magnesium and warfarin

[mavisrich]

can you take magnesium and vitamin D supplements when on warfarin? Many thanks

[BobD Volunteer]

Many people do but I would always discuss any supplements with my medical team first.

[Hidden]

My INR nurse says no.

[CDreamer in reply to Hidden]

Ask why not?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Hidden]

Generally speaking many INR ladies in GP surgeries are Health care assistants rather than fully trained nurses .With all due respect much as they are good at their jobs I wouldn't take their word for it. You need to discuss with a GP , pharmacist , arrhythmia nurse or similar.

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

Agreed they just follow advice on screen on dosing etc not qualified to think outside of the protocols. No disrespect to them intended

[MtLSteven]

I am on computer dosing Warfarin. The unexplained advice from the hospital is no vitamin supplements.

There is no clear advice about how much leafy green vegetables to take.

[ovannie in reply to MtLSteven]

I was told that iceberg lettuce is the only lettuce allowed...google helps with food questions...olive and canola oils are no-no's..I use peanut or corn oils. Absolutely NO soy products.

[starry-eyes]

That seems a rather broad brush approach. I would have thought Vitamin K would be restricted but if others are too, we should be trusted to know why, particularly as Warfarin may result in weak hair or nails and targeted supplements can help with this.

[ovannie in reply to starry-eyes]

I've found that keeping nails short is the answer to weak nails and I wear a cute cap as my BP meds (diovan) AND warfarin contribute to hair loss. I'm just thankful the hair loss isn't due to chemo. There are many, many things worse than warfarin's side effects.

[Nannie-C in reply to ovannie]

Yip, I'm losing lots of hair since being on prednisolone and got worse after starting warfarin, so sad but losing my hair hits my ego and won't harm me so need to keep taking the pills. On a positive note though, I have never had better nails!

[Polski]

I suspect they don't know the answer, so they are just playing safe, which ignores the fact that supplements can improve our health. Doctors are not trained in their use.

[ILowe]

I take both. I started with Vit D for a few years, and followed the advice of a maximum of 2000IU daily -- at this dosage there are no problems with other stuff such as calcium levels, but 2000IU is higher than the usual 800IU which for many people is little more than a placebo. Then recently I started Magnesium, spurred into action because Dr Sanjay Gupta basically said I had little to lose by trying.

[MarkS]

I take warfarin plus Vit D supplements in the winter (1000 IU). I also take Mg from time to time. I also take a Vit K2 supplement to regularise my intake of Vit K and hence avoid big changes in INR, but also to prevent atherosclerosis, fragile finger nails, etc.

I don't mention this to my doctor and particularly not to support staff who do not have an in-depth understanding of Vit K and warfarin!

[Dodie117]

Ask doctor for blood test for vitD. Mine did one and prescribed vit d.

I am on apixaban rather than warfarin. Consider changing??

[Hidden]

Hi been on Warfarin for 11 years and as I have not been to Spain for a month this winter I have been taking vit D 1000 on the advice of my pharmacist .

[VeeT]

I take 1000 iu Vitamin D daily. I asked my EP about magnesium but he said it wouldn't help my AF.