Repeat Testing?

[perrybucsdad]

For those of you who home test, how do you handle the following?

Since I got my new meter (Coagucheck Vantus), I have tested a couple of time high. Do any of you retest the following day, or do you just repeat in a week?

Most of the time, the Coumadin clinic will just have me hold part of my dose that evening and keep everything else the same.

Yesterday I tested out at 3.5, they had me only take 6mg (normally would take 9mg). I then tested just now, and I'm down to 2.9, which is just within my range. I didn't change my diet or anything since yesterday, and I didn't think just one day would bring it down 0.6 in 24 hours.

Anyhow, just curious if I am wasting test strips and should just retest a week later. At 3.5, I'm not too concerned (my range is 2.0 - 3.5).

 

[dick0236]

Yesterday I tested out at 3.5, they had me only take 6mg (normally would take 9mg). I then tested just now, and I'm down to 2.9, which is just within my range. I didn't change my diet or anything since yesterday, and I didn't think just one day would bring it down 0.6 in 24 hours.

Welcome to Warfarin. Testing only one day after changing your dose is a waste of time and strips. It takes 2-3 days for the drug to metabolize so testing the day after is meaningless. The 0.6 drop over a few days can, and does, happen for reasons unknown. If you ever figure out warfarin you will be a class by yourself.

Are you sure about your range? INR ranges normally have a 1.0 spread.....2-3, or 2.5-3.5. A range of 2-3.5 is a little unusual.

If your range is 2-3 the labs instructions seem reasonable to me. If your range is 2.5-3.5 the lab could have easily left your dose alone as you were still in range(3.5) and it probably would have worked its way back down.