Warfarin and antibiotic s

[Salvatore68]

Which antibiotic s are ok to take while on Coumadin. Also , would like to hear your experience with this. Thanks Salvatore

[Hidden]

With any antibiotic you will have to ensure that your INR testing takes place more frequently around your dosage as the INR is usually affected.

[Salvatore68 in reply to Hidden]

What do u mean “ around your dosage”?

One hour or hours after taking antibiotic?

[Hidden in reply to Salvatore68]

My GP said, if I recall correctly, to test 3/5 days after completing course. I use Coaguchek as I believe you do, so I test quite frequently for my own piece of mind. I have to say that I didn't find INR altered much at all.

I see you mention probiotics further on. I had to go on a mega dose of antibiotics a few years back and pharmacist re commended I took probiotic drinks like Yakult

Sandra

[ILowe]

There is a general principle. You should always always ask and insist that the doctor checks drug interactions every single time they add or stop a medicine. I am serious. I know of people who almost died because of this oversight. You also have a right to ask the pharmacist to double-check on the doctor. They have the authority to phone the doctor and argue a case. The trouble is, checking interactions takes time. Probably, the best qualified people to do that are the pharmacists.

Which means in practice, you may do better to check for yourself, then present your findings and ask them to comment. All health workers (and patients??) in UK have easy access to the dense book, the BNF, also online bnf.org . Appendix 1, interactions, is long.

I also use the following interaction sites. They will cope with multiple drugs. The information is sometimes alarming, with loads of maybe's. Sometimes only one site will flag a problem. Sometimes they contradict, so see your pharmacist.

drugs.com/drug_interactions...

webmd.com/interaction-check...

rxlist.com/drug-interaction...

reference.medscape.com/drug...

If you self-dose, get back to us. There are principles for self-dosers and methods of handling the vague 'maybe'. Worst are the ones that say it may affect you, sometimes positively sometimes negatively grrr.

[Salvatore68]

Thank for your thoughtful reply. I am retired and traveling .

I do Inr testing with Coaguchek .

This I the fist time I got sick while on

Coumaden. Diagnosed with Bronchitis .

I was prescribed amoxicillin. After reading on line about concerning interactions between these 2drugs

I asked 2 pharmacists about amoxcicillan and Coumaden and was told it’s fine.

I am more skeptical now after reading about this topic. My understanding now is to do INR testing more frequently so as to keep INR in desired range. No one suggested this to me. I found it on line and it makes sense to me.

Anyone else have experiences with this Topic? Would love to hear more from you.

Thanks for listening.

[Salvatore68]

So what do you know or think about taking probiotics while on antibiotic

Thanks

[ILowe]

OK. You do your own testing. I am not surprised you got neutral comments. Too many health workers rely on experience. Too many work on the view of treat the symptoms if they happen.

You are looking for size of the effect, and the direction of it.

1/ If you know the direction, and are not sure about the size, this is easy. Adjust your dose to give you margin. For instance, if you suspect it will bring down the INR, then make sure you have the margin for it, by keeping your INR high.

2/ If you are not sure about the direction, then try for a middle figure. Test more often, but do not over-test (time lags problem).

3/ ??? Usually, meds have a rapid effect on the INR -- I think. But, coming off it, you can have an idea depending on the half life of the medication. Long half lives mean slower return to normal.