Warfarin and alcohol

[Tickertalker]

Hi all, Eighteen months ago my cardiologist suggested I stop drinking. My surgeon told me this was unnecessary. Out of an abundance of caution, I took my cardiologist's advice. Now nine months post-surgery and with the lockdown ending I'm kind of thinking a glass or two or, occasionally, three or four would be nice. However, I am now on Warfarin for the rest of my days and am concerned about a fluctuating INR. What is your experience of drinking with blood thinners? Good idea or bad idea?

[Shar28]

My husband is on Warfarin and has a drink or two several times a week. They key is moderation and monitoring your INR so you can see how it affects you. Much easier if you home test!

[Tickertalker]

Hi HappyJo, Yup, moderation and consistency is the go to medical advice on everything in life but what does that actually mean in the real world? Given that the recommended limit of alcohol for all, be you a frail old lady or a six foot two bricklayer, is 14 units a week. About one pint a night. I get that I can't go out on the lash any more but do I have to religiously drink one pint a night every night to stay in range or can I go out twice a week and have three pints or three times a week and have two pints? I'm kind of interested in people's personal experience.

[Hidden in reply to Tickertalker]

Hi Tickertalker. I'm on Warfarin for Life as well. It is a very sensitive Drug. I always go to the Clinic at the Hospital for my INR and it is up and down ALL the time as anything can alter your levels. eg. Food, Alchohol, the time you take it, even the amount of sleep you get and the List goes on!! I'm sure you are aware of this though 😀. I asked about a Home Testing Kit and they weren't happy for me to do that. Anyway, when I was there, there was one Man who had been Binge Drinking for about four days and still clearly drunk. He was playing absolute hell with the Nurse there insisting their Machine was wrong!! Apparently, they get that regularly. I did hear the Nurse telling him that they were going to refuse to do it anymore and were going to get in touch with the Doctor about him. I'm not saying for one moment that you are like this but if your Surgeon says it is ok, I would be inclined to trust him. Also, like you say, just try and keep it in proportion by going on what your INR Levels say. Best of Luck

[Tickertalker in reply to Hidden]

Hi Snowflake, No, I was never an offensive or daytime drinker although I did enjoy a few pints in the evening back before I joined the hearties. I just have so much trouble understanding what is allowable or sensible and what's not. On the one hand, people stress Warfarin's sensitivity and the importance of regular testing, on the other I've been told that we are only given blood thinners as a precaution as blood clots don't form on modern valves and what I really need is a chill pill. I run from broccoli for fear of life-threatening clots and swerve all alcohol in case I bleed to death. It's exhausting. Maybe I should start brewing Brussels sprouts. A Vitamin K rich lager might be just what the doctor ordered.

[IrisCarter in reply to Tickertalker]

😂😂

[Debtyd in reply to Tickertalker]

🤣I told my son that cos he's unable to drink but wants to...just get a glass of Apple juice and some haribo tangfastics... close your eyes and there you have it, you've got makeshift non alcohol cider 😁 xDebx p.s. he did scowl at me though xx

[Ruadh]

I have a drink most nights, sometimes three drinks. Whisky. G&T. Red or white wine. Am in Warfarin for life. My INR is stable 2-3. I do not have a problem. I always wait until gone 6.00 p.m. - I dislike alcohol during the day. Am a regular night-owl. Love to turn the TV OFF, then quiet time with my laptop and a decent drink. I give up for Lent, so as to prove that am 'not' a lush - i.e. do not 'need' alcohol. Just enjoy when I drink it, which is most nights.

[Tickertalker in reply to Ruadh]

Sounds good. Exactly the way I like to drink.

[JennyRx in reply to Ruadh]

It’s a good idea to have two consecutive days alcohol free as this gives the liver enough time to clear the alcohol and it’s metabolites properly.

[Ruadh]

Ok. Good. *Always ensure 'you' are in the control seat, not the other way round ! IF in doubt, stop, spell yourself, have that focus in sight, and keep in sight. Too many say 'Ya - Ya' and then find that their own control is not 'quite' as good as had surmised ! Don't want to be, an aint good to *be, fizzle-bombed !!

