Vitamin C

[Guest]

I've started to take 500 mg of Vitamin C daily and was wondering if anyone here takes it and if they noticed an INR change. I've looked online but some places say it will cause a change and some places say it will not. I home test weekly, but I would like to know what to expect. Thanks!

~Marc

 

[marc_kowal]

BTW, the above post is me. Not sure why it had me as "Guest". Oh well

 

[MrsBray]

I asked my nurse about that. I was instructed to begin vitamin c about 4-6 days before my next inr test. I take about 3000 mg/day, plus the occasional glass of OJ. I have NOT noticed any change in my INR since I began taking the C or the gummy multivitamins. (I take the gummy ones because they don't have any K in them....at least I don't think so. Maybe it has another name?) regardless, I take vitamins and have not noticed any INR change.

 

[Protimenow]

I wouldn't avoid low doses of Vitamin K. Vitamin K provides other benefits, aside from promoting clotting, and it is supposed to also help stabilize your INR. The thing with K is that you can adjust your dosage to account for the effects of Vitamin K, and still go on with a steady dose. You don't need to COMPLETELY avoid Vitamin K, as long as you are fairly consistent with the dose of K and have adjusted your warfarin to account for its effects.

As far as Vitamin C is concerned -- I'm not sure of an effect on INR. I used to take Quercetin, which is related to, or supposed to be a form of, Vitamin K, and it seemed to fool the InRatio into giving abnormally high readings. I avoid quercetin. but probably get Vitamin C in my Naked Juice and daily pack of vitamins.

As long as you test regularly, and make minor dosing adjustments IF NECESSARY, you should be fine with Vitamin C (and with low dose K).

 

[tom in MO]

Per cardio, before valve replacement, I was taking vitamins and fish oil. After valve replacement and on warfarin, I was told in the hospital to not take any vitamin or fish oil supplements until my INR settled down. With the new valve, my cardio then said the vitamins and fish oil were not needed, so I did not start again. I was told that if I ever started them up on my own, to tell them because it may affect my INR and they would want to monitor me more frequently for awhile.

 

[tom in MO]

Per cardio, before valve replacement, I was taking vitamins and fish oil. After valve replacement and on warfarin, I was told in the hospital to not take any vitamin or fish oil supplements until my INR settled down. With the new valve, my cardio then said the vitamins and fish oil were not needed, so I did not start again. I was told that if I ever started them up on my own, to tell them because it may affect my INR and they would want to monitor me more frequently for awhile.

 

[Protimenow]

I wouldn't avoid low doses of Vitamin K. Vitamin K provides other benefits, aside from promoting clotting, and it is supposed to also help stabilize your INR. The thing with K is that you can adjust your dosage to account for the effects of Vitamin K, and still go on with a steady dose. You don't need to COMPLETELY avoid Vitamin K, as long as you are fairly consistent with the dose of K and have adjusted your warfarin to account for its effects.

As far as Vitamin C is concerned -- I'm not sure of an effect on INR. I used to take Quercetin, which is related to, or supposed to be a form of, Vitamin K, and it seemed to fool the InRatio into giving abnormally high readings. I avoid quercetin. but probably get Vitamin C in my Naked Juice and daily pack of vitamins.

As long as you test regularly, and make minor dosing adjustments IF NECESSARY, you should be fine with Vitamin C (and with low dose K).