INR Graph

[Bob Gleason]

I'm attaching an INR Graph which many of you have seen before, but for those on coumadin who find themselves out of range (like me, currently at 7.7) this graph may be your inspiration to get to your cardio and get back in sinc.

 

[Susan in FL]

INR graph

INR graph

Wow--that's pretty definitive. Fortunately, mine doesn't seem to go low too often, but it does peak out every so often--like when I take headache or cold medications. But how would one know for sure if they were bleeding internally without any obvious external signs? Has anyone out there had a bleeding problem? Thanks, Susan

 

[Hank]

4.0

4.0

I am a great believer in an INR of 4.0 all the way! My doc thinks I'm nutws, but then she doesn't have a mechanical valve and take coumadin wither.

INR 4.0 is my Goal!

 

[Lorraine]

Graph!

I'm so concerned about taking Coumadin anyway! That's really neat! Since you're on th high side, I agree with Janie. Eat some broccoli or Avocado. Mine was at 2.7 on Friday and the nurse told me that was just fine. The last few days before that though, I was getting a lot of bruises so I thought my INR was high. Now I'm wondering I'm still going to get my INR done at the doctors office. When I go for my six month check-up I'm going to ask him to write a percription for the Coagucheck! I rather be able to check for myself, like all of you have been doing, to know where I'm at on the scale. I agree with Hank, 4.0 INR would be best. Mid-Range you're fairly safe!


Lorraine

 

[cookie]

cookie

cookie

Wow you guys! I was told at the anti-coagulation clinic by the doc and the pharmacist that you are really risking a bleed by going over 3.5 which is the top end. I told them that I wanted to be a little on the high side for safety reasons and they both felt the risks of a major bleed was far more risky than having a slightly lower INR. How come there doesn't seem to be a general consensus on this? No one seems to agree where you reading is the safest.

 

[Christina]

Hi Cookie,

I'd rather be a bit high than too low. When the INR is too high they can do something about that, but when too low and you get a blood cloth or a stroke, not much can be done, and all they can say is: "I'm so sorry!"
I have already had two AVR's and the second one was due to a too low INR 11 days after my first surgery. The whole thing needed to be redone including a whole new valve. Not fun I can tell you that!

INR today was 3.1 . I like these numbers!

 

[Mike M. in Hous]

INR on low side

INR on low side

Had my INR checked last week and it was low again. 1.17
Can't seem to get a handle on it. While I was still going to lab for the test my inr was steadily going up and starting to get in range. The first time I went to the INR clinic it was low and they increased my doseage. Two weeks later it was up but not where they wanted it so the increased me again. Three weeks later it's down again.(last week) So I have been increased again. have to go in to be checked this week again. Don't understand why it is going down, I do not eat that much greens and have been pretty consistant on my diet.
I am working on getting the VA to spring for home test machine, but I don't think it has gone very far. I gave all the info to the INR clinic and had the people at Protime call them but they never called them back.

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi Mike,

What kind of daily dosage do they have you on? I remember when they where first trying to stablize my INR, they had me on a crazy schedule. Take a whole pill on one day, a half on another, and uping me from a 2 mg to a 5 mg pill, telling me to skip a day, etc. Finaly, a doctor said to stay on a straight dose, which for me was a 5 mg pill /day. I questioned this becuase my INR was all over the place too, But, the steady dose worked. It stabilzed me, and they had to make one small adjustment since. I thnk that was due primarily because I became more and more active in my daily routine.

Also, I tend to totally avoid the high Vit K content foods. I have been on Coumadin now for 16 months, and have been mostly within my range since they found my correct dose.

I now take a 5 mg per day, except for Fridays and Mondays. I take a 2.5 mg on those 2 days. I also think that since I may party alittle much on the weekends, the lower dose compensates for the beer at the lake also thinning me out some.


Hope you get in the "zone" soon.

Rob

 

[Christina]

Hi Rob, You totally avoid vitamine K foods?
That is hard to do, as most of my favorite foods contain vitamine K. I was told NOT to avoid them, but to eat them in moderation every day, because our body needs foods like that. They would adjust the Coumadin around my diet. I should try to be consistant, but it doesn't always work as I don't always feel like chewing a salad. If I feel that way than I will cook up a hot vegetable and have that instead with the protein.
I just got done with my leasure breakfast (my day off today) and made a 2 egg spinach (1/2 cup) omelet cooked in real butter. Spinach is high in vitamine K, but is also very healthy to eat, and I love it, and refuse to give it up.
Also did a Protime test just now and INR is 2.9 today, on 20,19,19mg of Coumadin to stay within the guide lines of 2.5 - 3.5 for my mechanical valve.

Have a great day!

Christina

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi Christina,

I don't totally giveup Vit K foods, only those that are rated high in Vit K. I have the cahrt that lists all the High Vit K content foods, which by the way are/were amoungst my favorites. With my travel schedule for work it would be extremely hard for me to monitor the exacy amount of vit K intake on a daily basis, so I found the easiest way for me is to just avoid them. It works for me. I stay right in my range, and rarely go out of range. My target range is on the lower end though. It is 2.0 to 2.5. My surgeon and cardiologist both agree that that is the range I should maintain since they have me on a Coumadin and Aspirin regement. I take a 325 mg coated aspirin daily. I take that in the morning and my Coumadin in the evening.

Hope you are doing well, I am back at the gym, working out 5 days a week, and feeling wonderful.

Rob

 

[DickV]

Vit. K

Vit. K

I also avoid Vit.K if at all possible. I believe it keeps my INR much more stable. I was a 2.9 last month and a 3.1 yesterday. Doesn't get much better than that.