[Mikedabike]

Just a suggestion which I found from an earlier thread on this site. I have started drinking zero alcohol beer. I have been really surprised how good it is. Maybe worth a try. I only started it to keep my INR levels steady. Naturally with lockdown and the pubs being shut I have found it easier to drink it at home. My own personal view is that if you don’t drink to excess, then I don’t see any harm. As other commenters have said, much like diet, the key is consistency.

[Spetses]

Again this is a very personal thing as is linked to your metabolism & warfarin sensitivity , one glass of red wine can send my husbands INR high , but in general if you drink in moderation & are consistent with your alcohol intake/food intake you shouldnt have a problem ...the best thing is to try and check how it affects your INR (very easy if you are a self tester & have your own coagucheck INR machine )

[Mentdent]

If you’re going to drink with blood thinners like warfarin you need to drink the same amount pretty well every day. The two drugs interact. Personally I wouldn’t bother.

[Smileyian]

Must be your personal choice but no harm in moderation. I am on the blood thinner/ anticoagulant Apixaban and have a glass of red wine every day. Maybe 2 on Saturday.

[road2ruin]

I drink every now and then, maybe once a week or so. Sometimes I will have a bottle of pints or the equivalent. It has never affected my INR. I do home monitoring and keep an eye on it. I am sure though some people it may affect.

[MissisF]

An abundance of caution is good with alcohol, but.....there are other options to Warfarin, which is a fairly unsophisticated drug. My husband was on it for a couple of years & always struggled to get his levels right. He has 2 smallglasses of red per night after 9 pm. 🍷 He might have an occasional beer watching rugby. He’s now on Clopidogrel and so doesn’t have the inconvenience of the tests. So do check that Warfarin is the only one you can have. My friend, also a 2 glasses of red wine girl is on Apixoban. She has been known to have 3 glasses on special occasions. Sensible drinking not binge. But, as a previous poster said, doctors know better than armchair medics 🤓 👨‍⚕️everybody’s heart condition is different.

[IrisCarter in reply to MissisF]

Warfarin is currently the only anticoagulation drug available for mechanical valves.

[Hidden in reply to IrisCarter]

True!

[SmokeAKipper]

Every once in a while I’ll go out with mates have 4 5 pints this is once every 2 months.. I know I probably shouldn’t but also you have to live

[Gdav]

Really is going to be a personal choice thing this.I agree with most but would probably say suck it and see.

As a recent wafarin for lifer, I find I can get so het up with what I can or cannot do, I tire of it and realise that the reason for my going through open heart surgery was to live and if I am going to spend my days worrying about for instance, missing one days dose, where I spent the day convinced my valve was clogging up as I sat there, then I should just have left my dodgy valve and aneurism where they were and spent my remaining days happy without a care In the world.

Personally I would say to you, drinking 1 pint or 3 each day or 6 or 7 once in a blue moon for a special ocassion will not be the greatest wafarin crime there is. God knows I've agonised over that last floret of cauliflower or broccoli and what it may do to.my levels ( although as a 54 YR old my levels temain remarkably the same) , but like all the 7 deadly sins, keep it real and enjoy it rather than have it because its substituting something else missing.

Yours, the great wafarin sage.

[IrisCarter]

Despite a very regular lifestyle and diet plus no alcohol my INR levels on warfarin are like a yoyo. I’ve been up to 9 (in hospital) and down to 1.4. For the last four months I have been between 2 and 4.9. My goal is 3 -4.I haven’t been too worried about it, the worst aspect is frequent blood tests.

What I am trying to say, I think, is get on and live your life within sensible limits.

Do what you need to do to enjoy being alive.

[Hidden in reply to IrisCarter]

Welcome to my World ha ha!! 😂

[NotAllWhoWonder]

Excessive alcohol intake (more than the medically recommended amount) can put strain on your heart (increase in BP, etc). It's also a bad combo with blood thinners. I suspect your cardiologist may have suggested it because you may have unknowingly reported that your daily intake was above the recommendation.

Like every else here has already said, moderation is everything: have a drink now and then, but going out on the lash, given your condition and the medication you're on, is definitely a no-no. You have a second chance at life, but you have to respect the rules that come with it.

[64AF]

Hi I have been on two blood thinners for years. I am not on warfarin I’m on rivaroxban and do not need blood tests or checks. Would your Drs change you over to this one, I changed my drinking habit by drinking low alcohol drinks and sticking to the 14 units a week . I have had two HA and diognosed with AF and heart failure .

