. Of course my INR was within range and she did not realize that my INR needs to be higher than someone not in coumafdin therapy.



Thanks for your response, but it doesn't look like any of the items on the list is something I would add to my meals.

 

[catwoman]

Herb:

Gee, you wouldn't add licorice jelly beans to your diet to raise your INR? Most people hate licorice, but I love licorice jelly beans.

Seriously:
How much warfarin do you take weekly? Would it be possible to bump up your dosage to get it closer to your ideal?

 

[Herb M]

Catwoman, I take 5 MG each day of coumadin. My range for INR is 2.5 to 3.5. My reading on Saturday was 2.53. No need to take additional coumading since the lower end is just temporary based on my long history.

 

[Blanche]

There are several Vitamin K charts on the net. Some are quite extensive. The most important thing is to be consistent, but I do find knowing the Vitamin K content of foods interesting. Perhaps the following will be of some help to you.

http://216.150.136.82/article.asp?siteID=248&catId=1345&pgId=3275
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR16-1/wtrank/16-1w430.pdf

Kind regards,
Blanche

 

[Ross]

Relying on physicians is not always the best thing to do. I think I know more than most of them about coumadin therapy. A few months ago I was told by a nurse in the doctors office that my INR is much too high and need to make a quick adjustment. Of course my INR was within range and she did not realize that my INR needs to be higher than someone not in coumafdin therapy.

Herb I couldn't agree more with you! When I was in the hospital last month, I had one doctor tell me my INR was high on admission. I asked what it was. He said 3.3. My range is 2.5 to 3.5 so I was in range, but this guy thinks thats high.

If you cannot account for the reason, maybe your body is just plain changing and the dose needs a small tweak. I know I like to have mine at the higher end because I love to pig out on greens and do almost daily. Sometimes lots more then others, so in other words, I'm not real consistent.

 

[Herb M]

I assume my next reading will be closer to 3.0. At 2.53, my physician will probably not recommend me to increase the dosage. If it still at the low end I will add an addional 2,5 on 2 separated days each week. Then I will be able to pig out on greens.

I usually only get my INR tests about 6 weeks apart because the INR has been fairly stable. If I increase the dosage, I will check it in about 2 weeks.

I have been at this for a long time, but I have stayed away from lettuce and spinach and do not care for broccoli. Recently I have increased the number of salads I eat. If I continue to do that, I will probably need an adjustment.

 

[Ross]

Ah but Spinach and Broccoli are yummy! Lettuce is good too! Dont forget Brussel Sprouts and Asparagus.

 

[catwoman]

I have been at this for a long time, but I have stayed away from lettuce and spinach and do not care for broccoli. Recently I have increased the number of salads I eat. If I continue to do that, I will probably need an adjustment.

That's why I mentioned possibly tweaking your dosage up. In one of your posts here, you said you were having a few more salads than usual.

I used to take 5mg daily, but upped mine gradually to 6.5 to cover all the wonderful vitamin K I love to eat + to stay at the higher end of my range (2.5-3.5, but I prefer to stay 3.5-4.0).

Remember, you can replace blood cells but you can't replace brain cells.