Is it right one has to be on warfarin... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Is it right one has to be on warfarin for 6 months?
There is really no specific time for how long you must be on warfarin. Only that you should continue it as long as there is a risk for stroke. It could take a few months to stabilize the dosage to reach the target INR which is normally between 2 and 3.
Why do you ask?
Tim
I am 76 and had a knee replacement that is when my AF occurred in the hospital and I am now on warfarin nearly 3 months now was not the result I expected- cannot remember what happened only I was kindof all wired up to a monitor and 133 was mwntioned - but my blood seems to fluctulate still i suppose I will have to be patient.
It's been said here many times that finding out is the hardest part. It is good that they caught I when they did. Most will have AF for years and never have it documented when it's happening. Now you should have every thing that is needed to properly diagnose and treat your AF. Have they made an apt with an EP yet? Or said anything about meds?
Over time the INR will settle down and you'll get the correct dosage of warfarin. It just takes time. I bounced around quite a bit in the beginning but have been stabilized and on the same dosage now for almost 2 years.
Ask all of the questions you like. There are many here who have been exactly where you are now and are willing to answer any questions you might have.
Welcome to the forum.
Tim
I have been on warfarin since last October, & I will be on it while I have the risk of a stoke. I have PAF, so will be on it long term. I spoke with my GP last week as I had a concern over the long term use of warfarin ie side effects esp as I taking 75mg Aspirin. He explained that the warfarin was for my AF & the Aspirin was for the mild ischaemic heart disease I have (long term use has been shown to reduce plaque build up in coronary arteries). He jokingly said the side affect of warfarin was that it kept me alive!
Hope this helps,
Ian
I meant Good One of course.
love that one too shall certainly use it.
I have been on Warfarin since 1992 some times it does not want to play and can go high or variable.
6 months on warfarin sounds bearable.
I'm scheduled to have an ablation in July and had expected that this would allow me to eventually stop taking warfarin. However, the consultant has said that I can never stop. I think that this is because the medical profession don't believe that ablation is necessarily effective. Is this so? I realise that AF may reoccur but I would have thought that this could be picked up by regular checkups and in the meantime warfarin could be discontinued. Does anyone have information on this?
swatson, you will find this topic admirably covered by Bob in a thread about asprin. If you click on my icon and run down my responses, you will find one that starts'I asked my INR nurse..' I found Bob's reply very helpful.
The general feeling is that warfarin is the Best Friend of the A Fibber, but personally I was appalled to find 'life long' written in my little yellow warfarin book, and I found the first 6 months very difficult.
Thanks, Rellim 296 and Bob. It's good to hsve such a clear explanation. But I still have a query. My sister had an ablation in Austrslia last year but was only on Warfarin for 6 months afterwards. She is 65 and I would think that she has the same stroke risk score as me. Do you know or could you guess why Austrslian snd British practice should differ?
6 months post ablation
6 months since ablation 
6 months post ablation 
