Warfarin
- Thread starter Tinsley99
- Start date
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How long has it been since you've had surgery (assuming that you HAVE had surgery)?
Pellicle has good information and recommendations for managing your INR. Warfarin is very slow acting - results from a dose today may not show much (or any) effects until the third day. You have to modify your dosage in small steps in order to bring and maintain it in range. Large changes every few days will make it unmanageable.
As far as diet is concerned, just try to be consistent with your diet -- this will make it easier to find the dose that's right for you.
As far as machines for testing are concerned, you should be able to occasionally find a meter on eBay that is priced affordably. I've seen some Coag-Sense (sometimes called CoaguSense) meters on eBay that are priced pretty low. For me, this is my meter of choice, so you shouldn't be afraid of buying one (as long as it comes with a DOA or other warranty and the seller has a good feedback score). I've seen test strips selling for a few dollars each. (In fact, I've got an extra meter that I may be interested in selling).
You can occasionally get a good price on a CoaguChek XS. DO NOT buy a CoaguChek S, or an InRatio meter -- these have been discontinued and you won't be able to get any test strips. Either the people who try to sell these are unaware that they're worthless, or they're just crooks trying to separate customers from their money.
Also, if you buy strips, check the expiration dates. Figure that you'll probably be testing weekly once you get your INR under control and don't buy strips that will expire before you can finish using the batch. If you're buying CoaguChek XS strips, make sure that you get the code chip for the strips that you buy.
You don't have to be rich to afford self-testing and self-management. (Take it from me - I know these things).
Pellicle has good information and recommendations for managing your INR. Warfarin is very slow acting - results from a dose today may not show much (or any) effects until the third day. You have to modify your dosage in small steps in order to bring and maintain it in range. Large changes every few days will make it unmanageable.
As far as diet is concerned, just try to be consistent with your diet -- this will make it easier to find the dose that's right for you.
As far as machines for testing are concerned, you should be able to occasionally find a meter on eBay that is priced affordably. I've seen some Coag-Sense (sometimes called CoaguSense) meters on eBay that are priced pretty low. For me, this is my meter of choice, so you shouldn't be afraid of buying one (as long as it comes with a DOA or other warranty and the seller has a good feedback score). I've seen test strips selling for a few dollars each. (In fact, I've got an extra meter that I may be interested in selling).
You can occasionally get a good price on a CoaguChek XS. DO NOT buy a CoaguChek S, or an InRatio meter -- these have been discontinued and you won't be able to get any test strips. Either the people who try to sell these are unaware that they're worthless, or they're just crooks trying to separate customers from their money.
Also, if you buy strips, check the expiration dates. Figure that you'll probably be testing weekly once you get your INR under control and don't buy strips that will expire before you can finish using the batch. If you're buying CoaguChek XS strips, make sure that you get the code chip for the strips that you buy.
You don't have to be rich to afford self-testing and self-management. (Take it from me - I know these things).
I looked back at your earlier posts and a month ago you felt your INR was settling down.....what happened?
When was your surgery?
What is your INR range?
What are your INR readings and dates of testing for your last 6 tests?
For me, diet has never had a lot of effect on my INR unless I changed my diet, or lifestyle pretty drastically. My INR range has always been 2.5-3.5 and as long as I'm anywhere inside that I don't worry. I home test weekly and periodically I can swing (from a 2.6 to a 3.4) between weekly tests.......but so long as I stay within range I'm not concerned unless that erratic INR continues for a couple of tests. I have no idea why I sometimes get wide INR swings....but they usually are self-correcting.
I don't restrict my diet but I also do not go overboard with any one type of food. In general green things will lower your INR due to vitamin K. But green food and vitamin K is good for you.. You need some vitamin K in your diet just to get a stable INR.
So the best way for me is to manage the INR is by changing my warfarin dose, not try to manage the INR by changing my diet. So eat a varied good diet and sooner or later you should stabilize. Don't binge eat, like make a pot of pea soup and have it every day until it's gone.
So the best way for me is to manage the INR is by changing my warfarin dose, not try to manage the INR by changing my diet. So eat a varied good diet and sooner or later you should stabilize. Don't binge eat, like make a pot of pea soup and have it every day until it's gone.
daVinci
Active member
First question- are you taking your warfarin at the same time each day, without forgetting and taking it late?
And if so, do you have regular mealtimes?
And if so, do you have regular mealtimes?
The time that you take warfarin really doesn't matter - just try to take it at the same time each day, if possible.
Warfarin is not fast acting - if you take it before breakfast, three days later, you'll probably see effects of it. It's not one of those medications where you see rapid results. It isn't like taking aspirin, which lasts about 4 hours, or another medication that is designed to be taken at a certain time of the day.
With Warfarin, just keeping to around the same time each day should be enough.
Warfarin is not fast acting - if you take it before breakfast, three days later, you'll probably see effects of it. It's not one of those medications where you see rapid results. It isn't like taking aspirin, which lasts about 4 hours, or another medication that is designed to be taken at a certain time of the day.
With Warfarin, just keeping to around the same time each day should be enough.
