INR on the rise

[jojo-lianne]

Morning all,

I've been floored by some kind of virus for most of this week but I did manage to drag myself to the surgery for my INR test on Wednesday.

My therapeutic range has been set at 2-3 (which is something I'll be bringing up with the rheumatologist in December) and for the last few weeks, despite reductions in my dose it's been creeping steadily higher.

Has anyone else noticed their INR going up when they've been ill?

Also does anyone else feel like they've been put through a mangle when they come down with something? It could well be the lupus but my skin is so bruised and sore that it hurts to wear clothes. I'm confined to a yoga bra and my onsie at the moment!

[Manofmendip]

Hi jojo

When I was on Warfarin (no on Fragmin), illness did affect my INR, sometimes up and sometimes down.

I'm sure others on here will give you their experiences.

Best wishes.

Dave

[Lure2]

Have you stoped eating the K-vit vegetables that you used to do? If I stop eating vegs the INR goes up.

Like yesterday. I had low INR so I did not eat any vegs yesterday. Today my INR was much higher. I have Lupus Anticoagulant so I can have difficulties to keep the INR steady even if I selftest. I THINK (not sure) it was the vegs that I did not eat.

Best wishes from Kerstin in Stockholm

[panda60]

Yes. Mine is always affected by illness. And, of course, any medication you take for it.

Hope you feel better soon.

[jojo-lianne]

Thanks all, no change in diet other than liquidizing my food to get it past the swollen throat. I don't take anything other than painkillers for this kind of stuff as I'm not allowed any other over the counter things due to my meds. I'll chalk this one up to another fun side effect of infections!

[MaryF Administrator in reply to jojo-lianne]

Lots of people do appear to get fluctuations with INR with infections, new drugs, antibiotics and virus, beyond of course differences in diet etc. Hope you get better soon. MaryF

[GinaD]

Yes, being sick changes my INR --- sometimes higher, sometimes lower. Which is a pain because this means I have to don a mask and drag myself to my doctor's office for extra pricks when I have something.

[tiredmum]

Hi jojo-lianne,

funny you should mention this but exactly the same thing has happened to me.

I have an inr range of 3 - 4.5. I came down with a virus 7 weeks ago and my inr started to creep up. I reduced my tablets rechecked on the monday was 3.8, by the thursday was back up to 8.7 !!!!

At first I put it down to not eating, but my appetite has now returned and I am now on my lowest dose ever of anticoagulant trying desperately to keep my INR around 4 but without much sucess.

I am now putting it down to the virus, which still hasn't gone, but am hoping to return to normal when it does eventually go.

I really hope you feel better soon, if you can just check your INR regularly and hopefully it won't get too high and will level out when you feel better.

Nic

[jojo-lianne]

Well tomorrow morning is my next test so I'll know by then if the reduction has been doing anything. I've got a funny feeling my INR has crashed over the weekend. I'll let you know how it goes!

All over the throat part of the virus and back at work but still enjoying the lovely fatigue and aches. Hopefully they'll fade soon too!