Question????

[Creed3]

Hi Everyone!
I hope everyone has stayed dry these past few days. Here in VA we have been getting dumped on a lot.
Well, I have a question. I just had my INR tested today and it dropped down to 1.6 (according to the girl at the hospital, I hope she looked at the right date). I have been consistantly between 2 and 3 for months now. I haven't been doing too much differently, so it really surprised me. I have been having some greens, but not a lot. I have been doing that for months and it has actually helped to keep me below 3. The only other thing is that I have started to exercise a little more and I also had to have a throat culture done today to check for strep. It came back that I just have a virus and I don't need to take antibiotics. Does anyone know if having a virus can make your INR fluctuate? I know my meds will need to be tweeked a little, but it felt so good to not have to worry for months about my INR level. It had been staying so stable. Maybe it also has to do with the weather warming up and I have been getting out and doing more lately. Who knows. I just wanted to see what you guys thought. If I don't say it enough, I'll say it again, "you guys are great!"

Thanks and Take Care!
Gail

 

[Georgia]

Up and down, up and down . . .

Up and down, up and down . . .

Al said that as you get in better shape and do more exercise you metabolize more warfarin in the liver; that you tend to need more as you get better. So in my admittedly unlearned opinion, the additional exercise could be an issue.

(Personally, I think it's gremlins . . . )

 

[Ross]

I think Georgia hit it on the head. It could be your excercise or your eating too much of the green things. You didn't mention what they were or how much your munching. I think it's gremlins too.

 

[Nancy]

Hi Gail-

Fluctuating is just the nature of the beast with Coumadin. After 25 years of it, in Joe's case, sometimes we can predict what will make it move either way, and sometimes we can't. It is affected by so many things, that it is possible for a combination of a couple of things in your life to converge to cause a little instability.

I think it's just "When the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter collides with Mars" to quote the oldie but goodie, "The Age of Aquarius".

 

[Kim]

Hi Gail,

My INR seems to drop when I am exercising on a regular basis (which I wish I could be more consistent at!) and when the weather is warmer.

After surgery (and it will be 2 years on the 22nd of this month), I was fairly consistent on 7.5 mg of warfarin daily. Now, I am taking 9 mg, 5 days a week and 10mg, 2 days a week! It seems like my body gets use to the warfarin and needs more as the months pass. Gosh, I am 47 years old, I wonder how much I will need as the years pass!!!

 

[Guest]

The higher body temperature of a fever can cause he metabolism of warfarin to be speeded up also. Usually it is more than offset by not feeling good causing lack of eating and lack of exercise but fever can be a factor.

Kim, you body does not get used to warfarin requiring higher doses. If you constantly require more, you need to look for what is different. One thing that is very hard to detect is gradually increasing doses of drugs that contain barbiturates such as Fiorinal and Fioricet. Your body does get used to these and you have to keep escalating the doses. This then drives the need for warfarin higher.