[Cavalierrubie]

I am on Warfarin for the rest of my life. I asked my Warfarin nurse if I could have a glass of wine and she said "yes, everything in moderation." I have the odd glass and it seems ok. Just to be sensible I think and not drink everyday. Ask when you next have INR check and see what they say about it. I think to have an unrestricted life, and happy life, you need to adjust Warfarin to yourself and not yourself with Warfarin. I eat everything in moderation - small amounts of green veg now and again. Best wishes.

[Stonechick in reply to Cavalierrubie]

I do exactly the same and have found that antibiotics are the only things that change my warfarin level, (downwards) and have had to make adjustments for these from time to time.

[Cavalierrubie in reply to Stonechick]

Yes, I forgot to mention antibiotics. They are the only time my INR goes down as well. regards. take care

[Boxroad]

What’s the point life or alcohol? I take life every time, you are where you are due to heart issues why take any chances at all. I have not been able to drink for 20 years, I still miss a drink when I am out but it’s better not having one than have my kidneys pack up with all the meds I am on they are working hard enough as it is, so I would say don’t drink at all but the choice has to be yours alone.

[Norma27]

Unless alcohol is the cause of your heart problem, you can drink in moderation according to my consultant. Alcohol is toxic to the heart so bear in mind it could slow down any recovery. I was told I could have the odd glass of wine rather than be absolutely teetotal. I tend to have a glass of wine about three times a week. (Never any more than a bottle in it’s entirety over the week) Also don’t drink the night before an INR test or eat too much broccoli, or your rate will be higher.

It’s about getting the balance right, to live a normal life as much as possible. It’s a bit like a diet, when you are told “no more chocolate” It’s then all you want! So just be sensible and you’ll be okay.

[Hermanm]

Hi,I , like you enjoy a tipple,

And after being told I needed a new aortic valve,

and would also need warfarin for life , my heart sank..(no pun intended)

However 6 years later , I'm still here , still enjoy a few beers at the weekend,

and have a steady INR of 1.5.

The thing to remember,

or so I was told ,is

Keep to a routine , if you drink , do it regularly,

then your body gets used to the alcohol as part of your diet ,and the wafarin adapts to that.

Seems to work for me,

but I'm not a doctor!

[Robs77]

Hi Tickertalker,

Been on Warfarin for 12years after replacement mitral valve and bypas surgery, and was given advice then which aparantly holds fast today,and believe this is on this website written by a doctor!

It is safe to drink, but best not to drink more than14 units a week,

if you drink 14 units a week, it is best to spread this over3days or more

Alcahol in excess does thin blood, so coul d increase the risk of bleeding furthur, and create an unstable INR

regards,

Bob.

[HenningLob]

HiMy husband had open heart surgery and replacement mechanical valve over two years ago so is now also a Warfarin lifer. He was always keen on a few pints and glasses of wine and at first we were both very concerned about how Warfarin would prevent his enjoyment of alchohol. He gave up alchohol for the first few months and then gradually had a few drinks. Now he always has three alchohol free days at the start of the week and indulges in some drinks at the end of the week. Really when on warfarin it would be better to spread out any drinking over the week I believe to help keep INR stable.For nearly a year and a half after starting Warfarin, his INR was out of range and up and down and we could never work out the exact cause. However over the last 6 months his INR has remained nearly always in range and his warfarin intake has remained at 7mg and not changed over the last 6 months, despite the fact that he drinks alchohol on some days and not on others. Everyone is different and some people's INR seem to fluctuate more than others. We are vegetarian and I have found that cutting broccoli out of the diet has coincided with my husband's INR remaining stable. I don't know if this is due to the cutting out of broccoli or whether it just needed time for my husband's INR to settle. He does enjoy a drink and so far is managing to keep his INR stable whilst having some alchohol and also taking warfarin. What does trouble him daily and at night is the very intense pounding sensation of his mechanical valve and that remains the same day in and day out whether he has a drink or not. People say you get used to it but after over two years it still troubles him. His only escape is when he relaxes with a couple of drinks ...

I hope you can enjoy a few post lockdown drinks and stay safe whilst on warfarin!