INR Ups and downs

[Gnusgal]

My take

My take

I think for me the reason my INR is so crazy this summer (and I assume will be every summer from the sounds of it) is because of the fact that I'm a teacher. I know that sounds crazy, but when summer comes teachers change their routine. I don't have to get up early. I can stay up late. I can eat at whatever time I get hungry. And I can decide at the last minute what I want to eat. Then there's the fact that I actually see sunlight (gotta love those no-window classrooms) and you've got a recipe for disaster on the INR front. Plus, I've gone on several trips where I don't get to decide for myself what I will get to eat, so it gets even more complicated. The whole point is, for a teacher, summer is so far from our "normal" routine that the body doesn't know what to think. At least, that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Niki

Don't feel as though you're the only one with INR problems. My husband, Tyce, who has been absolutely wonderful this year as far as his INR has had crazy numbers lately, too. Try 7.1, 5.8, 4.4, 4.8.....and who knows what this week will bring. At least he's eating regularly again, and hopefully will be in range. I do think the weather has something to do with it!!! Sure can be frustrating, though.

Keep the faith!!!

Evelyn

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Mentioned on another thread alot of us are in the same boat with high INR's. Nothing unusual for me. Happens each and every summer. 4th one since my MVR. According to my records things settle down sometime in Sept. Thank goodness for home testing!

 

[GregB]

Re the alcohol thing.. and INR swings. I am confused.
Given that you dont go crazy and binge drink.. Does alchohol, say a couple of glasses of good red Australian wine with a meal tend to send the INR reading up or down?? Or does it depend on which hemisphere you live in??

Greg

 

[Ross]

Greg it can go either way. Usually up. Be careful with the wine.

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Greg

Tyce has 1 glass of wine every other day and has had no problems for quite some time......this summer seems to be different. We usually have a salad every other day, too.....his philosophy, the wine balances the salad, but who knows.

Ev

 

[ShezaGirlie]

What clock?

What clock?

Greg--'Yellow Tail' Shiraz....[with the roo on the bottle]..Southeastern Australia...and it goes down the same way our toilet's flush...clockwise! Now since I know y'all's flush counterclockwise, maybe you can put me on to a good Southwestern Australia Shiraz....

Not to worry about the couple glasses of wine...doctor's orders on this hemisphere...

 

[LUVMyBirman]

3.6 last week. 5.6 today! Yep, pain in the neck Coumadin. Can't win. They want me to hold one day. I assured them if I cut my dose in half today all will be ok. BTW, I did have some Shizaz over the weekend.

Think I will forget about my glass of wine until I can remain stable. No problem in the winter.

 

[Ross]

Just goes to show that once again, we are all different.

 

[Les]

Beer, salads, margaritas and all the "wrong" foods over the holiday....just tested at my faithful (and consistent) 2.8. Happy to be able to enjoy life....
_______________
Les AVR '93 / '95

 

[Gnusgal]

Now what?

Now what?

After my 6.8 of Monday I decided to test again Tuesday just to double check (I'd also had a hefty serving of spinach dip to try to combat the INR) and it came out at 5.2. So I talked to my card and she suggested I hold, but I said I'd rather just cut it in half, so she said that was fine. She also wanted me to test again today and it came out at 3.3! I know that the coumadin I took yesterday couldn't have had any effect on my INR today, so what is going to happen two days from now when that half dose catches up to me??? I'm so tired of having to deal with this. And it's only been a year. How am I going to deal with this every summer for the rest of my life??? It's just so frustrating.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Niki, you sound very similar to myself. That half dose cut for one day will fix it each and every time.

On that today with my 5+ reading. What I do is resume my regular dose for the following three days. Retest and I am back in line. I tried the 10% reduction after 3 weeks of high readings and it got me a fat 2.6 So happy medium.....stay on my 6-1/2 and have a few salads throughout the week for the summer. Will see how that works.

I was enjoying my nice gel nails for the past few months. Only way I can achieve normal looking nails. Anyway, went to have them filled last week and we found a minor fungal infection. Off they came. I am now sure the topical anti-fungal boosted my INR. Knowing darn well the repercussions of those darn nails I ignored it.....trying to act like a normal woman. Once again, I was slapped down to size for a reality check. Oh well. I am getting tired 24/7 compliance.

 

[Christina]

Nail Fungus...

Nail Fungus...

Gina,

INR is always a pain in the neck during the hot summer months for me as well. Last week I was a nice 3.6 and yesterday it was 2.8. Why so much lower I have no idea.
For the newbies here, INR stands for: IT'S NEVER RIGHT.

I did the false nails one time in my life Gina (1995) and I got a full blown nail fungus from it. The nail just rotted off my thumb, and I had no idea how to grow another nail. Went to the doc and he had some concoction that would be hard on the liver he told me, so that was out for me. Then one day when I was getting new tires for the car, I saw Dr. Weil in the store, and I thought, it's now or never because getting in to see him would take me three years. I introduced myself and showed him my thumb where the nail is suppose to be, and asked him how I could grow another nail. He told me: "Tea Tree Oil". I did, and within a year my nail was back.

 

[EVELYN]

WAHOO!!!!! SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE!!!! Tyce's INR was 2.7 tonight-----thank the Lord above!!! He's been so up for the last two weeks I never thought we'd see a normal number, but here it is. Perhaps he's right with the glass of wine one night and the salad the next-----whatever it was, IT WORKED!! Let's see how long it lasts.

I loved the INR---IT'S NEVER RIGHT!!! Great one, Christina.

Evelyn

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Christina, it's almost gone thank the Lord. I was really concerned though. Was going for fills every 1-1/2 so we got it very early. My hands are in water constantly. Even more so during the summer. Every time I went they would replace the same 4 nails. Had a feeling it was just a matter of time. El' natural from here on out. Not worth the risk.

Will try the tea tree oil in the event it comes back. Thanks! Has to be safer than the topical anti-fungal I have been using.

 

[ccrawford]

Janie - Try a bottle of Black Opal. I just finished one and its very nice and reasonably priced as well. Chris

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Woo Hoo Chris....

Woo Hoo Chris....

A whole bottle? You just finished a whole bottle and didn't even call Gina and me???

I love Black Opal and if you think that's 'reasonably priced' -- cheeep ol' me buys the Yellow Tail at about half what Black Opal costs...

Tell you what....you can invite us for the Black Opal and we'll spring for the Yellow Tail....hehehe!

 

[ccrawford]

Its Pretty good. We threw a birthday party and compared the Black Opal to a couple of pretty expensive bottles of Bordeaux and the Opal won hands down. I'm going to Indianapolis soon - should I pick you up a case ? Its gotta be better than Lone Star beer !! Chris

 

[Guest]

Nothin's better'n Lone Star!

 

[ShezaGirlie]

You tell 'em sweet smellin' Al...

Tried Pearl Beer yet? Brewed in San Antonio in the old days. Japanese probably own the brewery now tho...oh well..

Lone Star was also brewed in San Antonio. They used to have some real good parties at the Lone Star Pavilion...