HOW TO TAKE WARFARIN

[daisy11]

wELL i HAVE BEEN ON WARFARIN FOR ABOUT 10 MONTHS AND MY INRS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. I TAKE IT AT ABOUT 5.30 AT NIGHT. I HAVE TO TAKE 30 OTHER TABELTS DURING THE DAY AND WONDER IF THIS HAS ANY EFFECT. ANY ADVICE MANY THANKS

[MaryF Administrator]

Hi there Daisy, I am sure soon, somebody with similar profile, will help you out, it is not a drug I take, so can't advise from personal experience. I know other drugs can effect it, as well as eating certain things! Mary F x

[jessielou]

Hi hon

I take warfarin 8am everyday, Have been on it for about 2 years. My inr nurse and I believe that the lupus anticoagulant antibody levels are the reason for my inr yo-yoing. I also take many other meds which interfere with the effects of the warfarin.

I think it`s trial and error and not changing dose of warfarin, unless absolutely necessary, my nurse has now started overruling the computer dosing, she thinks its better to wait and see if it settles.

I know maybe not much of an answer, but I`m considering asking to try heparin injections, just to have a break from the weekly or half weekly inr tests and the yo-yoing.

I hope things settle for you soon.

Take care gentle hugs love Sheena xxxxxx

[tassie]

Some medications and vitamins it recommends not to take within 2 hours of taking the warfarin so maybe try taking your warfarin either 2 hours after or before other medications and keep the timing and dosages constant from day to day as much as you can.

I take most of my meds in the morning and then just the warfarin, plaquenil and my probiotics for IBS in the evenings.

[sharonap]

I have taken warfarin for 13 years. I take it last thing at night as I find this easiest to remember. I was told to try to eat similar diet each week. I have my INR tested weekly as it yo-yos but hemo now have stopped changing iit so dramatically and things seem to settle itself down.

[Gadgets]

Hi

I take my Gabapentin pain killer with my first cup of tea first thing when I wake 06.00, then warfarin and plaquenil about 2 hours afterwards 08.00 to 08.30.

My INR is usually in range 4 to 5, for past 4 years, although like most it can jump around a bit, generally down to stress, foods, or working to hard.

[Kentish_Man]

I take it last thing at night. I was advised to do this by my GP, my INR nurse and also when I have been in hospital. It would seem, from what I have been told, that Warfarin works better at night. But don't ask me why that is.

I also take a whole bunch of tablets (46) daily and my INR on occasions, can be all over the place. I have now been taking it for 6 years and have found that other pills I take (painkillers etc.) as well as different foods can affect the results. So maybe studying what you eat make make a difference.

Hope that helps.

[GinaD]

I hope you're not looking for consistency here (but I know you are,) but for the past 10 years I take warfarin with breakfast -- and that what works for me. My INR is stable, but is prone to change if: 1, my tummy gets upset; 2, my activity and/or stress level changes dramatically. On the advice of one doctor (not my hematologist though,) I try to eat a consistent amount of Vitamin K bearing foods over a 2-3 day period. For example: broccoli cheddar cheese soup for lunch means a dinner salad must be only iceberg (little K) lettuce. But then there are those moments in the restaurant when you order a club salad, which is supposed to be made with iceberg, and they bring you a salad with lots of arugula. What do you do? Send it back (though you're hungry and it looks so good?) Or go ahead and eat it and tell yourself this means you get to have a glass of wine with your dinner?

As you can see, I do a lot of controlled "cheating," but my body reacts well to warfarin and I remain fairly stable most of the time. Others on this site have not fared as well, despite being (doubtless) more diligent then I in their diet. The science of who reacts well to warfarin and who does better on other meds is progressing slowly. In the meantime . . . experiment, hang in there, and we fellow patients will offer what support and experience we can, (though again, what works for one does not work for another.)

[sharonap]

Have to agree with GinaD if I have a glass of wine will ensure I eat brocoli/spinach in the next two days. I do believe its trail and error.

[daisy11]

Thank you to all who responded. Because of the HB pressure tabs make me a little dizzy I take them at night time as recommended by Heptology.along with 20 others apart from Furosemide which I take in morning. When I have to take Clexane I take it in the morning when my INR falls below 3. I have taken on board what you have said and hope that it helps, one can only try.

[tim47]

The main thing is to remember to take it! Try and get a system that suits you.

I check my INR every other day, usually as soon as I get up and before I start getting confused! I then write down what dose I took because an hour later, I won't have a clue what it was. I chuck it down with load o other pills and have done so for over 30 years.

[paddyandlin]

I think it depends on your lifestyle but i do agree ensuring you take is crucial, i found if you take it at the same time that seams to help.

Paddy