Newbie

[katiewintle]

Hi all

Just thought I would introduce myself. I am Katie, 28 years old and live in Stoke-on-Trent, UK.

It was discovered when I was four I had a hole over the 4 chambers of my heart and a leaky right mitral valve. This was corrected but had to have another operation when I was 5 as there was another hole. The valve was still leaking a bit, but was ok to carry on with normal life.

I got married September 2007 and was told if I wanted to have children I would have to have my heart valve repaired/replaced as my body wouldnt cope with pregnancy and giving birth.

I went in for my operation on the 3rd August 2009, unfortunately they couldnt repair my valve so they had to replace it with a metal valve, which meant I would be on warfarin for the rest of my life.

Now I am doing well, have more energy, still trying to get my INR in the range of 3 and 4. Its hovering round 2.7-2.9.

I am so glad I have found this forum as I wasnt told really much about warfarin and what I can and cant do while taking it. Good to meet people who are in the same boat as me!

God bless

Katie
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[river-wear]

Hi Katie, welcome to the forum! I'm glad you found us too. The "room" for anti-coagulation is a very helpful resource if you have specific questions about warfarin.

 

[dick0236]

Welcome Katie .

You can do pretty much whatever you want to do. I have taken warfarin since I was your age (now 74) and seldome have I let it dictate my life, diet, activities or lifestyle. My only advice is to "take it as prescribed and test regularly in order to stay in, or close to, your INR range". Sounds like you are handling your dosing OK. You may want to "up" your dose a little bit, maybe 5% of your weekly dosage to get above 3.

Stick around, this is a very good support and infomation site.

 

[Ross]

Now I am doing well, have more energy, still trying to get my INR in the range of 3 and 4. Its hovering round 2.7-2.9.

I am so glad I have found this forum as I wasnt told really much about warfarin and what I can and cant do while taking it. Good to meet people who are in the same boat as me!

Katie is there some reason they want your INR that high? I know some doctors do, but there is no benefit to being higher then 4. Most of us are 2.5 to 3.5 which puts you spot on.

Come see us in the anticoagulation forum with your Coumadin concerns. We'll gladly help you out. While were not professionals, we are mostly self testers and self dosers, so we understand the drug better then a lot of the pro's do.

 

[Superbob]

Katie,

You will get a lot of well-informed advice on that subject here. Just wanted to add my personal welcome to the site. Look forward to your posts.

Cheers,

 

[Duffey]

Hi and welcome, Katie.

If you decide that you want children, I hope you will consult with your doctors before becoming pregnant. Coumadin can be a complicating factor so you need to be aware of what lies ahead before you proceed.

 

[katiewintle]

Thank you all for your welcome, I am sure I will fit in nicely here

I dont self test myself for my INR, I go to a clinic in town, where they do it for me, its just a pin prick on my finger. At the moment I am on 2 weekly appointments, which isnt too bad, looking forward for when they get to 3 monthly!!

My INR has to be between 3 and 4 as its a metal heart valve, not sure which type tho. When I came out of hospital it said in my little yellow book my range was between 2 and 3, target 2.5, however when I went to the doctors about something else he looked at my discharge notes from the hospital and it said my range should be between 3 and 4, target 3.5.

Next blood test is a week on Friday.

Katie
xx

 

[ryen0]

Welcome Katie,

Sorry they couldn't repair your valve, but you've found a great source of information here and some of the friendliest people who are going through the same things you are. I believe there are also a few members of the forum with mechanical valves that have had children.

 

[Lily]

Thank you all for your welcome, I am sure I will fit in nicely here

I dont self test myself for my INR, I go to a clinic in town, where they do it for me, its just a pin prick on my finger. At the moment I am on 2 weekly appointments, which isnt too bad, looking forward for when they get to 3 monthly!!

My INR has to be between 3 and 4 as its a metal heart valve, not sure which type tho. When I came out of hospital it said in my little yellow book my range was between 2 and 3, target 2.5, however when I went to the doctors about something else he looked at my discharge notes from the hospital and it said my range should be between 3 and 4, target 3.5.

Next blood test is a week on Friday.

Katie
xx

Welcome to the site, Katie. My eldest son is just your age; and if he had been a girl, we had Katie picked out for the name .

I wanted to mention to you also that most people with replaced heart valves get a little information card that we carry in our wallets from whatever company manufactured our valves, which has pertinent health information listed on the card. You may want to ask your doctor about it. Just thought I'd mention it.

 

[Mimi]

Hi Katie,

All the best and I hope you get your INR in range very soon.

I have a mechanical mitral valve and I take warfarin on a daily basis.

In regards to having children your cardiologist or a medical professional is probably the best person to talk too. However, you'll find helpful information at this site.

Take care.

Mimi.

 

[neil]

hiya katie welcome to the site,

 

[Ross]

Thank you all for your welcome, I am sure I will fit in nicely here

I dont self test myself for my INR, I go to a clinic in town, where they do it for me, its just a pin prick on my finger. At the moment I am on 2 weekly appointments, which isnt too bad, looking forward for when they get to 3 monthly!!

My INR has to be between 3 and 4 as its a metal heart valve, not sure which type tho. When I came out of hospital it said in my little yellow book my range was between 2 and 3, target 2.5, however when I went to the doctors about something else he looked at my discharge notes from the hospital and it said my range should be between 3 and 4, target 3.5.

Next blood test is a week on Friday.

Katie
xx

They usually put you in the 2.5 to 3.5 category for a mitral valve. Nothing wrong with what he wants you at either. Leaves you plenty of room to eat a lot of high Vit K content foods without worrying about falling too low.

Just remember to eat like you always have. Don't fall for the garbage that you can't eat greens or other high content vit k foods. If you have problems, like I said before, come see us in the anticoag forum.

 

[Cooker]

Welcome to the zoo ... The only thing warfarin changed for me was that I have to take a pill every day and test ... still enjoy all the things I did before.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

From your Profile, I see that you have a "Metal" MITRAL Valve.
I suspect that is really a Mechanical Valve and probably has Leaflets made of Pyrolytic Carbon (and NOT Metal).

The "usual" INR recommendation for Mechanical Valves in the Mitral Position is 2.5 to 3.5 SOME Cardiologists recommend 3.0 to 4.0 if there are other risk factors for STROKE (such as the Holes you described in your first post).

'AL Capshaw'