Going to Europe next week and they are an hour ahead of us - what time for my Warfarin?

[scooty]

Should I stick to my UK time for Warfarin, which is 6.00 pm but 7.00 pm in Europe, or go with the local time of 6.00 pm which will be 5.00 pm in the UK?

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Hi Scooty

It's not usually that sensitive, evening is usually fine, I normally take mine around 7pm unless I am out and then it's 10:30 or even 11pm, and makes no real difference

take care

Ian

[scooty in reply to Beancounter]

Oh, I was told to keep to a set time without fail, but failing that at best only one hour later.

[Beancounter Volunteer in reply to scooty]

Hi Scooty

Obviously best to keep to the same time, but it's not that critical as I understand it, an hour will probably make no difference at all, and two hours also probably very little, you are simply topping up the warfarin in your body which is decaying from your last dose. My anti-coag nurse told me 6pm, I told her I was seldom home from work at that time, and that I work long hours and sometimes not back until 10pm, and then she said try to stick to the same time, but evening is fine.

[scooty in reply to Beancounter]

Thank you!

[Langara]

Hi Scooty

I was also initially told to stick to a set time when taking Warfarin, but later was told that was only said as an aid to remembering to take the tablets!! An hour or so later really makes no difference whatsoever. I am off to Rhodes (2 hours ahead of us) in a couple of days and I will continue to take my Warfarin about 6ish as normal.

[scooty in reply to Langara]

Thank you!

[Offcut]

I would take them at a time near your usual but the main reason that you take them at night, is so after your blood test if the INR is miles out they can ring you and you can change it that evening. I think it takes bit of time to stop acting.

[scooty in reply to Offcut]

Thank you

[BobD Volunteer]

This time thing is probably so you remember to take it. Personally can't be than anal and just make sure that I take it sometime round dinner time plus/minus an hour or so.

BobD

[scooty in reply to BobD]

Thank you

[BernardS]

Hi scooty

Come with me to India where you are 5½ hours adrift. I take mine about the same time over there as I would at home,easier to remember, and I am still here. Have you never forgotten to take a dose?? I have.

[farmerwalt]

Hi Scooty,

Like most others are saying, the main reason for the same time is just as a reminder to take it. I have quite a variable work pattern etc and can be plus or minus 3 hours from my "normal" time, but it makes very little difference. I have occassionally forgotten to take it, but by around midday the next day I start to get a migraine and that is an indication that my INR has fallen too low and a reminder that I must have missed a dose. (best migraine cure I've ever had is the warfarin) As long as I keep my INR around 2.8 it is fine. If, as I said, I miss a dose then by midday next day it is down to about 2.2, which is still within my target of 2 to 3, but enough to start the migraines. I self monitor and manage my doses so it is quite easy for me to check and adjust. Any time I've been for an 'op where my INR has to be down it usually takes anout 3 days for this to happen, so the effect of warfarin is fairly slow. Hope this also helps.

Walter.