Taking Coumadin With Food or On Empty Stomach?

[JimChicago]

I was just wondering if it's OK to take coumadin with a meal or snack or if it should just be taken on an empty stomach? I had an upset stomach the last couple of days and wondered if it was the onions or the coumadin I was taking on an empty stomach. I guess I'd rather take the coumadin with a snack if it didn't matter.

 

[Ross]

I don't think it makes a difference. My stomaches empty most of the time anymore and I see no difference. Onions, pizza or spaghetti sauce, peppers, etc, now that is a set up for major heartburn.

 

[Lorraine]

I usually take my Coumadin on an empty stomch. I've never noticed any discomfort when I have taken it with food! It works just the same. I'm more inclined to make sure I eat something when I take my vitamins or my daily asprin, as to not get an upset stomach.

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Jim
I have taken it both ways and haven't noticed any difference.
Take Care

Dave
_______________________________
Surgery: 4/21/03
Aortic Aneurysm Repair
AVR, with a St. Jude Mechanical

 

[Guest]

Coumadin is well absorbed regardless of stomach contents.

It is also very long and slow acting, which helps cut down on absorption problems.

The main thing seems to be taking it about the same time every day. That has more to do with developing a routine so that you do not forget it than anything else.

 

[Herb M]

I find no difference. I take my coumading after my evening meal. I have my INR tests done in the morning on an empoty stomach. I found if I took coumadin in the morning before my blood tests, the INR values would fluctuate.

 

[Guest]

The INR is actually measuring the dose that you took 2 to 4 days ago. The empty stomach makes no difference. I have measured about 20,000 INRs and half of them have been after both breakfast and lunch.

The reason is that warfarin slows the production of clotting factors. It does nothing about the clotting factors already in the blood. The body turns over these clotting on average every three days.

The INR is about as handy as having a gas gauge that tells you that you filled up day before yesterday - but it is the best we have.

Herb's system illustrates the benefit of being consistent. This is the key to good warfarin maintenance.

 

[Simon Gee]

bedtime treat!

bedtime treat!

I always take my warfarin as I go to bed - it seems to work OK. I was told, as Al has written above, that it was important to take it around the same time every day, and going to bed seems to be one of the few consitent things in my life!

Simon

 

[MarkU]

I usually take my Coumadin and Centrum Silver with dinner just out of habit.
Works for me.

Mark

 

[Guest]

The main thing is to not run out of Centrum Silver. I've had two patients who bled when they decided to wait a few days until they were going to the store to buy more. Meanwhile, their INRs jumped up.

 

[Herb M]

Al, what is the ingedient in Centrum Silver that cause cause a change in INR .

 

[Simon Gee]

And, Al, what is Centrum Silver anyway?

Simon

 

[MarkU]

Centrum Silver is a multi-vitamin intended for seniors. I balked at first when my cardiologist told me to take it (I wasn't that old was I?) He then explained that it has a lower vitamin K percentage than the other Centrum products.
Al is right - you do have to be consistent in taking it or it will affect your INR levels.

Mark

 

[JimChicago]

Here's a site listing the ingredients:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008PW31/002-3900544-3652863?v=glance&vi=reviews

It says 10 mcg vitamin k inCentrum Silver.

 

[Missy]

For Al also

For Al also

I was told to take my heart medicine including coumadin on an empty stomach. This was to avoid one of them riding out through the system on fiber or food. Before full absorbtion.
I do trust Al though so that just shows you how many health professionals disagree on things. I wish there was some way to know for sure.
I always take my lanoxin on empty stomach so I just take my coumadin also. I was told one hour before eating or two hours after.
I really feel the coumadin so I have to eat soon after the hour is up.
I know most people say it doesn't matter with the coumadin but I only was brave enough to try it once and couldn't tell anything and since I don't want to risk losing the lanoxin I just do it this way.
Al, have you heard of this before?
Missy

 

[Guest]

Don't know which one to start with???

Warfarin is not affected by the amount of fiber in most foods. However, if you take it with something like Fiber-Con or Fibersource, Questran or some other things that are supposed to be very high in fiber or bind things in the intestine it can get tied up with them and pass through you. I suspect that things like Fiber-Con that someone might take once in a great while are the source of fluctuating INRs that cannot be explained.

Almost always the upset stomach caused by medications will go away in 2 weeks at the most, if you keep taking them. However, if someone does feel odd after taking warfarin, why endure for two weeks when you can just eat a little snack.

The One-A-Day products for Men and for Women have no vitamin K in them. There are others also. However, don't switch without having your INR monitored because you might bleed. I've seen it happen, twice (I think).