Scary times

[Tadmad]

Hi everyone

New to all this and it's quite scary. I'm 61 and have recently be diagnosed with multiple bilateral pulmonary embolisms and left sided pneumonia. Had Heparin and now on Warfarin. INR is not stable but then who's is? ... This forum's a great idea and you've all educated and calmed my ignorance. Thanks.

[Hidden]

Hi Tadmad and welcome to the "not so mad" gang. Glad if HealthUnlocked has been a help but I have two requests. First, tell you friends to get involved too and the second is that it sounds like you have a lot of experience now to draw on which will be a help and encouragement to others so stay in touch and share when you get chance. Have you considered self testing your INR with your own machine yet???

[Tadmad]

Not considered self-testing yet. Didn't know about it until this link-up. I'm at the stage where the hospital W/clinic is stabilising me before my GP W/clinic takes over. I work from home (writer) which is quite sedentary (allotment put on temporary hold). So I'm taking it easy but I've also read that exercise is also a good thing. I intend to camp in the Lakes (but on dry land) in September and I hope that my INR is reasonable by then?

[jas9mine]

I have been doing my own INR's and that seems to keep me up to date without the fear factor. I noticed lately since i amtaking vicodinf or pain, my INR has shot up. So beware that certain drugs and even foods high in vit K will affect your clotting mechanism. and your INR. I saw one day my INR had shot too high for me 4.1. By skipping the Warfarin and By drinking V-8 juice (30 oz) and eating 4 Dill pickles, it was back down to 3.1 in one day. The best thing to drive it down is pure cranberry juice. I used what i had in the house. It worked. telljulie

[Tadmad in reply to jas9mine]

Thanks jasmine .... The cranberry juice bit is really very interesting and quite contrary to the drug blurb. Sounds good though. If in six months I'm still on Warfarin I'll try self-INR-ing. I'll also keep some fresh cranberry around.