Opinions welcome, PT 4.8

[halleyg]

I had my PT checked yesterday, and it was 4.8. Two weeks ago it was 3.6. I've been on the high side of my range (around 3.5 or so, which I know is fine) for about two months. I take 10 mg. every day. Anyhow, I'm not sure why it went so high. My regular nurse, whose advice I always agree with, won't be back in the office until Mon. So I was told to take 5 mg last night, then go back to 10 mg. I was just wondering if that sounds about right..? I am getting rechecked on Monday.

 

[Bina]

So you have been taking 70 mg per week and rising.
Now at 4.8 and they had you cut 5 mg which is a 7% cut for the coming week.
That is conservative, but since you are checking on Monday, it's acceptable.
I would have cut down 10% (7mg) over 2 days.

 

[CThrock]

Hi Halley,
I agree with Bina on they should'nt of cut it down to 5mg.
I have the same problem with my INR. I took 10mg a day then when I was to high they cut me down to 7.5 two days a week. I was around the 4.8 some of the time too. I can't answer your question on the maintaining in range for awhile then go's up because I do that to. Just have to be adjusted in doses a little more often. I'm sure it will level off soon. You might want to talk to the nurse when she gets back and see what doses you should take. Good luck on your INR...

 

[Ross]

Sounds feasible to me.

 

[halleyg]

Thanks, I feel better having some feedback on it.

 

[Ross]

The 4.8 might be a bogus result. How long was it between tests?

 

[halleyg]

The 4.8 might be a bogus result. How long was it between tests?

Really? I never thought of that. It had been two weeks since my last test. I'll be glad when Monday gets here so I can retest, I keep getting paranoid about it being high, even though I adjusted my dose last night and ate a seaweed salad.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Cutting your dose in half for ONE day for a high INR reading (NOT PT which is measured in seconds) is a conservative approach that is usually quite safe. It should bring your INR down but not make it crash like holding the full dose would.

If that reading was correct, you may still be a little high (but not dangerously so) and can re-adjust after Monday's test.

Just my non-professional 'opinion', but that's probably what I would do under similar circumstances.

 

[Ross]

Really? I never thought of that. It had been two weeks since my last test. I'll be glad when Monday gets here so I can retest, I keep getting paranoid about it being high, even though I adjusted my dose last night and ate a seaweed salad.

If it was 2 weeks, then it's possible that it isn't bogus. Let us know what you come up with Monday.

 

[Blanche]

PT and INR described

PT and INR described

Halley:

This excellent article clearly describes Prothrombin Time (PT) and International Normalized Ratio (INR).

http://www.clotcare.com/clotcare/ptinr.aspx

Please try and relax between now and Monday. If it's any help, I had a bogus INR of 4.7 from a blood draw when I first started taking Coumadin.
There are so many things that could cause an error. We never did find out what caused that one.

Kind regards,
Blanche

 

[Guest]

I hardly ever worried about someone who had an INR less than 5 who was not bleeding.

If you cut the dose and ate a seaweed salad, then I put my money on the INR being low on Monday.

 

[halleyg]

Thanks everyone, for taking the time to give your 2 cents and advice. I retested today and it was 2.9. So they told me just stick w/the 10 mg./day and recheck in 2 weeks.

 

[Ross]

Thanks everyone, for taking the time to give your 2 cents and advice. I retested today and it was 2.9. So they told me just stick w/the 10 mg./day and recheck in 2 weeks.

If you were taking 70mg a week before and it rose too high, why didn't they trim it back a touch? Wait and see, but if it's high again, trim it back 10%.

 

[halleyg]

OK.. thanks for the advice. I guess since I've been taking 10 mg. for a while now and it just went high that time, but I may just wait 10 days to test again.

 

[Ross]

It may just have been a one time thing, but if it was trending higher, then it would concern me a little bit.