Husband has a stent because of blocked artery and takes warfarin. Recommended INR range 2-3.
PCP advised spouse to use my XS and between the doctor's office and myself he would be kept in range.
PCP feels weekly testing is "overkill" and has requested a once per month vein draw.
He tests weekly and I advise his dose between the monthly vein draws. Weekly tests have shown a .2 reduction in INR. 2.7, 2.5, 2.3 and finally 2.1. The 2.1 was a vein draw only. So doctor's office told spouse to continue the same dose and test in one month.
Uh uh--no you don't and I increased his dose by 2 mg over the following week causing the XS test of 2.5. Nurse, because of privacy reasons will tell only my spouse of the INR vein draw result so I have no chance to express my view.
The doctor's office was not aware of the falling INR level. Spouse is slowly losing weight, becoming more active and attends cardiac rehab twice a week.
Nurse and I have banged heads before--not the doctor. Spouse has PCP appointment and I'm advising him to inform the doctor of the "incorrect to me" warfarin recommendation resulting from the 2.1 vein draw. Spouse unwilling to "rock the boat" but trusts my judgement completely where warfarin is concerned and wants to continue ignoring the nurse.
I want to talk to the nurse because this will continue to happen and the doctor's records will be inaccurate.
So to remain quiet or speak up that's the question. No one likes a butinsky.
PCP advised spouse to use my XS and between the doctor's office and myself he would be kept in range.
PCP feels weekly testing is "overkill" and has requested a once per month vein draw.
He tests weekly and I advise his dose between the monthly vein draws. Weekly tests have shown a .2 reduction in INR. 2.7, 2.5, 2.3 and finally 2.1. The 2.1 was a vein draw only. So doctor's office told spouse to continue the same dose and test in one month.
Uh uh--no you don't and I increased his dose by 2 mg over the following week causing the XS test of 2.5. Nurse, because of privacy reasons will tell only my spouse of the INR vein draw result so I have no chance to express my view.
The doctor's office was not aware of the falling INR level. Spouse is slowly losing weight, becoming more active and attends cardiac rehab twice a week.
Nurse and I have banged heads before--not the doctor. Spouse has PCP appointment and I'm advising him to inform the doctor of the "incorrect to me" warfarin recommendation resulting from the 2.1 vein draw. Spouse unwilling to "rock the boat" but trusts my judgement completely where warfarin is concerned and wants to continue ignoring the nurse.
I want to talk to the nurse because this will continue to happen and the doctor's records will be inaccurate.
So to remain quiet or speak up that's the question. No one likes a butinsky.
