Input please...

[Harpoon]

So like a good little boy I went to have my monthly fingerstick today at the doctor's office where they have Coaguchek machine and friendly nurses who check my weight, pulse, and PB then ask about my meds and diet and such....

Last month it was "slightly" elevated at 4.2. Still close to within range for me (cardiologist wants between 3.0 and 4.0 for my "fake" tricuspid valve,) but high nonetheless.

Today it was 6.6.

Ep!

Well she poked another finger thinking maybe there was an erroneous reading or something. I scored higher, a 7.2!


Whoops!


Doc said to go off meds for three days, then begin again at 7.5 which is what I've been taking forever and a day...


Any ideas, thoughts, misrepresentation of the facts, hearsay and innuendo, doomsday scenarios, death threats?

 

[Ross]

3 days is too long if you bottom out like I do. I'd skip one dose and then lower the total overall by 15% over the week and then retest in a week.

So your saying you take 52.5 for the week and this is the result?

 

[EVELYN]

Harpoon

I'm in total agreement with Rossman....Off 3 days is WAAY to much IMHO!!!

Tyce, who is always pretty steady all spring fall and winter goes WHACKY in the summertime.......why????who knows. Not much changes, but his numbers. Last week he was 6.2.....all we do is decrease by 10% and recheck in a week.....

I think Rossman is absolutely right, and I would also check next week.

Evelyn

 

[Nancy]

I think, if I remember correctly, INR drops by approx. half for each two days hold. So keep that in mind. It's been pretty close to true for Joe.

 

[Cris N]

It might be the weather...

It might be the weather...

Read this article on ptinr.com:

http://www.ptinr.com/data/templates/article.aspx?articleid=265&zoneid=4

Title of the article is: Summer's heat can impact your INR


Cris

 

[Harpoon]

Well the only thing that's changed in my "day-to-day routine" as of late is a little extra-curricular activity with the fire department. A few calls for EMS late at night and the fire last week plus a drill last night that saw me in full turnoutgear, inside a training building with other guys who had airpacks on taking photos (that's all I'm good for!) and sweating like a pig on a skewer...


Maybe that's a little graphic.


Anyways, I HAVE been more active than is typical for me, but that seems to be the only variation I can point to that might have caused the INR to change.

 

[Hank]

3 Days!!!!

3 Days!!!!

My Personal Opinion is that the high INR is no big deal if you aren't having any adverse effects.

IF IT WERE ME - I would skip one day and then continue with the regular dose and then test again in a week.

But since I have a home testing machine, that is easier for me to do - Do you have a machine?

Time to call QAS and get a machine...

Anyway - going off meds for 3 days is simply nuts...

 

[Guest]

These instructions came from a person with very limited knowledge of how warfarin works. A person who takes more than 5 mg per day will usually drop their INR into the danger range (below 2.0) with a two day hold.

 

[Harpoon]

Don't have home testing...

I've been advised by my primary physician that it would probably not be picked up by my insurance at all....


I'm starting to wonder though if I should get a second opinion on things and I'm about to call my cardiologist for his input.

 

[Guest]

It is hard enough to get physicians to learn about warfarin, now we have one who is an expert on insurance policies.

 

[Harpoon]

Grrr.... Apparently my cardiologist's group practice hired a new secretary....


She's not very swift....


"We generally don't forward calls from patients directly to doctors, can I pass along a message for you?"


HELLO!?!?!? He was at my WEDDING, I HAVE HIS HOME PHONE NUMBER!!!!
I really don't think it's a problem if you connect me to him!!!!!


Grrrrr.....

So she said she'd email my doc and I'm sure he'll get back to me before lunch.

He's good that way.