Protime

[Patricia Choate]

First I would like to thank those who answered my first post about Coumadin. Tomorrow I go to the clinic for another protime, and hopefully my INR will come back in the normal range of 2.5-3.5. (June 18 it was 1.9 so my dosage was changed).
I have been taking the generic..Warfarin since my MVR surgery, but wonder if I should pay the extra to get the Coumadin. Does it really make a difference?
Patricia

 

[Rain]

Patricia,

I may be crazy.. but I think my body is really, really sensitive to coumadin. If I live the 'perfect' life..my lNR is fine. But ANYTHING out of the ordinary will make it fluctuate like you wouldn't believe. It only takes 1/2 mg a week to take me from a high reading to a very low reading. I'm telling you all this because when I was on the generic brand there was NO controling my INR, no matter how 'consistent' I was with my life.

My opinion, brand name -Coumadin- is certainly worth the money. This INR stuff is bad enough as it is... I'm going for what works the best with my body. I've heard several other people voice similar complaints with the generic stuff.

Good luck... This INR stuff is a real PAIN!

 

[Marty]

generic or Coumadin?

generic or Coumadin?

Dr. Kaatz, head of hematolgy at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit told me their hospital formulary stocks only 3 brand name drugs and Coumadin is one of them. He said you cannot depend on the generic warfarin. A 5 gm pill may have 4.8 or 5.3.I like Rain could not get regulated till I switched.I too am sensitive to a .5 change.
Yes, for some at least Dupont Coumadin is worth the extra money.

 

[Marty]

Correction!

Correction!

5 mgm Coumadin not 5 gm Sorry!

 

[Christina]

Shortly after my surgery my pharmacist gave me the generic brand Warfarin, and I didn't realize it until my INR shot up to 5.9. From then on I only will take the Dupont brand Coumadin, because I know what I am getting. Just like MATXR is saying with Warfarin you never know how much is in each pill, and how much you are getting.
I am real careful now and my pharmacist has been told only to give me COUMADIN. A few weeks ago it happened that they had another pharmacist on staff and she had filled the prescription with Warfarin, but I politely refused and she had to refill with COUMADIN.
You have to look out for you and be on guard at all times.

As of July 1, 2001 the co-pay for Coumadin for me is $10.00 and Warfarin would be $8.00. Not much difference.


Christina

PS. INR stands for: "IT'S NEVER RIGHT"