How many of you have had this experience??

[Nancy]

When Joe has had to go to the ER or to specialists who are out of the cardiology or Internal Medicine field, he gets rolled eyes and shocked expressions when his INR comes back at 2.5, 3.5, 3.7, etc.

I really wish that these other professionals would educate themselves as to what is normal for a double valver with atrial fibrillation, or that the various hospitals would give a Coumadin course. We have to go through a lengthy explanation each and every time, and even then we are sometimes met with disbelief. They always want to hold his Coumadin.

It's a danger area for mechanical valvers, that does not have to be so. There have been times when the ER doctor has accidentally "forgotten" to order Coumadin, and then has disappeared. If Joe is in the ER evening and into the early morning, this can be a real rpoblem for him, and then if he happens to get admitted, it would be the next evening or longer before Coumadin would be ordered again.

It scares me because he's had about 16 TIAs when his INR is in the low range.

Anyone else have similar problems?

 

[Ross]

I'm sorry to say, but just about every dingaling I've run across so far is like that. I've gotten into knock down drag out fights with a couple of them over it. It's scary knowing that you rely on them to know something that they do not know.

I think they need to make this a basic requirement in licensing in the health care industry.

 

[bvdr]

I've thought about the same thing. I have a few tablets in my purse so I can still maintain control of my coumadin dosage. There is an awful lot of ignorance out there so we do have to be careful.

When I got discharged from Duke my INR was 2.0. I had to ask to get the result. My nurse happily told me it was right in my range. I was nice to her but I did let her know that she shouldn't tell people that when it wasn't true. I knew it was 2.5 to 3.5 but she should have as well.