Information on warafin, feeling alone my GP not very informative.

[annfitz09]

hi I have congenital heart disease been taking beta blockers all my life, ablation not possible due to anatomy. Now I've had a small stroke and have 2 clots on my brain. Started on warafin, feeling scared as I'm 34 and mother of 2. How long does it take for Inr to stabilise? What should/shouldn't I be doing?

[BobD Volunteer]

Hi Ann, and welcome So sorry to read your story but you are amongst friends here. The thing about warfarin is to keep to as stable a diet as possible, I don;t mean have the same meal each day of the week but avoid binging on any one food especially lots of green veg. Cranberry juice is right out and a few other things as well as excess alcohol but they will be noted on your yellow book. We are all different so it is hard to say how long it will take you to become stable. I have been on the same dose now for about 8 years and vary within range 2.5 to 3.5 but others are all over the place . MY dose is 4.6mg (4.5x6 plus 1x5) but others may be on much higher amounts. Good luck but do work with your clinic or nurse.

Bob

[annfitz09 in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob. Maybe I need to find a better clinic. I've read all about the food and alcohol. I just feel I'm not getting answers or suppor from the doc.

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Hi Annfitz and welcome

If you've had a small stroke then warfarin is going to be your best friend and absolutely nothing to worry about.

As Bob says, try and keep your diet as regular as possible, you can eat almost anything, but just don't change your diet without expecting a change to your INR.

Just about everyone here will be on warfarin or another anti-coagulant, so for most of us it's just another tablet, and to be honest once the initial testing is out of the way there's very little to it.

Few pople have any side effects, but of course you will be more prone to bruising and if you cut yourself it will take longer to stopd bleeding. So no more professional rugby, give up the knife throwing act, and the human cannonball act (as someone once hilarously said here)

You'll be fine, be well

Ian

[annfitz09 in reply to Beancounter]

Thank you, I'm trying to get my head round the whole thing but should just think of it as another pill. I'm more scared about the clots on my brain and chances of having another stroke but no one can say if they will dissolve or not, will have to wait and see.....

[Hidden]

It can take time to get the INR stable but that is because they work very cautiously towards getting you in the right range, so that you don't go shooting over. I was put on warfarin before Christmas and still not quite got it right, though hopefully this week will see it go into range and stay there. It's just a pain having to go for the weekly testing but it's all in a good cause, I'm relieved to be on it myself, although of course I do regret that Ian and I have had to give up that knife-throwing act. We were good...

[Christo4 in reply to Hidden]

Good morning Eatsalottie.

How are you doing ? did you see my posting now 2.2 again, so I carry on the same with 5 mg, thought maybe could have taken 6 mg to get it to 2.5 do you think I might be wrong thinking that ? Maybe best just leaving it as soon it might be 2.5 just a thought .

[Hidden in reply to Christo4]

Good morning Christo!

Feeling good, I was 2.3 this morning so I've been left on the same dose too, it seems that's what the system does, if you're in range it keeps you on the same dose. I was put up half a mg last time and it put me over, so I can see why they're cautious. Yay for both of us!

[MarkS]

What is really important is to keep your INR in range - that's usually 2-3 though some say 2.5-3.5. To help you with this consider getting a Coaguchek monitor, a bit like a glucose monitor. You can test at home, it just takes a drop of blood and gives you your INR within a minute. It's the best thing I ever bought - but it is around £299.

Mark

[annfitz09]

Thank you all for your supportive comments.

[jennydog]

The best thing about warfarin is that it gives you confidence. The worst is that the tablets taste absolutely vile and must be swallowed rapidly.

I stabilised very quickly and now only go for checks every 6 weeks. I was anxious about dental check-ups but there isn't a problem if you show your yellow book to the dentist and are below 4. You should consider wearing a bracelet or necklace indicating that you're on warfarin.

You can eat a varied diet, just avoid kale, broccoli and cranberries. That's no hardship!

[gerryatriq]

dont worry about it, just get up to the desired level as quickly as possible. Should take no more than a week to get to a safe level then a bit more to get it stabilised. I have drunk 1 litre (1.8pints0 of beer every evening for all of the time I have been on warfarin, it has never altered my levels once in over 12 years

Glass of red wine a day is fine. Just dont do binging thats all. But start as you mean to carry on, as bob says it should be fine, if you dont go mad on green veggies

[annfitz09 in reply to gerryatriq]

Thank you, I'm partial to a few vinos