Well, not really.
But ... my PCP considers me to be a quasi-expert on anticoagulation.
Had my annual physical today. Another doctor's nurse knocked on the door -- my PCP practices w/ 3 or 4 other physicians plus his nurse practitioner -- and consulted with him about a patient's INR. My PCP said, "What's the reason for taking Coumadin?" Nurse said it wasn't on the sheet, but the INR range was 2.0-3.0 and that this patient had been fluctuating in & out of range.
My PCP said to just recheck the INR in 2 weeks. No dosage change.
Then, turned to me and said, "What do you think?" I asked what the INR was on today's test and he said, "3.1."
I said I wouldn't change anything.
He agreed and said he was sooooooooo glad I had educated myself about warfarin and did home-testing.
I then said, "You can replace blood cells but not brain cells."
He agreed. He said he'd never heard that phrase and would have to pass it to others and that too many people worry about bleeds rather than strokes.
I have so many of y'all out there to thank for helping educate me -- Al Lodwick for starters, and Karlynn, Ross, Nancy, too many to try to remember all the names because I'll forget someone.
But ... my PCP considers me to be a quasi-expert on anticoagulation.
Had my annual physical today. Another doctor's nurse knocked on the door -- my PCP practices w/ 3 or 4 other physicians plus his nurse practitioner -- and consulted with him about a patient's INR. My PCP said, "What's the reason for taking Coumadin?" Nurse said it wasn't on the sheet, but the INR range was 2.0-3.0 and that this patient had been fluctuating in & out of range.
My PCP said to just recheck the INR in 2 weeks. No dosage change.
Then, turned to me and said, "What do you think?" I asked what the INR was on today's test and he said, "3.1."
I said I wouldn't change anything.
He agreed and said he was sooooooooo glad I had educated myself about warfarin and did home-testing.
I then said, "You can replace blood cells but not brain cells."
He agreed. He said he'd never heard that phrase and would have to pass it to others and that too many people worry about bleeds rather than strokes.
I have so many of y'all out there to thank for helping educate me -- Al Lodwick for starters, and Karlynn, Ross, Nancy, too many to try to remember all the names because I'll forget someone.
My cardio is also very thrilled that I home test and have educated myself. She is in the process of trying to get a few more of her patients into home testing.
