I had a checkup yesterday with my cardio. I had an echo on June 17, which prompted a TEE on June 23, which showed no change in the perivalvular regurge from the TEE in 2007.
We talked about a few things, and he asked if I still home-tested. I said yes, had just tested that morning, and my INR was 3.5. (He prefers me to be at the higher end of my range, somewhere 3.0-3.5, rather than the lower end.)
He joked that I could teach their RNs a few things, but that I might find it boring.
In turn I told him that managing your own dosing is not rocket science, that many people with a-fib & no other risk factors might not view anticoagulation management as seriously as someone with a mechanical heart valve.
I've likened taking my warfarin to when I was a married college student and taking birth control pills.
But at least I've had a hysterectomy and can't get pregnant now.
BTW, I asked him about taking niacin and the hot flashes from niacin. He said he usually advises patients to take it at night and that it doesn't seem to bother them as much. Also to take aspirin about 30 minutes before the niacin. Some patients have to take the niacin 2X a day, but he said that would not be a good idea for someone on warfarin, to be taking 2 aspirin (don't know the aspirin dosage. Two 81mgs would probably be OK though I don't know if that would work).
He's high on fish oil/omega 3 fatty acids.
He seems to prefer natural, OTC drugs rather than RXes. If the OTCs don't work, he then goes to RXes.
We talked about a few things, and he asked if I still home-tested. I said yes, had just tested that morning, and my INR was 3.5. (He prefers me to be at the higher end of my range, somewhere 3.0-3.5, rather than the lower end.)
He joked that I could teach their RNs a few things, but that I might find it boring.
In turn I told him that managing your own dosing is not rocket science, that many people with a-fib & no other risk factors might not view anticoagulation management as seriously as someone with a mechanical heart valve.
I've likened taking my warfarin to when I was a married college student and taking birth control pills.
But at least I've had a hysterectomy and can't get pregnant now. BTW, I asked him about taking niacin and the hot flashes from niacin. He said he usually advises patients to take it at night and that it doesn't seem to bother them as much. Also to take aspirin about 30 minutes before the niacin. Some patients have to take the niacin 2X a day, but he said that would not be a good idea for someone on warfarin, to be taking 2 aspirin (don't know the aspirin dosage. Two 81mgs would probably be OK though I don't know if that would work).
He's high on fish oil/omega 3 fatty acids.
He seems to prefer natural, OTC drugs rather than RXes. If the OTCs don't work, he then goes to RXes.
