I like all types of green vegetables ... - Atrial Fibrillati...

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I like all types of green vegetables ,especially kurly kale and spinach , i some times wonder if this causes any problems with my warfarin.

Honeywine profile image
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Honeywine
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Beancounter profile image
BeancounterVolunteer

Hi Honeywine

It makes no difference because the dosage of warfarin you take is adjusted to you as an individual and that includes your diet.

If you were varying your diet vastly every week, and binge eating kale and spinach (and I share your love may I say) then it might be a problem, but you'd probably have to eat more than Popeye to cause a major difference in INR.

And of course I doubt you take your spinach from a can :)

Ian

Honeywine profile image
Honeywine in reply to Beancounter

Thanks beancounter your an angel. I'm off now to get some kale from the allotment.

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer in reply to Honeywine

Ian is right. So long as you keep to a regular amount and do not suddenly stop eating stuff then your INR will adjust accordingly. It is people who suddenly have a huge plate of "stuff" who will trip their INR..

BobD

PS Broccoli seems the be the worst culprit.

wellmeaningdaughter profile image
wellmeaningdaughter in reply to Beancounter

My father (just started warfarin in the last month) has been complaining of constant constipation. Not thinking - I gave him a super juice with tons of kale and carrots in it - he normally eats kale, but the last few weeks he hasn't eaten as much. I am so concerned that I have put him at risk for clotting - I think I need to get him in for a blood test this morning - I totally forgot about the medication. What to do?

Beancounter profile image
BeancounterVolunteer in reply to wellmeaningdaughter

Hi wellmeaning daughter (great name)

In general INRs are not that sensitive, so when you say "tons" of kale, a packet? not a problem I suspect in however it's been kilos of the stuff then maybe.

But why not ring the anti-coag nurse and ask?

And it will settle down for him and he'll get used to it soon.

Good luck

Ian

Bob is right. Can't take broccoli any more! Shame, because it's one of my favourites. Also grapefruit, but I've had to cut that out as well.

Carrie

Bagrat profile image
Bagrat

It had never crossed my mind that cauli ( being white) was high in Vit K. I found this was the case on line AFTER husband and I had wolfed a whole large cauli as main meal in cheese sauce between us. Can't say it made any difference to either INR

MarkS profile image
MarkS in reply to Bagrat

Hi Bagrat, cauli is not that high in Vit K, there's about 17mcg of Vit K per portion. That compares with broccoli at 183mcg and kale at 1,146mcg and spinach at 1,027mcg. So you'd have to eat about 50 cauliflowers to give you the same amount of Vit K as a portion of kale. That's an awful lot of cheese sauce!

The key thing is to keep taking greens but regular amounts each day.

Bagrat profile image
Bagrat in reply to MarkS

Thanks Mark. With that amount of cheese sauce my wt gain would be spectacular. The site I looked at just said high.

Regards Wendy B

Mamamarilyn profile image
Mamamarilyn

DO keep eating the green stuff! I was warned to avoid it, which I found really difficult as I am a spinach nut BUT I was getting skin rashes and itches SO I'm back on it, trying to moderate it, and the skin stuff is clearing up....yippee! Funnily enough my INR has risen!

No tins thanks Beancounter x

beano2013 profile image
beano2013

I find any green veg sends my INR up. I agree with the other respondent who advised you continue to eat greens and cauliflower, but make sure you take them on a regular basis. I find this hard to do, so when I have a portion of say spinach, I take half a tablet less that night. I have my own INR machine to monitor my INR which I find invaluable. I discussed buying a machine with my G.P and he was very helpful. No more goings to clinics to get it checked and a re-assurance if I need to check it more often. Best of luck. Beano 11

Dodie117 profile image
Dodie117 in reply to beano2013

Hi. My understanding is that Vitamin k helps coagulate your blood so you need MORE warfarin' not less if you eat lots of spinach, kale etc..

Marie

jennydog profile image
jennydog

The sticky name label on the front of my warfarin pack states "avoid drinking cranberry juice." if you take statins then grapefruit are banned. I can cope with all this so long as I can still have sprouts and frozen peas.

lizwright profile image
lizwright

I eat tonnes of spinach but my inr is used to it. Keep on eating it. Your wafarin will be adjusted to your lifestyle. Who on earth would want to drink cranberry juice or grapefruit anyway? Yuk!

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