Antibiotics and Coumadin... INR 1.6...!!!???

[Karlynn]

Tim, I take 70/week. Ross is right, whatever dose you need to keep you in range is the correct dose.

Deuce
Not sure how long you have been having these low numbers but I would think it is time to call your cardiologists office to let them know your numbers. I doubt with two mechanicals my cardiologist would let me keep upping my dose to get in range. There are injections to ease you to the range you need and perhaps it is time for that.
Kathleen

Kathleen, your post is a bit confusing. There isn't an injection that helps you get into range in order to keep your dose lower. Maybe that's not what you meant, but your wording was bit confusing. There are Lovenox injections that help "protect" you from throwing clots when your INR is lower and some people will take these when their INR is low and are increasing their warfarin dose to get them in to range. But Lovenox and heparin do not register in the INR. INR measures what your warfarin dosage is doing. I'm thinking this is what you meant.

 

[Guest]

I have never seen cephalexin affect an INR and if it did, I can't imagine it causing it to go down.

It is probably just the usual drop that occurs when people recover from the surgery.

The only antibiotics that I can thinkof that cause the INr to go down are nafcillin, dicloxacillin and rifampin. None of these would be used for a splinter and are not likely to be mistaken for cephalexin.

 

[ccrawford]

Duece - When we talk about bumping your dose, we mean the ongoing dose, not just for one day (unless otherwise specified), You were on 10mg five days a week and 7.5 for two days a weekfor a weekly total of 65mg. A 10% increase would be 6.5 more or 71.5 rounded to 70 or 10mg/day. I really would pick up a dosing chart because depending where you are, there may be differently solutions. Hope this helps

 

[Deuce]

Yes , Thanks everyone. It is starting to appear that I too am a 70mg/wk guy. Maybe more. Whatever it takes. I'm sure it will eventually stabilize.I'm going to try not to worry about it. .I made it a point today not to do anything that would be construed or perceived as being "exercise". And definitely no salads or collards or anything of the vitamin K ilk for the time being.
Thanks again.

 

[ccrawford]

Duece- Being on Coumadin doesn't mean you have to give up green veggies, exercise, or much else for that matter. What is called for is a certain amount of consistancy in what you do day to day. Go ahead and have that salad -just do it consistantly meaning have one most evenings. On another topic- you need to be aware that many other medications, even over the counter ones, can cause an interaction with Coumadin. Do a google search for "Coumadin interactions" and you will get a list of web sites to help you understand. Again, this doesn't necessarily mean you can't use these other meds, it just means you must use them consistantly, or be prepared to adjust your Coumadin dose when you do use them.This is the area I have had the most variability with. Hope this helps.

 

[Deuce]

Back on track

Back on track

Thanks Again.
I do understand that I must be consistent with my intake of foods containing Vitamin K and with my exercise and/or related activities.
I felt that since I was so low on Tues (1.5) that I should slack up on the salads/greens and exercise/activities at least until I was in range or approaching range, And today i am testing at 2.4 on the Inratio machine.
They will call me later with the results of the PT/INR test that they took the blood on today.It would be nice if it was a little higher than the Inratio but every other time it was a few points less.
Oh yes ...they did confirm that the antibiotics may actually affect the INR but it would have been an increase instead of a decrease.
Thanks again folks.
Tim