Life was good, INR's consistant............

vboesen · Mar 23, 2006

The past several months Alexia's INR has been a steady 2.0, with a 5mg pill per day. We go last week for her monthly testing and her it is now 1.6, Doc wants to wait a few days and do again (yesterday) and we find out it is the same. We increased her dose to 6 mg's per day. My question is, what causes this??

Looking forward to hearing what you all think!

Valerie

Karlynn · Mar 23, 2006

If she's been a steady 2.0 that's the bottom of the INR range and it's not going to hurt her to be on a dose that takes her higher in the range. With a 1.6 I would not wait to increase her dose and do it now by 10% of her weekly dose. I don't think any of us wait around to see what happens if we get a lower than range INR. We will wait around if we get a higher than range INR. My range is 2.5-3.5, today I had a 3.9. I'm not changing anything. If I had an INR lower than 2.5 I would probably adjust my dose. Most of us prefer to have our INR be on the higher side of the range. And we would definately rather be too high, than too low.

I'm not a pro at this, just someone who had been on Coumadin for years. I'm just telling you what I would do, not giving orders

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Guest · Mar 23, 2006

I can't imagine not increasing the dose for someone with an INR of 1.6.

Doctors fear bleeding, but clotting is (usually) a much worse problem.

vboesen · Mar 23, 2006

Well, today she will take 7.5 mgs and then starting tomorrow she will take 6 mg's daily. But the question I have is why does this happen? what in the body changes? My first thought was she was forgetting her dose, but she is very good about her meds, same time every evening.

Just wondering what causes the change, the weather?

Thanks

Valerie

Guest · Mar 23, 2006

If anybody figures it out, I'll be on a street corner with a sign, "Will work for food". I am a disabled Vietnam vet so I'd qualify!!!

ccrawford · Mar 24, 2006

Valerie-Al's web site has a lot of information that will help you understand. Some of the things that can affect INR include: Exercise - causes the body to "burn off" coumadin and lower the INR, Green veggies - raises the amount of vitamin k in the body and lowers the INR, Other drugs - there are a ton of drugs (prescription and OTC) that can affect the INR: some raise it, some lower it. Herbs - same thing as with other drugs. Hope this helps.