Nutritional value (vitamin K) question?

[sweetmarie]

While this is not a recipe question, it does pertain to food. Can a person on coumadin rely on the list of nutritional value that's printed on the packaging? In other words, if vitamin K is not listed at all on the packaging, can we assume that there is not sufficient vitamin k for us to worry about and the amount that we can consume of that product?
Perhaps I did not post in the proper forum, sorry.


Thanks, only been on coumadin for 11 weeks.
SM

 

[epstns]

Marie, I would not depend on the manufacturer to list vitamin content of anything except maybe vitamin products. Food products are seldom labeled for vitamin content. We are better off using the general guidelines given to us by our anticoagulation clinics and information we can get on line. Also, my clinic tells me to eat my normal diet and they will adjust my warfarin dosage to keep me in range. Consistency is key, dietary content less so.

Of course, I've only been taking warfarin for about 6 weeks and am just now getting into a consistent range where they want me to be. . .

 

[sweetmarie]

I don't know why but in the back of my mind I'm trying to stay away from the greens. It's not because I'm not aware that we are to "dose the diet and not diet the dose". I had my INR in range for a weeks and lately it has been on the lower side. I imagine it's the patience that is the factor for me right now. Thanks.

 

[dick0236]

I don't know why but in the back of my mind I'm trying to stay away from the greens. It's not because I'm not aware that we are to "dose the diet and not diet the dose". I had my INR in range for a weeks and lately it has been on the lower side. I imagine it's the patience that is the factor for me right now. Thanks.

Sometimes, INRs will fluctuate for no apparent reason. Could be diet related, weather related, activity related, test variance, etc., etc. My range is 2.5-3.5, and for the past few month I was holding aroung 3.2-3.3 but my last INR was 2.8. I have been on this stuff so long that I unconciously alter my diet, activity etc. to maintain a relatively stable INR....but a blip(2.8) can, and will, happen for no apparent reason. I do not try to mico-manage my diet, habits, etc. I just accept that every so often, an unusual INR will occur. Only if, or when, several tests show a trend do I change anything.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

It sounds like you have been educated in the Out of Date Protocol which advocates avoiding Vitamin K intake.

Studies had PROVEN that consuming a "consistent amount" of Vitamin K actually results in a More Stable INR than trying to avoid Vitamin K. MY definition of "consistent" is to eat 2 servings of 'something green' every day. NO Measuring. NO Problem.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Bina]

SM, reading package labels won't help you very much with Vitamin K information mainly because the recommended
daily requirement of Vit K is actually very low. For those of us taking Coumadin, we learn quickly that we can just
eat what is considered a consistent diet (for the most part anyway). I make sure to include a serving of
broccoli 3-4 times a week at dinner and I eat salad 2 times a week and spinach 1-2 times. Other veggies
like carrots, beans, etc. are more random.
So, eat some greens, just don't suddently binge on a huge pile without checking your INR.
It is also very common for your INR to drop a bit a few weeks out of surgery because you are probably being
more active and just need to bump up your weekly dose by about 5% and re-test in a week.
Dietary questions relating to INR can be posted in the AntiCoagulation forum section for the most response.
Bonne chance

 

[sweetmarie]

It sounds like you have been educated in the Out of Date Protocol which advocates avoiding Vitamin K intake.

Studies had PROVEN that consuming a "consistent amount" of Vitamin K actually results in a More Stable INR than trying to avoid Vitamin K. MY definition of "consistent" is to eat 2 servings of 'something green' every day. NO Measuring. NO Problem.

'AL Capshaw'

While I was not educated in the Protocol you mention, it's just me being a bit paranoid about the greens. I need to be more consistent as you mention.