Inr Level Need Some Advice

[LDS4EVER]

Hello ,Im chris I have a question! I recently had my INR checked my heart Dr. said it was very low 1.0 I was taking 1/1/2 og 3 mg. each day the dosages has been changed mon. wed. frid. 3 milg. other days 1 1/2 I have heard that being that low is dangerous is this true? i know it will change after sometime i am suppose to have it checked again in 2 weeks thank you chris

 

[ccrawford]

LDS - With an aortic valve replacement (I'm assuming yours is a mechanical valve) your INR should be between 2.5 and 3.5. An INR below 2.5 is dangerous because you are at risk of a blood clot. Follow your Coumadin clinic or doctors orders and be sure to get a follow up test. 2 weeks sounds like too long a time period for me - are you sure they didn't say one week ?

 

[Blanche]

If you have a mechanical valve and your INR is 1.0, you are not anticoagulated and it appears that the warfarin/coumadin that you have taken has had no effect and you could be in danger of a blood clot. A person who does not take warfarin/coumadin has an INR of 1.0. You should contact your doctor/anticoagulation provider at once. This is serious. You could be at great risk of a stroke now.

Blanche

 

[LDS4EVER]

TO BLANCHE

TO BLANCHE

Blanche, I do have a mach. AV the dr was the one who called me told me after my recent test it was too low she however didnt inform me of any danger i guess she didnt want me to worry they did say after two weeks to be retested i wish i could get my own machine but insurance which is medi- cal in the state of cali wont approve it i tried already,I really get scared of this sort of thing all the time each day i think my gosh what if i have a serious problem i have kids at home to take care of if i go there isnt anyone to raise them thank you chris

 

[Blanche]

Reality Check

Reality Check

Chris:
It's time for a reality check here. What is it that you want? Sympathy or advice? I feel sorry that you are having troubles in attaining a stable INR in range. But, the pity party stops now! For the past three months, you have posted with the very same concerns. Since November, your INR has been 1.3, 1.6, 1.7, and now 1.0. Each time you post, you are given information and advice, yet, to date you have not shown any initiative in taking responsibility for your own health and medical care.

You know by now that an INR below 2.0 is too low for your mechanical aortic valve. You have said, over and over, "I know it's too low," or "2 weeks is too long," etc. Well, you are right. Now what are you going to do about it? It is your life, after all and you have been dealing with valve replacement for three years. It's time that you take a proactive stance and deal with your problems with your healthcare professionals. Start by calling your doctor or anticoagulation provider and tell them what you know, namely that an INR of 1.0 means that you are in great possibility of developing a blood clot and having a stroke.

You have the information you need, you have the knowledge you need to become proactive in your anticoagulation problems. If there is something else you need, tell us. Otherwise, you are the one who needs to take action. Call your doctors.

Blanche

 

[Marc Gunderson]

INR levels

INR levels

I was tested twicwe a week for about 4 weeks then one a week up until now.
I am 7 weeks post op
Until they can get your INR stable you need more tests
Also the food you eat and other drugs as well as Alcohol will change your INR

 

[JimL]

Chris, Blanche is right. You need to take control of your INR.

Your INR of 1.0 is no anti-coagulation at all. It is quite possible that your last refill of coumadin was not coumadin or warfarin at all, but something else. Check your prescription, or get a new one.

It recently happened at my coumadin clinic (where I go every week) that a man complained that he could no longer cut his coumadin pills in half because his new prescription was a coumadin capsules. Since coumadin isn't furnished in capsule form, he obviously had been given the wrong prescription. His INR that day was also 1.0.

 

[EVELYN]

KUDOS TO BLANCHE!!!

Chris, Blanche is absolutely right on target. It is YOUR LIFE you're playing with....plain and simple. Either become proactive and take control or stay the pawn in the coumadin cycle. Look at all the many posts about coumadin levels....they tell you straight up what they should be and what complications can occur when they're too low. I guess you're willing to chance that....If that's the case, you have no one to blame but yourself for taking the chance of not being there for your kids.

GET TO A DR. WHO KNOWS HOW TO MANAGE COUMADIN. HAVE THOSE LEVELS CHECKED WEEKLY TILL THEY'RE STABLE. FOLLOW THE 10-15% RULE THAT AL AND MARTY AND MANY OTHERS HAVE DISCUSSED. DON'T BE A FOOL.

Evelyn

 

[bethanne]

I ditto above. I have yet to have personal experience to offer advice, but one thing I am learning here is that I need to listen to that voice inside me and speak up!

Just assuming that everything will just be okay and work out is putting the responsibility of your health on everyone around you!
Be smart, be educated and take action.

-beth

 

[medtronic of borg]

INR

INR

Get this taken care of now!! I ve had strokes...no fun to come back from. Trust us and get this in between 2.5-3.5.
Med

 

[LDS4EVER]

to blanche

to blanche

blanche your right i had done that in the past i recently had my inr checked as i said before the dr called said it was too low so she adjusted it and said check it in two weeks so im following this dr who is a heart specialist in womans heart diease she wouldnt steer me wrong i dont think she belongs to the loma linda heart institute here in so cal. and my insurance is medi-cal which will not cover me going to a coumadin clinic so i must to the next best thing since i left my old dr and went to this one my hearth has improved so im not having a pity party i was asking for some info but i appricate your advice will take into consideration my health comes first because i have two kids still at home to raise thanks everyone for your help i do appricate all of it take care chirs