The Coumadin Cookbook

[slipkid]

I was in a Thrift Store the other day and spotted this book on the shelf (see attachment). Some folks might be interested in this so am posting this.

Had no idea this was a "thing" (someone writing about how to cook/what foods to eat if yer on warfarin). I did not buy the book but got a kick out of seeing something like this. I didn't look through it thoroughly but think it was along the lines of explaining what foods had vitamin K and in what concentrations that would affect your INR. I kind of got the vibe that the book was written without taking into consideration that some people do home INR monitoring and can use that to manage their warfarin dosing, that the book was more for people with no (or rather infrequent) monitoring and wanting to try to maintain an even keel on their INR just by following the recipes (?).

 

[pellicle]

Eat like the second guy

 

[dick0236]

This book was popular in the 1970s. Back then it was thought that vit K should be avoided. That old theory has been debunked and we now know that we don't need to avoid food with vit K at all cost.

 

[ATHENS1964]

https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Gourmet-Diet-Coumadin-Users/dp/0985440104

 

[Protimenow]

I got a copy on eBay years ago. IIRC, at one time Roche was giving it away - or selling it.

As others have said it WAS an 'avoid Vitamin K at all costs' book. My purchase came with a 'coumadin' branded 7 day pill box.

I don't know if I still have the book - but I didn't follow its recipes or advice.

 

[Eva]

The hospital gave me one when I was discharged. I threw it away!

 

[Protimenow]

Eva: When was this? Recently?

They should have given you a Coaguchek XS instead of the book full of obsolete assumptions and recipes based on the assumptions.

 

[pellicle]

They should have given you a Coaguchek XS instead of the book

Looks at sticker price of book vs Coaguchek



I have a theory on why they gave her the "steak knives" instead

 

[Eva]

Eva: When was this? Recently?.

No, protimenow. It was in September 2008 when I was discharged from the hospital after my valves replacement surgery.

… of the book full of obsolete assumptions and recipes based on the assumptions.

That’s why I threw the book away and started getting my excellent helpful education from this heavenly-sent website!
The books were donated to the hospital!! The hospital wanted to get rid of them

 

[Protimenow]

Instead of giving out incorrect information, they should have just trashed them.

 

[SatoriFround]

I was in a Thrift Store the other day and spotted this book on the shelf (see attachment). Some folks might be interested in this so am posting this.

Had no idea this was a "thing" (someone writing about how to cook/what foods to eat if yer on warfarin). I did not buy the book but got a kick out of seeing something like this. I didn't look through it thoroughly but think it was along the lines of explaining what foods had vitamin K and in what concentrations that would affect your INR. I kind of got the vibe that the book was written without taking into consideration that some people do home INR monitoring and can use that to manage their warfarin dosing, that the book was more for people with no (or rather infrequent) monitoring and wanting to try to maintain an even keel on their INR just by following the recipes (?).

View attachment 890520

They probably didn't have the ability to home monitor back when the cookbook was written. It looks a bit dated.

 

[Protimenow]

I don't know how prevalent home testing was when this book was written - or even if there were home test machines.

I had a copy of the book - IIRC, the book had recipes that had little or no vitamin K - probably on the 'no' side.

My copy is probably hiding somewhere, or is sitting in a landfill somewhere. Its current value is only as a curiosity, if nothing else.

 

[pellicle]

don't know how prevalent home testing was when this book was written

Or even now.

 

[SatoriFround]

Or even now.

Well, I am hope it is available to me when I need it. Going to a lab every week would be a pain in the butt.

 

[dick0236]

Well, I am hope it is available to me when I need it. Going to a lab every week would be a pain in the butt.

Back when the Coumadin Cookbook was first distributed there was no such thing as INR or home testing. We had blood drawn at the elbow, usually once each month......and that was truly a pain in the A-- and elbow. It caused a lot of problems in managing blook anticoagulation because patients tended to stretch out the time between blood draws. INR and home testing changed the game by making frequent testing, finger sticks, and immediate results possible and practical.

Things have really changed. My cardiologist not only uses "finger sticks" in their in-house INR lab, promotes home testing, and also has a "drive-thru" where you....drive up, stick your finger outa your car window, and they do the "finger stick"....give you the result and away you go!

 

[Protimenow]

At one time, they thought that testing every month was adequate. Current thinking is that testing should be done weekly -- I usually test weekly, but sometimes stretch the time between tests a little further.

Before there were self-test meters, I ignored the 'every two weeks' instruction, and at one time I went more than two YEARS between tests, and maintained a standard dose that kept me from stroking out. During this interval, I took my warfarin consistently, not missing a dose. I believed I could 'feel' when INR was too high or too low - though I don't remember the 'signs.'

Once I got a meter, testing and self management removed the doubt and my INR was always in range, according to my meter.

 

[pellicle]

Well, I am hope it is available to me when I need it.

Buy your own, go your own way.

Going to a lab every week would be a pain in the butt.

It was

PS: this is a quick demo of me using my coaguchek


More details about the Coaguechek XS here:
https://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2023/03/roche-coaguchek-xs.html

People can find ones on the used market (bought it for granny, she hated it, sat in a drawer OR ex lease machines) for under $100


HTH

 

[SatoriFround]

Buy your own, go your own way.



It was

PS: this is a quick demo of me using my coaguchek


More details about the Coaguechek XS here:
https://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2023/03/roche-coaguchek-xs.html

People can find ones on the used market (bought it for granny, she hated it, sat in a drawer OR ex lease machines) for under $100


HTH

Thanks!