I have replaced Vit.K with two glasses of red wine a day.
(the Janie approach)

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Have to agree with Rob and Dick.... it is sooooo much easier to remain stable eating a low K diet. This is my usual practice. I eat something high in K maybe once a week. Iceberg lettuce is lower in K than the other green veggies. I was basically a vegetarian prior to surgery.....so that made it difficult. But as with anything ... you can adjust. It's a matter of life or not....

For those of you just starting out your body needs time to adjust. It took almost a year for me to stabilize "even eating a low K diet".

I have a mitral valve so that requires a tighter therapeutic range 3.5 - 4.0. And I agree with Hank, 4.0 is the magic number!

That is where I like to stay.

 

[Michael Kreidic]

Hi Mike,

What kind of daily dosage do they ahve you on? I remember when they where first trying to stablize my INR, they had me on a crazy schedule. Take a whole pill on one day, a half on another, and uping me from a 2 mg to a 5 mg pill, telling me to skip a day, etc. Finaly, a doctor said to stay on a straight dose, which for me was a 5 mg pill /day. I questioned this becuase my INR was all over the place too, But, the steady dose worked. It stabilzed me, and they had to make one small adjustment since. I thnk that was due primarily because I became more and more active in my daily routine.

Also, I tend to totally avoid the high Vit K content foods. I have been on Coumadin now for 16 months, and have been mostly within my range since they found my correct dose.

I now take a 5 mg per day, except for Fridays and Mondays. I take a 2.5 mg on those 2 days. I also think that since I may party alittle much on the weekends, the lower dose compensates for the beer at the lake also thinning me out some.


Hope you get in the "zone" soon.

Rob

 

[Michael Kreidic]

Hi Rob, and all the others.

I don't know how to use this new method, but I am determined to find out how. I see a lot of things I don't understand. I thingk this is a great challenging forum and now I really want to get into this. I am stable with my coumadin and still trying to figure out the way you master your coumadin level with those great weekends on the "ship". I ended up with a bloody eye after my sons and daughters graduation party. I blamed it n the coumadin, but the nurse told me it looked like an eye after a hangover....... yikes.
Anyway, I heard about the Nashville event, and being that it is in God's Country the South, I am anxious to be there, to celebrate the event with all of my heart. hahahah. Things are looking up in NYC because tomorrow is the big fireworks brought about by Macy's. I wonder if my heart will be able to make it. I hope all of you have a wonderful Independents day. This is my first 4th of July in 3 years that I will be celebrating freely. The last years I don't want to remember. Rob, will you be on the bluff blowing off the fireworks?

I don't know how I was able to write this but I don't know whre togo from here. Will have to study this very carefully. MIkesan

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi Mike K,

Are you having difficulty posting. Looks like you went to add to my post with a quote.. and didn't type.

If you are trying to post a reply.. you need to go to the top. To the original thread.. and click on the "Reply" icon.. then you can write it it will post on the bottom. there are probably other ways too.

Rob

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hey Mike K,

You got it! So good to see that you are on here posting, and that you are doing so well! Happy 43th to you and your family!

I think Cristi and I will be out on the boat tomorrow and celebrating from the lake. We got married out there 17 yrs ago. Tomorrow is our anniversary... So if the boat is a rock'n... lol... don't swim over for a beer!

Looking forward to seeing you on here more often Mike. It's a great group of people, and you can get alot more help here than on AOL.

Talk to you soon!

Rob

 

[Sierra Bob]

Bob: Can you explain the meaning of "Rate" on the graph? There is a large difference between -95% and +95%. At an INR of 6, it's about 4% vs. 40% incidence of bleeding. Just curious.

 

[Sierra Bob]

Hi Susan in Florida: As I noted under "INR...all time high at 7.7!", mine got to 11.4. I began bleeding from the gums. This was not unusual as I had radiation for Head & Neck Cancer, and bleeding from the gums is very normal. Many H & N C patients can not brush their teeth for months after stopping radiation because of excruciating pain. I did not have that problem. However, as well as bleeding from the gums, I had blood in my urine, so I knew I had a serious problem. The reason my INR got so high is my doc was only testing it once per month. I had been drinking 4 cans of Ensure each day to gain back the weight I lost during radiation (almost 40#). When I got back to 150#, which is where my cardiologist wanted my weight, I stopped the Ensure. I didn't know until discovering this site (through Lance at QAS) that each can of Ensure contains 25% of the daily requirement of vitamin K. So, when I quit the Ensure, I got overloaded on Coumadin. I now have a QAS ProTime home test kit and check my INR each week, or more often if I've been a bad boy and have consumed a lot of greens.

 

[Michael Kreidic]

hi rob

Rob's "a rockin'" Guess you re on the boat. Congratulations on your Anniversary.

I dare say I ventured forth on this site and thanks to your guidance as well as Hanks admonishment, I am responding.

I think I am "totally" in control and can feel when I am low or too high. I also believe as many say, each of us have different threshholds as far as our tolerances for the K foods.

I don't fully understand why we are so concerned about how much coumadin we take. Is it going to do us more harm in the end if we take a higher dosage of coumadin. As I read more from personal experiences of others, I see that evweryone is very different. I was told to eat everything consistently and not to eliminate anything from the diet. That to me is sensible, but then the question of how much coumadin will I have to take to augment this form of eating. I

I have been taking coumadin for about 1 and one half years now.

 

[Mike M. in Hous]

Doseage

Doseage

When I left the hospital I was on 5 mg a day and INR was going up. firt check after hospital was still a little low sow i was raised to 6 mg a day. That seemed to do the trick and my INR went up steadily. First time at the clinic Iwas at around 2.45 and the raised me a little. Due to a typeO in my records they did not raise me very much only .5 mg a week (they thought they were raiseing me 7 mg a week). I am now at 7 mg a day. Going in this morn to have it checked again.