INR Fluctuations

[rjbdaddy]

I have been on Warfarin for 3 years, was real stable and was down to 1 visit a month but within the past 10 months the levels have bounced around without too much change on my routine/diet etc.

Target range 2.5 - 3.5, but I have been down to 2.0 then up to 2.8 and now am creeping up to 3.8 yesterday - I run on a treadmill for 6-10 Km's per day and each regular meals, have a few glassess of red wine through the week.....

Any ideas????

 

[AgilityDog]

If your pharmacy changed suppliers of warfarin, the inactive ingredients in the pills MIGHT make a difference, but that should be easily solved within a few weeks.

You may have more changes in your diet and activity level than you realize, or you may be taking other medications, or multivitamins that affect your INR. Unless you are calendaring your food intake and activity, like on weight watchers, you may not see the changes.

Then again, some of us are just bouncy. I tend to drift up or down, over a period of 6 weeks or so, but I realize my diet and exercise are not always consistent.

 

[Ross]

As long as your between 2.0 and 4.0. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[catwoman]

No one is ever 100% consistent in diet, exercise, etc.

 

[halleyg]

Hi there, this happens to me sometimes, the first time I had been taking the same dosage for a year and half, then suddenly INR got really high. At the time we really couldn't come up with a concrete reason why, I think it could be a number of things or honestly nothing! I still fluctuate on occasion for reasons I can't explain. My dosage changed again a couple of months ago. As long as you're watching it and are in range, adjusting accordingly if needed, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Bina]

I had been taking 19 mg per week for about 3 yrs.....last summer without changing anything, my readings crept up and this past year I have been taking 18mg. It must be a change in metabolism or something like that.

 

[jax]

I'll creep up too. I used to take 8 mg every day. Yesterday I tested at 4.2. So now I am 6 per day after adjusting dosage over the last couple of months. I think it is pretty normal to fluctuate.

 

[Ross]

Some people notice a change between seasons. It's not uncommon at all.

 

[Marfaned]

I agree with Ross and others here, your body does go thru metabolic swings. Also a mild infection, indigestion or cold tends to bump things for me due to liver function variation within a limited range. A lower level of 2 and an upper level of 4 is quite safe as Ross said.