warfarin health benefits

[pellicle]

Hi

Just incidentally, I have found that being on warfarin has forced me to pay more attention to my diet and general health, so I guess that's a positive result.

while I'm glad you're being more attentive to health and food, I do wonder though if this means you're avoiding greens (for instance) in some mistaken view that you should do so because you're on warfarin. I only say this because there is so much misunderstanding on this point and really, a good healthy diet (with greens, meats, some wine if you like ... ) is critical to the body health.

INR can be balanced without unbalancing your diet

 

[sassyspy]

Actually, I didnt eat much vegetables at all before warfarin, strictly a meat and potatoes farm girl. Now I strive to keep my vitamin k intake as consistent as I can. I've really gotten knowledge abundance of how many mcg is in a cup of broccoli. Or kale. Or spinach. You know the drill!
When my INR got so badly out of whack when I was going to the coumadin clinic, and I'd had my third blood transfusion in as many months, I realized I better take control of what was going in and out of my body. They werent doing such a great job!
So, I've not needed a transfusion since May, which is quite an accomplishment for me. Coincidentally that's when I got my testing device and started doing my INR myself.
heh. Imagine that.

I've made it a goal to learn everything I can about warfarin and all it can and cant do. So I do my research diligently from as many sources as I can find. The experts seldom agree, I've noted.

anyway yada yada yada thank you for your insight. I certainly knew nothing about this sort of thing before my surgery, and every day I learn something else.

 

[dick0236]

.......I've really gotten knowledge abundance of how many mcg is in a cup of broccoli. Or kale. Or spinach. You know the drill!
...........When my INR got so badly out of whack when I was going to the coumadin clinic, and I'd had my third blood transfusion in as many months, I realized I better take control of what was going in and out of my body. They werent doing such a great job!

I've never considered mcg, grams, ounces, etc. when considering how much vit K to eat. I just take a look at my plate and say "yep, that's about right"

I'm curious about your linking of INR with blood transfusions. I've never had a blood transfusion since I had my surgery and am curious if you've needed a transfusion to bring your INR into range. Seems very odd.....but I learn something new each day.

 

[pellicle]

. I've really gotten knowledge abundance of how many mcg is in a cup of broccoli. Or kale. Or spinach. You know the drill!

well it's kinda a nice hobby, but you'll probably find its unimportant.

When my INR got so badly out of whack when I was going to the coumadin clinic, and I'd had my third blood transfusion in as many months, I realized I better take control of what was going in and out of my body. They werent doing such a great job!

It's likely that they were the problem not the food...

Sorry to hear you've been through the wringer, but glad to read your taking the reigns now


Best wishes

 

[sassyspy]

I've never considered mcg, grams, ounces, etc. when considering how much vit K to eat. I just take a look at my plate and say "yep, that's about right"

I'm curious about your linking of INR with blood transfusions. I've never had a blood transfusion since I had my surgery and am curious if you've needed a transfusion to bring your INR into range. Seems very odd.....but I learn something new each day.

Unfortunately, when my INR goes thru the roof I develop severe anemia. I'm not sure, and I'm wondering if even my doctors know , which came first. I usually find out that my anemia is back when my INR gets above 8 or so. It's been as high as 19 , I needed 4 units of blood that hospitalization. But it's one of the reasons I enjoy researching medical journals and reading results of various warfarin studies. So many times I've thought how strange it is that in many of their study results, I am a contradiction to their conclusions. I do have some pretty strange responses sometimes to the warfarin, but we are all unique and dont always fit in the peg hole medical professionals put us into.
I think my entire life's medical events had a direct effect on where I am today , but theres no others to compare me with to see how much, if any did.

I've had ovarian cancer and 6 weeks of daily radiation treatment. I grew up during the time of the daily 'mosquito truck' rounds in the south. I dont know what was in that cloud of stuff they sprayed down every street , but it killed mosquitoes, it cant have been good for us.
I could go on and bore you with many things I think contributed to my heart problems , and my current responses to warfarin, but my long winded point is just that it hinders my research when I cant find anyone else with even a similar health background.
My heart valve is some sort of hereditary anomaly from my dad, who had the same surgery and more before he had a heart transplant, that eventually claimed his life when he was the same age I am now. One sister also had the exact same mitral valve problem , and the same surgery as well.

And I yack too much!!

 

[sassyspy]

well it's kinda a nice hobby, but you'll probably find its unimportant.

yes, it is kinda fun to have something specific to work towards and maintain, something other than my previous obsession known as the "when am I going to die?" era.
And considering the times I screwed up my self imposed diet, not eating any greens at all and then really pigging out on some fresh spinach, I think I realized that it would be more than vit k contributing to my warfarin response.

what do YOU think is often times the cause of poor INR results?



