Need guidance re Warfarin Dosage

[Karlynn]

The total they want to raise your dose (9 mg) is almost 20%. Which would be an aggressive increase - if it was for the week. But they're having you do it in 3 days. So lets say you do - and then test again - what's going to be their next guess. Keep you on 7??? Keep you on 10???? My guess is that since they don't see the importance of giving you your INR on the same day , they have no clue what they're doing in dosing - just guessing and playing with numbers and going - let's see what that does. The problem is they are using no logical guidelines to then be able to say with fairly good certainty - this is now what you need to do.

Get Al Lodwick's dosing chart and start learning how to dose yourself. It's not rocket science (which is why it's so unbelievable that there are so many professionals out there that don't know how to do it.)

In response to 2.1 - they should have increased your weekly dose and had you check in a week, if they were going to increase it at all. If they felt your medication was causing the change, then 3 or 4 days. But their instructions tell me they don't have any idea what to do other than just try and bump your INR any way they can.

According to Al - there really isn't any widely reported issues with Zocor and warfarin. He has one anecdotal case that showed it raising the INR. http://www.warfarinfo.com/simvastatin.htm Ross' article reports a possible increase. As with starting any new meds - the INR should be monitored to find out the effects.

 

[Eva]

Thanks Ross for the info which I shall show to my doctor on Monday. I already took an extra 3.5 mgs last night and will retest on Monday. I told the nurse or whoever called me that I started Simvastatin and she put me on hold and checked her computer and denied any drug internaction.


I agree, Karlynn, and this is ...I failed on my part to tell my GP about Simvastatin which my cardio prescribed on 12/31 after he saw my high Cholesterol level, which shooted way up after the surgery.

 

[Ross]

It appears to work differently with different people. Some see an increase and some don't. The only way you'll know is to test 4 days after starting it. You really need to have your INR results the same day. Anything else is a waste of time.

 

[Eva]

it is 2.niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine

it is 2.niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine

Thanks to all, gals and guys,

I did not go to my GP's office and went instead to my cardio's office in Westwood...I thought getting the results right away is worth the 40 minutes drive, especially the temperature was 85 today here.

Results in his office using Co-agucheck XS was 2.9. As you all suggested, he wants me to continue on 7 and retest in two weeks. I may surprise his nurse and retest next week, for peace of mind. I am so happy I did not take 10 mgs on Sat. and Sun, as recommended by the GP's ? I shall send an email to my GP to update him on what I did.

Thanks and many prayers that you are kept under God's protection.