AstraZeneca vaccine and INR
Hello everyone
I had my first vaccine jab last Tuesday. I took my INR beforehand and it was 3.9 so in range (3-4). I tested the day after 4.3 and today it was 4.8.
Just wondering if anyone else has noticed a higher INR. The only symptoms I noticed after the jab were muscle aching on day 2 and then fatigue kicked in for 5 days, just couldn't do anything apart from sitting on the sofa.
Thank you
Yes my INR went up quite a bit after the Pfizer vaccination
Hello KerryHow high did your INR go? How long ago did you have your jab and has your INR settled now?
Thanks for replying
Jane
I was 3.2 before and 4.0 after. That was only 2 days ago. I've reduced my dose a bit but not checked it since the 4.0 I'm sure it'll normalise soon. Hope yours does too
Do you test and dose yourself too?
Yes I reduced my dose this evening. If that doesn't make much difference then a large helping of broccoli will do the trick.I self test and have been doing so for about 10 years, with surgery testing pre covid every 2 weeks.
Hopefully we will be back in range very soon.
Jane
Thank you for sharing- it’s a good heads up.
I am an Anticoag nurse in the West Midlands (UK) and so far my observation is that INRs have dropped very slightly in the vast majority of patients across all conditions. I will, however, feedback here regarding INRs for those with APS in particular if I notice any trend as I am seeing people regularly in clinic. Naturally, I will seek their permission in the first instance!
I had Covid and mine went higher for awhile. Lab said this was common. Did you ask your lab or do you self monitor? It might have a similar reaction. Mine was off for a month.
Hi Pooky I hope you are feeling much better now.
Yes I self monitor and was expecting a lower INR yesterday as I had the 'feeling ' I get when it is lower. Having been on warfarin for 20 years and self monitoring for at least 10 years, I was surprised my INR was still a bit high so assumed it might be the vaccine.
Thanks for letting me know your lab say this is common.
Take care
Jane
I had my Pfizer vaccine on 29th.my INR was 3.7 that a day.I test 2 weekly at clinic so two weeks later it had dropped to 2.2.now the vaccine didn’t occur to me as I keep having niggly pains in chest so was sent to hospital.now you are making me think .
Hi Fra Are you still in hospital?
Hope your chest pains soon disappear and you feel better soon.
I always question whether my APS is the cause whenever I feel ill and having now, had the Astra vaccine, I wonder what effect that will have on my APS and my general health. We will have to wait and see!
Take care
Jane
Hi my GP will not let me self test despite the fact that I was a nurse for over 40 years my INR the day before my Pfizer vaccine was 3.1 (3-4) 10 days later it is 2.7 and I always feel unwell when it drops below 3. I am seriously thinking of getting my own machine anyway the HCA who checks my bloods always ask my advice what my thoughts are before we change doses. But I would not change my doses I would just inform my GP if there were any dramatic changes.
Hello SteveSo your INR hasn't changed too much, although it's the opposite way to mine.
I'm really surprised you aren't allowed to self test with all your experience. I can definitely recommend getting your own coaguchek machine for those days when you feel unwell.
Jane
Hi - I bought a self test machine years ago. My gp refused to pay for the machine or strips. But it gives me peace of mind when travelling (when we used to travel) or if I felt inr was ever an issue. I tested before and a couple days after my pfizer jab and no change and no side effects. Apart from tired the next day in the morning.
Hi David
I wouldn't be without my coaguchek machine for the same reasons. Shame you have to pay for your test strips though.
Glad you had no INR changes or bad side effects with your vaccine.
Jane
Hi David thanks for your reply I have been feeling really unwell in the past week fatigue, balance issues pain etc I knew my INR was still low. When I went for my test this morning and it was low at 2.8 no change from previous test despite increase dose. I once more broached the subject of self self testing and was told it was not worth going to the expense of purchasing a machine. The nurse does not get the point if I know I am unwell and I did a test I could then tell her what my INR is and she could confirm it and amend my treatment accordingly without me having to wait 5 or so days suffering before my next appointment. I also told her that Prof Hughes recommends self testing. I am speaking to my haematologist next week on my 12 monthly check and I am going ahead with placing an order for a coagucheck machine.
