INR not increasing as expected.

[Nettyanne]

Hi everyone, I started taking Warfarin in October and despite upping my dose my INR is stuck at 1.6, it has been the same for 3 weeks now and the nurse doesn't seem to know why.

Has anyone else had this problem?

Thanks

Annette

[Fredders]

Hi Annette

Got my next inr test tomorrow but I'm the opposite in that the last couple of tests I've been too high. Have you tried keeping a record of what you eat and drink and see if that could be affecting it?

Wendy

[Nettyanne in reply to Fredders]

Hi Wendy, thanks for your reply, I have tried to keep my diet stable but as you say it might be good to keep a record to see if that helps.

Hope your reading is better tomorrow, take care.

Annette

[Nicholas55]

Annette

I had my op for a mitral valve replacement last May and it took me nearly a year to get my INR consistently within target. It seems all kinds of things affect it. As your first reply said I think keeping everything- time of taking the warfarin, diet and exercise - as consistent as possible seemed to help. Even then small changes in other medication seemed to have an influence. I know this is not directly related to your issue but my experience suggests getting your INR at the right level takes months not weeks. If it's any help I can now go 6-8 weeks between tests.

Hope this helps.

Nicholas

[Nettyanne in reply to Nicholas55]

Hi Nicholas, thanks for your reply. I am trying to keep my diet as consistent as possible and always take the tablets around 6pm. I wouldn't have expected my level to be stable yet , but the nurse I saw today seemed surprised that it had stayed the same so she made me think it was unusual .

Oh well I suppose it will sort itself out eventually.

Best wishes

Annette

[mewg in reply to Nettyanne]

hi annette im currently in hospital after my avr and my warfrin level is beeing really stubborn and after 5 days its 1.3 and i cant go home till its over 2.i spoke 2 pharmisist yesterday and explained how it works so maybe you need abit more advice xx goodluck

[DavidSimpson]

Hi Annette, like Nicholas it took me about a year to bring the dose under control, as it was wildly fluctuating. It got so bad I was once phoned by the hospital to see if I was bleeading at all as my reading was off the top end of the scale! I bought a meter so that I could do my own readings and soon learnt to vary the dose as necessary to keep the readings within my range. Now just do one reading per month.

[Mary_Janet]

Hi Annette,

I started warfarin after my AVR which I had in May. I am still on fortnightly blood tests and sometimes weekly. It does not take much to affect my INR. I have yet to get to my target but am getting closer. I currently take a different dose on alternate days.I have been told that it can take months for the INR to settle but we will get there in the end. All the best. Mary

[Inamoment]

It's funny stuff. I've been on it for a couple of years now and it is pretty solid. Lots of things affect the inr, I try to be consistent with food. The dose went up 0.5mg when I started on water tablets. I don't know how doses vary from person to person, mine is 4mg, I met a guy who was on 9 a day. It is odd that your inr has barely moved, is your dose being varied or are they waiting for you body to catch up?

[Nettyanne]

Thanks for all your replies, it's great to hear other people's experiences. I didn't expect my level to be stable yet but the nurse I saw seemed surprised that it had stayed the same for 3 wks so she made me think it was unusual. They have increased my dose every week so this week I am taking 5mg daily, fingers crossed it's gone up next time.

Hope you get home soon mewg.

Best wishes to all

Annette

[Inamoment in reply to Nettyanne]

I think it maybe unusual. I had to come off warfarin half a dozen times for endoscopes, angiograms etc and it has always come to an inr between 2 and 3 in a week. You must be special

[Nettyanne]

I don't know about special !

As my daughter said last night " nothing is ever straightforward with you Mum"

Annette

[Rupertthedog]

l have been under 2 twice in 3 yrs when i first started and recently when i moved house.Before that i was 2.5 and down to 10 wk checks. I had to give myself stomach injections for 5 days to bring up the figures to 2.5 and also to take 6ml of warferin for 6days and 5ml on one day. That has worked well and is now back to a steady 2.5 reading. And have been told to keep to those tablets 2 blue per day for 6days and one day 2 brown and one blue the other.Hope this helps. John