inr came back as droped to 1.5
- by bullseye
- 2010-05-20 09:05:56
- Conditions, Meds & Tests
- 8297 views
- 11 comments
hi everyone its me again my husband has mitral merchanicl valve and a pm had them nearly 2 yrs this week his inr has droped to 1.5 we had the slip come this morning with this on as from tonight he starts a higher dose ive hear that a inr of 1.5 is not safe can any one tell me if there is sumat more we should do as well as start the new doseage tonight and what can a inr of this low can cause still getting my head round all this inr thing thanx for any advice
11 Comments
INR Number
by J.B. - 2010-05-20 04:05:27
Carolyn gave you her experience with Coumadin and how she would like to be able to stop using it.
Smitty told you his experience with Coumadin/Warfarin and I thought made a pretty good suggestion. That being if you or your husband are uncomfortable with the INR reading of 1.5 and the fact he is supposed to increase the dose of whatever blood thinner he is taking, you should contact the doctor before making the change. My opinion is that it is better to make an unnecessary call than to not make it and then have you or the doctor say I wish you had called.
I think jockeying your diets as Renee implies she did last week by eliminating or reducing food high in Vitamin K to get the INR reading she wants just before having prothrombin test is a big mistake.
So long as you are taking a blood thinner the doctor needs to be certain that the INR reading he sees is as close as possible to the range for you every day and not one where you adjusted your diet just to give the desired reading. You were given a diet for good reason. The medicine dose you are taking is to prevent blood clots. If you eat foods that can interfere with the your blood clotting rates from time to time then the medicines you take those days may not be the correct dose. The thing to do is pick out the foods you are going to avoid and avoid them. Then when the doctors sees your INR number, he will know what, if any adjustments in your medicines needs to be made.
I agree controlling the blood clotting factor is not rocket science, it is just using common sense, But the same common sense should be used every day because taking blood thinners can be serious business.
For Charlie
by J.B. - 2010-05-20 04:05:35
INR stands for International Normalized Ratio,
All that means is that it is an number internationally for stating the clotting rate of blood. The actual test name for an INR number the labs use is called prothrombin time.
For Charlie Too
by J.B. - 2010-05-20 04:05:38
Leave out one word and you say nothing.
INR stands for International Normalized Ratio,
All that means is that it is an number RECOGNIZED internationally for stating the clotting rate of blood. The actual test name for an INR number the labs use is called prothrombin time.
Renee
by J.B. - 2010-05-20 11:05:12
Whatever you say. All I know is what I read in you comment. "But this past week when my INR was low, the best way to get it back up is to take the medicine as directed and just not eat leafy greens or broccoli for a few days until the next reading shows it's where it's suppose to be."
INR
by Pertlypink - 2010-05-20 11:05:25
My INR last week was 3.4 which is too high. The week before that it was 1.5. My doctor doesn't seem overly concerned when it drops that low now and then but certainly adjusts the dosage to try and keep it between 2.5 and 3.
I was told not to eat dark greens and chocolate products in large amounts as this affects the blood.
I hope you get it adjusted because of all the things we have to worry about this shouldn't be one of them.
Good luck.
Rat Poison ~ ~
by Carolyn65 - 2010-05-20 11:05:32
The Dr. put me on Coumadin, generic, Warfarin when I developed a DVT blood clot back in March '09. After surgical removal and a week in the hospital, the Coumadin nurse said my success with the dosage would depend on my diet. High Vitamin K is a no-no.
I went to my computer, looked up as much as I could re: Coumadin and/or Vitamin K, printed out their food charts and I try to stay away from ALL products high in Vitamin K as they asked me too. I can have the high in Vitamin K veggies/fruits/etc., just in moderation.
I know cranberries, spinach and other stuff I love are high in Vitamin K, but I eat those in very moderation, not cups full at a time. The INR nurse said if I was already eating certain food, to continue, just to not start new foods and eat a lot of them, then not eat them again.
I know the Dr. wants the INR check between the ideal 2.0 ~ 3.0 range. They have my Warfarin adjusted to and it works for me, 5 mg. six days/week and 2.5 mg. on Wednesday only. If your INR check gets too high or too low, you can have the real possiblity of a stroke or a blood clot, dependng if you are low/high.
My Dr. said the FDA is finally giving the OK in the US to a new drug in the Fall, of which some other countries have already been using. This new drug supposedly does not require INR testing.
I, for one, would be really glad to stop taking this rat poisoning and take a new drug, not to INR check.
Let us hear from you ~ From Long Winded Me ~
Carolyn G. in TEXAS ~ Bear Hugs From TEXAS ~
INR 1-5
by SMITTY - 2010-05-20 12:05:36
I have had to take the blood thinner Coumadin (Warfarin) a few times in my life and I became very familiar with the INR or prothrombin time numbers. Just in case you are not familiar with what INR means it is nothing but a numerical means of stating the coagulation rate of a persons blood. I was always told the desired range for me was 2 to 3.
From here on I am doing nothing but guessing and one guess it that with the mechanical heart valve your husband is taking a blood thinner. If his INR has dropped to 1.5 this may be lower than desired. I can't say if 1.5 is in the dangerous range or not as mine never got below 1.75. Based on my experience, I do know he should be very careful with his activities until you can talk to his doctor as he is likely to be very prone to bruising or even bleeding excessively if he gets a cut.
I take it from your message he will increase the dose of a medicine tonight. Is this new dosage for a blood thinner? If it is I would suggest that you talk to his doctor before starting the higher dose be sure he knows the most recent 1.5 reading you have for him. Like I said, I'm doing a lot of guessing here and the 1.5 reading may be safe for your husband, but I think for your's and his peace of mind you need to talk to the doctor.
Good luck,
Smitty
GRATITUDES ~ ~
by Carolyn65 - 2010-05-21 11:05:29
Gratitudes: Aren't we fortunate to all have our own experiences, our own Dr's. and our own opinions AND be able to post/comment freely and publicly? I know I am not perfect and MY Dr. is not perfect, thank goodness. I see each comment with some good advice and some of the advice which would not work for me.
Please, when you do not agree completely and/or have your own opinion, respect posts/comments without going into a "what I said, what she said and have it my way" attitude. All of your opinions are valued.
All the above posts/comments are very valuable in how each individual person "sees it", feels of their ownselves, interperates what their Dr. tells them, but I would think, when we all have "said and done", shared our opionions, our Dr. would be the one we should agree and listen to the most. Of course, sometimes, even the Dr. makes a "bad" call. We are humans.
Thank the Lord, we are not all purrfect ~ what a dull world we would be. There is never a win-win arguement, but a peaceful agreement.
What works for all the above, including me, or what does not work, is not to be a "challenge", but to agree to disagree and go on taking care of our own health.
Everyone have a Great Weekend wherever you are in this Big ol' World and Gratitudes to all of you who value each and every PM member. I know I do.
Love to All,
Carolyn G. in TEXAS ~ Sunshine Beams To You ~
You know you're wired when...
You make store alarms beep.
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Coumadin
by westj814 - 2010-05-20 04:05:02
I have been taking coumadin for 18 years due to having an artificial aorta valve. My cardiologist wants my inr between 2.5 and 3.0. I have gone as low as 1.5 after surgery. The dosage just has to be changed when it does this to get it back up where it should be. If it is too low over a period of time, there could be some internal bleeding due to the blood being so thin. If it is too thick, there could be a clot. I have a pro-time every month to be sure mine is where it should be. You are probably doing the same thing since you have the artificial valve. Don't worry over this, you will be fine as long as you follow your doctor's advice.
Sunny days from Ohio,
Jeanette