If my inr gets below about 2.7 I don’t need a test. I get blinding headaches, tiredness, joint general aching, so I can guess what you have. My haematologist had no influence getting me a test machine or free strips off of my gp. If my home check confirms it’s low, I’ll modify my diet a little or try to work out what I did to get out of range. For the last 15 years I’ve only gone out of therapeutic range twice and both times I was on antibiotics. As you pointed out having the home machine means you don’t make any changes by mistake. For me it also pushes out the frequency of how often my gp calls me in for inr checks there so they make a saving. Every 6 months or so I do them side by side as an extra calibration point. Plus out of pandemic times gives me more freedom to travel for work. Or if I ever eat something where I’m not sure of vitamin k levels or if any cranberries etc - like at restaurants. So it’s expensive but makes life much easier and helps me do my current job which pays for it. It might be worthwhile escalating to your gp’s practice manager showing savings they can make by getting you the strips - it didn’t work with me but no harm in asking.
I had the AZ jab 13 days ago. My inr has gone up from 2.8 to 4.1 in that time. I have been assuming that it was because I wasn’t eating my normal diet as I have have had some side effects/flare like fatigue and pain. But reading these posts, maybe not! I’m ok now so it will be interesting to see if it goes back to normal. Most of us have found our inr has gone up even though BeckyPRP says most have gone down. It would be typical of APS if we do the opposite!
Glad you are ok now Jumper.
Your last sentence sums things up exactly I think. APS is unpredictable and we need to be acknowledged as that, rather than being lumped together with others who are taking warfarin for other conditions.
We are a very unique group aren't we!
Jane
I had the Pfizer on Saturday. Just started to feel rough. INR Sunday evening 5.1! My range should be 3.5 to 4. Didn't take Warfarin last night. Will check again today.
That's quite a rise isn't it. Did you check your INR before the jab? Hope you start feeling better very soon and your INR quickly gets back in range. Take it easy t if you can. I had a few days where lying on the settee was as much as I could do.
Jane
Hi there, no I didn't check beforehand, silly me. It has been a bit up and down recently.
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Weirdly I was going to post something similar today, but decided it was probably just normal INR variation or coincidence, but since you've posted first:
* I had vaccine 6 days ago, BUT I had Pfizer...
* Tested on day of vaccine - bottom of range
* Some mild side effects, couple of nights cold sweating, sore arm, definite fatigue
* Tested INR again 5 (or maybe 4) days after vaccine....
-> gone up by 0.5
Now, 0.5 change in a week is not unusual for me, in fact 1.0 or more change in a week has happened several times, so 0.5 in 4-5days isn't extreme.
However, I can usually tie it back to some change in circumstances or diet or exercise, but there hasn't been any change apart from vaccine. In particular it is most often increasing alcohol consumption that pushes it up (and if I need to push it up I will take the opportunity to do exactly that
), but right now I'm not drinking, mostly because wife has decided dry January goes into February, so it definitely isn't that.
So, coincidence? I don't know, but now there's two of us with same coincidence (and I'll be testing later this week probably to see if it's gone up further).
I will say that mine often does go up when I am ill, higher INR usually means I feel worse, not the INR itself I think, but being ill causing it to be higher, and vaccines trick your system into thinking you are ill, so maybe some similar effect.
Thank you for replying Ray. Like you, I often am not surprised when my INR fluctuates as there are circumstances that I know will alter it, like some wine or if I'm sitting for long periods. The latter was why I was actually expecting it to have lowered today so I was very surprised. The vaccine is the only thing I can put it down to.
I am the opposite when feeling ill, my INR is usually low.
I wonder if others will comment about having higher readings
Jane