Warfarin Dosage question...

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Permalink Reply by James Cohen on November 6, 2011 at 19:49

Mike

I take 6.25mg (6mg on day and 6.5mg the next), and this keeps me between 2.5 and 3.5 - my INR target.

 

I don't count how much greens I eat each day, I try and keep it realitvely steady, but since some greens have far more Vit K than others, I don't let it rule me.  Same apply to alcohol - that seems to increase my INR.

 

I think the answer is not to binge on either, also it is not only greens that have Vit K - chickpeas have a lot of example.

I self test once a week, but do not change warfarin intake more than +/- .25mg as it takes time to vary and it is too easy to chase a target and over compensate.

 

James

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Permalink Reply by Mike Mahler on November 6, 2011 at 21:52

So we have close to the same target, but it's taling me 12 mg a day to get there....

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Permalink Reply by John French on November 8, 2011 at 11:24

Mike - I am still new to Warfarin (5 weeks) but my dose is 6.5 mg daily and that equates to an INR of 4 (3.9 last test) which is the top of my set range (between 3 and 4 - target 3.5). I was moved to 4 week intervals for INR testing as the team seem happy at that level. I am a vegetarian so my diet naturally includes a lot of the green vegetables and things like chick peas which are also higher in vitamin K. I have not changed my diet at all and just allowed my warfarin dose to match my diet. I haven't started drinking alcohol as yet but that tends to thin the blood - so I will make sure I check my INR's when I re-introduce it.

I have a friend who has been on warfarin for about 2 months following a pulmonary embolism, rather than heart valve surgery, and he has struggled to Get to an INR of 2.5 and is on 8.5 mg (8 one day 9 the next) - he does not eat a lot of high vitamin K foods as part of his normal diet.

I think it comes down to your bodies natural clotting ability and other factors like diet, etc, so not easy to compare from person to person. Key seems to be once you have found your level not to make too many changes.

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Permalink Reply by Graeme on November 8, 2011 at 14:23

7mg per day. Have been on 7.5 for 7 years up til l6 months ago and dropped it to 7. INR steady as a rock. Same as Mike I don't monitor (to the nth degree!) how much greens or alcohol I have. My sentiments on warfarin and diet exact same as Mikes. Dont binge, take the same amount daily of greens/alchohol and your warfarin will be steady at whatever your diet sets it at. 

 

cheers

 

Graeme

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