New to this great site.

[William]

Hi Folks, I had a Mitral Valve replacement (ST Jude) two weeks ago. I've been out of the hospital (Universtiy Community Hospital, Tampa FL) for a week and am trying to get my life back into some sense of normal. I had MVP/R for 1 1/2 years and the chamber started to enlarge past a safe point, so surgery. I'm 44, very active in exercise and outdoor activites of climbing, hiking. I also enjoy all the food and drink that Coumadin has a red flag around. What worry's me the most, is keeping the INR in range. I've read all the tips of what and what not to do, but does anyone have any tips from experience? Cheers, William

 

[geebee]

Hi William and welcome. I hope your recovery is going well.
As far as coumadin, I feel the important thing is just to eat as you always have. If you get your INR in range that way, you should stay in range just fine. Test often initially just to make sure there are no (or very few) fluctuations.
The problem comes when someone introduces an item into their diet that affects INR. Don't avoid an item if you want it but be aware that you may need to test more often to get a feel for how that food affects your INR.
I have not changed my diet for coumadin and I have been on coumadin for 24 years. I am cautious about new items but, again, I do not deprive myself of anything.
Best of luck and keep us posted on your recovery.
Smiles,
Gina

 

[Debrinha GT]

Just wanted to say hello!

Just wanted to say hello!

Hi there William, and welcome to our VR family. I've had three mitral valve replacements and there's a fourth one on its way, but since they've all been with tissue valves, I can't really help you regarding your coumadim question. I just wanted to say that you've come to the right place and we're happy to have you here. I'm sure lots of members who have had mech valves put in them will come forward very soon. I wish you a very speedy recovery, a merry christmas and a very happy new year now that you've made it to the other side of the mountain. Take care and God bless!
Débora from Brazil

 

[Nancy]

Joe has been on Coumadin for almost 28 years. It will fluctuate some over time, it's just the nature of the medication. It depends on what you eat, what your activities are, what other medications you take, your physical condition and many other things. That's why it's important to get it checked frequently. And that is why you are given a target "range" instead of a particular number.

About the only couple of precautions are not to overload on foods and vitamins filled with vitamin K and try not to develop a taste for sports or other activities that can cause severe injuries. However, you DO have to eat green type vegetables for health, so they are fine in moderation. You will also have to be aware that with any invasive medical procedures, you will have to possibly go off of Coumadin and go on "bridge therapy" with a Heparin type drug.

Your Coumadin level will be adjusted to you, you do not adjust to the level. That is a difficult concept, and some doctors don't even understand that.

It will become routine after a while.

We have an extremely knowledgeable member here Al Lodwick who is an expert on Coumadin and manages a clinic as well as being an expert witness in cases involving Coumadin/warfarin. He has a terrific website

http://www.warfarinfo.com/

 

[John & Joann]

Joann has been on Coumadin for over 33 years. It is not a big issue for her. She is VERY consistent on her diet. She eats a well balanced selection of food, but does go light on salads, cabbage, etc. She does not eat or drink any grapefruit related foods.

You can live a very normal life with Coumadin. Motorcycles, skydiving, and swimming with sharks might be off your chart.

We live about 50 miles S. of Tampa during the winter months. Hope it is better weather than tonight in Ohio.

Welcome and Happy Holidays.

 

[MarkU]

Hi William, I'm just down I-75 in Sarasota. Been on Coumadin since I got my St. Jude aortic valve four years ago. Best advice I can offer is to be consistent with your diet and exercise routine. I still enjoy green veggies and a couple of glasses of red wine with dinner a couple of nights a week. I'm very active physically and have been competing in sprint triathlons for the past year or so. It took me about nine months to feel 100% again after my surgery, but everything has been great since then - any physical problems have been more related to my age (51) rather than to my heart.

Mark

 

[Ross]

Once again, dose the diet. Don't diet the dose!

Don't know what tips you've heard, but I'm willing to bet most of them are false.

 

[Ross]

You can live a very normal life with Coumadin. Motorcycles, skydiving, and swimming with sharks might be off your chart.

Welcome and Happy Holidays.

Now why would this be? You just bleed a little longer that's all. Heck Robthatsme and I still use chainsaws. Just put on some Kevlar on and go for it!

 

[William]

Thanks for all your advice folks! Does anyone have a link to a GOOD list of vitamin K in foods and drink? I've looked at a few, but they seem to be incomplete or they give contradictory information. William

 

[Ross]

I've got 3 posted in the thread below to Keegansmom

http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9241&highlight=vitamin

Use them only for reference. Do not try to use them to base your diet on. Again, eat what you want and adjust the dose accordingly.

 

[Guest]

Do not waste your time reading the vitamin K lists unless you just want to be bored to death and are having trouble falling asleep. The only thing they are good for is avoiding sleeping pills. If it is green and leafy, then making a sudden change will throw your INR off. If you like salads, eat them. Just don't go making radical changes without getting your INR tested.

Wanting to read a list is what Ross meant when he said that most of the tips you have been given are probably wrong.

Being from Colorado, I was wondering what you find to climb in Tampa.