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The clinic's dosing still seems weird: the objective is to get in range and take a consistent dose, but they seem to never dose the same amount two days running! With Warfarin taking 3 days to take full effect in the blood stream, it is very difficult to manage it with erratic inputs. At least...

The attitude of the medical profession seems somewhat different in Europe to the Americans: self-testing is seen as better for patient outcomes and supported, rather than trying to push patients to a cumbersome and expensive monitoring industry.

I didn't comment earlier because I "only" had a valve and one CABG done in 2013, but happy to say that, broadly, all went fine. I wasn't expecting the CABG but they decided to do it as there were signs that artery was going to need bypassing in the future, so decided "whilst we're in, let's do...

PS! When you are back in your own home, will you be able to get food delivered? If you will be walking to a store, consider getting a shopping trolley, to avoid carrying weight. Also, if you have any appliances or lamps where the switch is in an awkward place (eg down low, behind a sofa etc)...

Hi @Johnny_H and here's my contribution. I also agree with everything @tom in MO has said. Even though I had a complication (needed a pacemaker, which was inserted 7 days later) and ended up in hospital for a total of 18 days after "the main event", I would say my recovery was uneventful. But I...

Seems weird to prescribe 6mg tonight - INR is a bit low and needs increasing. I would be tempted to do 7mg tonight, Friday and Saturday, then drop to 6. With the next clinic test on Tuesday that also has the advantage that you can see if the 7mg for 3 days has made a sufficient difference, given...

Not sure about Fridays, but weekend excess deaths is definitely a thing here. Though for reasons you might not have thought! Patients admitted at the weekend are sicker and more likely to be near the end of life than those who come in during the week, according to this 5 year study.

This thread has reminded me of another thought that might be worth passing on: I don't know how well connected American health service sites are, but in the UK they aren't always great! I was told that an appointment had been made for me to attend my local anticoagulation clinic, but when I...

Admittedly my hospital experiences have been in a capital city, but I think all hospital beds here now have motorised adjustments, at least in the high dependency levels. Perhaps some other Brits can correct me.

Good advice already, Deidra. I'd like to add a couple of points for the recovery period, afterwards: When people say get a recliner, it should be an electric one. Fortunately I already had one, and slept in it a lot. It was great to be able to make small adjustments to the angle, as sleeping...

Jeff, the CoaguChek devices are sufficiently similar results to lab testing that (a) they are the only machines recommended for patients to use by our NHS, and (b) they are widely used in anticoagulation clinics and hospitals too. Our UK 'regulator' the National Institute of Clinical Excellence...

Hi @jamie14512 and welcome to this side of your surgery. Your plan looks good to me. The first few weeks you are likely to find some fluctuations with your INR as your body gets over the surgery and adjusts to life on Warfarin, so you are right to think about this now. Do you have your own meter...

Thanks for the update, Seaton. Should you wish to monitor a bit more frequently for the reasons @Protimenow says, there is nothing to stop you from getting your CoaguChek now and starting to do your own testing. As this would be additional to the clinic's it would not lead to any negative...

Can i just check we are taking about the same kind of insurance? Travel insurance is for unexpected medical situations, like being taken ill, or having an accident. The travel insurers I have dealt with (which admittedly is not many) would not cover the need for routine medical supplies or...

Welcome to Warfarin World, Seaton! St Thomas' Hospital is on the bank of the River Thames directly opposite the Houses of Parliament, and was where my mother had her heart surgery some years ago. Her ward was on the 4th floor (I think) riverside, and her bed was next to the huge windows with a...

I use All Clear Travel Insurance. There is an online questionnaire way of providing your medical conditions, or you can speak quite easily to a human! How about that! I've never had to make a claim, but they have a TrustPilot rating of 4.8/5, based on 135,000 reviews, so seem reputable.

Sorry to hear about the complications, but glad you got away and enjoyed the holiday. Yes, even though I continue to eat leafy greens whilst on my holidays, the increased alcohol consumption affects my INR too! So useful to be able to check our INR ourselves. Good point re sunbathing - I was...

I realise this is an old thread, but just for the benefit of any Brits reading it now: the E111 European health card was replaced with the GHIC - Global Health Insurance - card. It provides for "reciprocal health care" - but if a local has to pay for a treatment then so do we. It is not a...

@PhillyJohn As we're now in April, I wonder if you did travel in February, and if so how did everything go? I suspect all was fine, but others might find your experience useful. Best wishes

Just back from a two-week holiday/vacation in the sun (much needed after the long, grey days and rain of an English winter!), and just wanted to post about the freedom of self-testing having your own meter gives you. The change of diet and increase in alcohol consumption (cocktails by the pool...