Sitting in our Cardio's Office yesterday..waiting for Hubby's rountine follow-up for b/P meds..I noticed that they had posted signs all over..saying, that the flu shot will elevate your INR..and you must come back in 2 weeks for a follow-up on your INR....I never got mine this year or last year..I have a PCP appointment on Jan. 13th..Probably, too late by then....Will hope I don't get the flu..Never have..just the common cold..... I home test..so, if I get one in Jan .will check it out (INR)..Bonnie
INR and flu shot
- Thread starter Granbonny
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Ross
Well-known member
Sounds like a gimmick to get more money out of you. Yes your INR MAY rise, but in two weeks time your not going to know the difference.
Sorry , Ross..Have to disagree with this one on you.
My Cardio's office is the best one in Northeast Georgia.... they monitor my INR with NO charge..They refill my Warfarin with NO charge.Clinical nurse calls back the SAME day. that I report my INR.. with No charge...... However, I only get 4 months Warfarin..due to..Clinical nurse says..so many Elderly DO NOT report in..... coming in for monthly checks, ect.....So, if they ask for a flu shot..they must come back in after 2 weeks...No problem for me..After my 4 months..I call clinical nurse..she calls Eckerd's, ect. NO Charge.. My Cardio is booked 6 months out..I missed my 6 month follow-up due to Dad's passing. Now, she is working to get me in. He does NOT take new patients. Many Cardio's in that office. But, I like him. Just have fun with him for 5 minutes. My echo was great..several weeks back..She called me. No charge. and I didn't ask her to do it.Just the great service from their office. Bonnie
My Cardio's office is the best one in Northeast Georgia.... they monitor my INR with NO charge..They refill my Warfarin with NO charge.Clinical nurse calls back the SAME day. that I report my INR.. with No charge...... However, I only get 4 months Warfarin..due to..Clinical nurse says..so many Elderly DO NOT report in..... coming in for monthly checks, ect.....So, if they ask for a flu shot..they must come back in after 2 weeks...No problem for me..After my 4 months..I call clinical nurse..she calls Eckerd's, ect. NO Charge.. My Cardio is booked 6 months out..I missed my 6 month follow-up due to Dad's passing. Now, she is working to get me in. He does NOT take new patients. Many Cardio's in that office. But, I like him. Just have fun with him for 5 minutes. My echo was great..several weeks back..She called me. No charge. and I didn't ask her to do it.Just the great service from their office. Bonnie
LUVMyBirman
Well-known member
Hi Bonnie,
Have not had any issues in 6 years with the flu shot/INR. By the time 2 weeks time passes.....even if there was an issue with the INR. You would level off. INR monitoring rule of thumb generally is 2-3 days when introducing a new med, etc.
Have not had any issues in 6 years with the flu shot/INR. By the time 2 weeks time passes.....even if there was an issue with the INR. You would level off. INR monitoring rule of thumb generally is 2-3 days when introducing a new med, etc.
Ross
Well-known member
Precisely my point, thank you.LUVMyBirman said:
Natanni
Well-known member
INR and Flu Shot
INR and Flu Shot
Nathan had a flu shot at around 2 weeks post AVR, and we didn't see a difference in his INR then (he was being checked twice weekly for a month at that time).
He has only had one dip at 1.1, which was a messed up reading. He was actually 2.8 lab draw.
INR and Flu Shot
Nathan had a flu shot at around 2 weeks post AVR, and we didn't see a difference in his INR then (he was being checked twice weekly for a month at that time).
He has only had one dip at 1.1, which was a messed up reading. He was actually 2.8 lab draw.
Ross
Well-known member
When he had this dip, was this with the INRatio? Did you do second test before going to the lab?Natanni said:
Just wondering, When I tested Wednesday, my first test was 1.6 which I knew was completely off as the previous week was 2.7. Tested a second time and got 2.5 which I feel was accurate.
No problems with flu shots here
No problems with flu shots here
Albert's had a flu shot every year since 1990. I drag him, kicking an screaming, each year to one of the places giving shots. In 1989 he refused to get the shot. In January and February of 1990 his doctor diagnosed Albert as having a reoccuring flu because he refused the flu shot. It turns out that the doctor missed endocarditis for three months. I checked Albert's records of flu shots and INR readings for the last two years. He tests every week. Didn't see any change in INR for those times.
Blanche
No problems with flu shots here
Albert's had a flu shot every year since 1990. I drag him, kicking an screaming, each year to one of the places giving shots. In 1989 he refused to get the shot. In January and February of 1990 his doctor diagnosed Albert as having a reoccuring flu because he refused the flu shot. It turns out that the doctor missed endocarditis for three months. I checked Albert's records of flu shots and INR readings for the last two years. He tests every week. Didn't see any change in INR for those times.
Blanche
Natanni
Well-known member
The dip
The dip
Yes, it was with his INRatio. He did try a second strip, but that one flubbed up as the blood missed the strip. He didn't want to waste another strip, so he just went in and had the draw, and the coumadin clinic also checked him with their Pro Time, which was close to 2.8 as well. Nathan was not waiting long after wiping with alcohol, so we attributed that as a possiblity.
Since then, the INRatio is closer to the lab draws than the coumadin clinics Pro Time. We set Nathan's target a little higher, as the lab usually has him at 3.5 and INRatio is 3.0. Nathan has been most consistant on his machine, very little variablity, usually around 2.8 to 3.0.
The dip
Yes, it was with his INRatio. He did try a second strip, but that one flubbed up as the blood missed the strip. He didn't want to waste another strip, so he just went in and had the draw, and the coumadin clinic also checked him with their Pro Time, which was close to 2.8 as well. Nathan was not waiting long after wiping with alcohol, so we attributed that as a possiblity.
Since then, the INRatio is closer to the lab draws than the coumadin clinics Pro Time. We set Nathan's target a little higher, as the lab usually has him at 3.5 and INRatio is 3.0. Nathan has been most consistant on his machine, very little variablity, usually around 2.8 to 3.0.
G
Guest
Bonny,
I'll have to go with Ross against the best cardiologist... What I have found is that if the flu shot seems to elevate the INR about 24 to 48 hours after the shot but by 72 hours it seems to return to normal. Getting the INR testes two weeks later will most likely show no change. The INR usually does not go above 5 after a flu shot. I don't have people test after the shot because the INR goes right back down. Holding a dose for an INR of 5 after a flu shot is just inviting a low INR.
I'll have to go with Ross against the best cardiologist... What I have found is that if the flu shot seems to elevate the INR about 24 to 48 hours after the shot but by 72 hours it seems to return to normal. Getting the INR testes two weeks later will most likely show no change. The INR usually does not go above 5 after a flu shot. I don't have people test after the shot because the INR goes right back down. Holding a dose for an INR of 5 after a flu shot is just inviting a low INR.
