Is oatmeal high in Vitamin K?

[Ticky]

I've read mixed things. I'm on a very high dose of Coumadin and would like to lower it. I've been keeping a record of everything I've eaten since I was in the hospital in July for my surgery. I'm trying to see patterns of my eating habits vs dosing. What site would you recommend to check vitamin K content in food?

Thanks,
Lisa

 

[Georgia]

The mantra here is to dose the diet; eat what you like and what you normally eat - and your dosage will level out.

If you're on a high dose of coumadin it's because you metabolize it quickly. Regardless of my diet I never take more than 5.5 mgs per day. Others here take much more - many @ 10mg, and some up to 18. Your diet will NOT make you a slow metabolizer, so I sure wouldn't try to adjust the diet only to reduce the amount of coumadin taken daily. Coumadin doesn't have much in the way of negative affects on systems other than coagulation - it doesn't make you tired, or dizzy (like large doses of bp meds), so the amount you take is just what's needed to keep you anticoagulated.

 

[Ticky]

I'm going on 5 months now and it hasn't leveled off. Getting frustrated. I'm on 19mg at the moment. When I first started I was on a dose around 8mg and getting the same INR that I have now with the high doses.

Lisa

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I'm going on 5 months now and it hasn't leveled off. Getting frustrated. I'm on 19mg at the moment. When I first started I was on a dose around 8mg and getting the same INR that I have now with the high doses.

Lisa

The more physically active you are, the faster you will metabolize Coumadin, and therefore need more Coumadin to maintain the same INR.

Apparently you simply metabolize Coumadin faster than most people.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Karlynn]

The more physically active you are, the faster you will metabolize Coumadin, and therefore need more Coumadin to maintain the same INR.

Apparently you simply metabolize Coumadin faster than most people.

'AL Capshaw'

Al is correct. I wouldn't be surprised if your dose gets even larger because at 5 mo. post op, your body is still recovering.

Don't let yourself or any medical profession make you concerned about the amount of Coumadin you have to take. You take what you need to keep your INR theraputic and it's all good. Just because I take 10 a day and someone else takes 4 a day doesn't mean that I'm in any greater jeopardy from the drug than they are.

Stop keeping track of what you eat and just live your life. As Georgia said "Dose the diet, don't diet the dose." And don't try to get to a lower dose by eliminating all K from your diet, because it's just not possible. As a matter of fact, there's a new report out that says a certain amount of vitamin K administered daily was helpful in keeping INR's stable. I'm looking forward to finding out more about that.

It's time to get more relaxed about your Coumadin. Take what you need to keep in range. Stop writing down everything you eat, eat the way you normally would and enjoy. Your mechanical valve and the Coumadin component have given you a new lease on life. Make the most of it.

One thing you should know is that because you take a larger dose, any adjustment down is going to be bigger and faster than those on lower doses. A held dose will drop your INR much faster than most, so be very cautious about any instructions to hold doses or lower them.

 

[catwoman]

I'm going on 5 months now and it hasn't leveled off. Getting frustrated. I'm on 19mg at the moment. When I first started I was on a dose around 8mg and getting the same INR that I have now with the high doses.

Lisa

Lisa:
According to your public profile, you are 36 years old. That could be one reason you need more warfarin than some others here. Generally, the younger you are, the faster you metabolize drugs. The older you are, the slower your metabolism becomes and the less warfarin you need. But it's also individual. I take 6.5mg daily; a friend about the same age, maybe 1 year older, only takes 2 or 2.5 daily. We both have St. Jude mitrals.

Like others have said, don't diet the dose -- dose the diet. Enjoy eating what you like; don't curtail your nutrition just to reduce how much warfarin you take.

 

[RandyL]

You've got some good advice already. Just to wanted to let you know that I take 13 mg/day and I am 10 months post op. I am also 55 so even us old guys can have a high metabolism rate. It generally takes more mg of pain pills for me also than the average bear. Just do what has already been posted by Karilynn and Cat woman and you can't go wrong.

 

[Karlynn]

Ticky,
I also just remembered that you have Lupus Anticoagulant. This throws another component in and could be why you are on such a large dose. However, my advise on worrying about what you eat remains the same. Best wishes.