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INR levels changing

Posted , 6 users are following.

marvin6430
marvin6430

I had my Aortic valve and Aorta  replaced 14 years ago. I have been on 7mg Coumadin or Warfarin and have kept my INR between 2.3 and 3.5 without any problems until now. I can have my blood checked this week and the INR may be 1.6. The doctor will adjust my dosage and the next week it may be 4.1. In other words, its too thick or to thin. It has read over 6.0. I have not changed my meds or diet. Anyone have any suggestions or have the same problem?

2 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • libby48
    libby48 marvin6430

    Posted

    Hi Marvin, I know that certain antibiotics can alter the INR range, it usually raises mine so they have to drop the dose of Warfarin which im on, also Aspirin can thin the blood so this should be avoided. I have also learnt that Cranberry Juice also thins the blood, if its none of these, i would just make sure youre not taking two doses instead of just the one per day, and if you do miss a dose the day before, Never double up thinking it will correct it. Hope this info helps
    • marvin6430
      marvin6430 libby48

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. I am not on antibiotics, but I have to take a baby aspirin everyday. My wife has been checking my doses beause that is what she thought. The only thing I am doing different is taking Lyrica and my doctor said that it would not affect my INR. Of course the doctor could be wrong. I get my blood checked every week now, where it was once a month.

      Thank you,

      Marvin Beard

    • derek76
      derek76 marvin6430

      Posted

      Why are you taking a baby aspirin when you are on Warfarin. The two are not supposed to taken together.
    • lucy02639
      lucy02639 derek76

      Posted

      I thought this, as well; I used to take low-dose aspirin, but my doctor stopped it as soon as I went on Warfarin. But I've just read that some medics. prescribe them both to get both the anti-platelet and anti-coagualant effect; but I also read that this is becoming less common, and there is a growing opinion that it is a bad idea to combine the two.
    • libby48
      libby48 marvin6430

      Posted

      Hi Marvin, make sure you let the nurses know that you are taking Aspirin, you really dont need it if youre on Warfarin, as they are both used as blood thinners. I would talk to your doctor about it before taking anymore, of the Aspirin that is. Hope this helps x
    • marvin6430
      marvin6430 libby48

      Posted

      The nurses always ask me if I am taking the 81MG aspirin. I have never really ask why, but my heart surgeon told me I had to take a baby aspirin everyday. When I go for a checkup, if I don't put baby aspirin down on my list of meds, they will ask me about it. I have been told that it makes coumadin work better. I take coumadin at night and baby aspirin in the morning. I have an appointment coming up with my heart doctor and I will ask about it again.

      Thank you,

      Marvin Beard

    • marvin6430
      marvin6430 derek76

      Posted

      My heart surgeon told me to take a baby aspirin everyday with coumadin. Of course I take baby aspirin in the morning and coumadin at night. It is just something I was told I would have to do for the rest of my life by the heart surgeon and my heart doctor always ask me if I am taking the aspirin. I will talk to my heart doctor about this next week.

      Thank you,

      Marvin Beard

    • libby48
      libby48 marvin6430

      Posted

      Yes i would ask your doctor about it just to double check, i wish you all the best and hope everything works out well for you.  Take care
    • derek76
      derek76 marvin6430

      Posted

      I would have been terrified if in my reading reached 6.0.

      The highest mine went to was 3.9 when Amiodarone was added to my meds without the warfarin dosage being reduced at the same time a it should have been.

  • lucy02639
    lucy02639 marvin6430

    Posted

    This does seem very odd as you have been stable for so long. I wonder if it could possibly be something very simple like taking a multi-vitamin pill or a supplement of some kind (a lot of the supplements advertised for joint pain are bad news with warfarin). It would probably be a good idea to have a complete blood work done to see if there's anything else going on.
    • marvin6430
      marvin6430 lucy02639

      Posted

      Hi, lucy. It is strange that my INR changed all of a sudden. I take the same vitamin as alway without vitamin K. I do take Glucosamine and Chondroitin for my joints, but I have also been taken this for years. My doctor does not think this is a problem, but I will talk with the doctor again about it. I also eat about the same things all the time. I will also talk to my doctor about the complete blood work.I have been taken Lyrica, but the doctor said that it would not affect my INR. I wonder some times if it may be the lab.

      Thank you,

      Marvin Beard

  • rob60599
    rob60599 marvin6430

    Posted

    Hi Marvin, as previously stated there are things that can alter your INR. Alcohol can do it, weight gain or loss, a high intake of vitamin K, or just stress in your daily life can disrupt your readings. I had this problem a few months back, I had a dvt about a year ago and am still on warfarin my target INR is 2.5 and I had been stable for weeks then all of a sudden my INR shot up to 4.0, and it was said that it was down to stress of being made redundant. I am now on a weekly dose and a weekend dose and this has sorted out my INR perhaps have a chat with your haemotologist. I hope I have been some help.
    • marvin6430
      marvin6430 rob60599

      Posted

      Rob, I am not stressed and am retired. I do watch my vitamin K even in my vitatmins. The only changes I have is that I have etired and I do not get the exercise I used to get. I have my blood checked every week and it is either high or low.

      Thanks for your reply,

      Marvin Beard

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