"It's likely that they were the problem not the food..."

I totally agree. But I couldnt manipulate them like I could my diet, and I felt like I had to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING to give me the illusion of control over whether I lived or died. I know, a little over the top, but I'm a pretty emotional person.

"Sorry to hear you've been through the wringer, but glad to read your taking the reigns now"


Best wishes

Thank you!

whew, I must be tired. Took me an hour to write that! Lol

 

[pellicle]

Hi

Unfortunately, when my INR goes thru the roof I develop severe anemia. I'm not sure, and I'm wondering if even my doctors know , which came first. I usually find out that my anemia is back when my INR gets above 8 or so.

wow ... that's quite high! If I may ask, are you testing weekly?

I enjoy researching medical journals and reading results of various warfarin studies. So many times I've thought how strange it is that in many of their study results, I am a contradiction to their conclusions. I do have some pretty strange responses sometimes to the warfarin, but we are all unique and dont always fit in the peg hole medical professionals put us into.

well its sort of my hobby too so if you wanted to work together I'm of the view I can assist (even given the other complications you have such as your other medical issues. If you haven't already had a look through it you may find my blog post summary interesting
http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2014/09/managing-my-inr.html

And I yack too much!!

all good

Best Wishes

 

[dick0236]

Unfortunately, when my INR goes thru the roof I develop severe anemia. I'm not sure, and I'm wondering if even my doctors know ,

Thank you for your answer to my earlier question.

 

[sassyspy]

Hi



wow ... that's quite high! If I may ask, are you testing weekly?



well its sort of my hobby too so if you wanted to work together I'm of the view I can assist (even given the other complications you have such as your other medical issues. If you haven't already had a look through it you may find my blog post summary interesting
http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2014/09/managing-my-inr.html




all good

Best Wishes

yes I am testing weekly. Primarily because I've had such problems with high results. It's getting better since I've been doing it. Ive grown almost nonchalant about it unless I go over 10.
Like today, I'm 5.2 even though I was 3.6 last week. So I reduced a mg and ate a little more broccoli, and I'll test it again Sunday or monday. I'm really not worried like I used to be, now that I've learned little things I can do to get back in range. I seldom have problems with high inr, but I'm pretty careful.
When it was 18 I had a lot of internal bleeding, which stopped as soon as it dropped to 1.5 after 10 mg of vitamin k, I.V.
Then it took forever to bring it back up. I'm far more scared when its low , it's way easier to get transfused than to recover from a clot or stroke.
I'm probably nuts to be like this about it, maybe I SHOULD be more concerned.
But I think of all the times since I've been on warfarin that my inr has been quite high, and during some of those times a few years ago, I had some pretty serious falls which luckily did not result in any internal bleeding. I mean, serious enough that in one fall I broke my nose, I landed on my face. Another I was unconscious for about 15 minutes. I consider myself very lucky.
I have a service dog now, maybe she's why I worry less. Though she's only trained to bark for help if I'm knocked out, which hasnt happened since I stopped walking in my sleep. !!
I swear, sometimes I think I should write a book about all these things I've survived. I certainly feel like I'm writing a book every time I sign on here! LOL

Yes I've often thought about picking your brain a bit about some of your research findings. I think you excel in some areas I'm deficient, like numbers. I can read something a dozen times and if theres too much mathematical reasoning, I wont get it if I read it a thousand times. (It's really annoying to me)

 

[Warrick]

Thank you!

whew, I must be tired. Took me an hour to write that! Lol

Have you thought about taking a vit k supplement if you arent already, I dont know too much about it as my INR fluctuations are seldom more than a few points, but I’ve read several people on here are on it, and it is also recommended on INRtracker which I’ve seen you on also I think.
100mcg daily I think is a good starting dose.
Perhaps this might smooth things and help the huge fluctuations you are seeing.

http://www.clotcare.com/vitaminkstabilizesinrs.pdf
http://www.valvereplacement.org/foru...min-k2-and-inr http://www.valvereplacement.org/foru...2-and-warfarin http://www.valvereplacement.org/foru...lation-control

 

[pellicle]

Hi

...
Yes I've often thought about picking your brain a bit about some of your research findings

if you want, send me a PM and I'll work with you for a few months on managing your INR. I can set up a spread sheet on Google Drive and share it with you. I only expect that:

• you test weekly (preferably on the same day)
• you take your dose daily (preferably at about the same time)
• you write your INR into the spread sheet, and work on the agreed dose which we determine at after the INR test (which will be the dose for the following week)
• you tell me about any missed doses

You won't need to do any maths.

PM me if you want to do this and we can see if we can't straighten out your INR