Home monitoring of INR
Home monitoring of INR
You asked me to share some things about myself. I developed sudden onset of rapid atrial fibrillation in Jan of 2003.l An echo showed severe mitral valve regurgitation. I started coumadin at that time. I had a mitral valve replacement in May of 03 , carbomediic mechanical valve implanted. At the time of surgery, I developed a tachy/brady arrhythmia and had to have a pacemaker implanted. After surgery, I never did very well. I had symptoms of heart failure, multiple episodes of atrial flutter/fibrillation etc. After complaining vigorously for about nine months, I underwent further diagnostic tests and learned that there was something wrong with my implanted valve. I underwent another mitral valve replacement and did well for about three months and then had increase symtoms of heart failure. An echo done at that time showed that I had an ejection fraction of 30%. I then started all the heart failure drugs and was eligible for the biventricular pacemaker upgrade. I was evaluated further for nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and ended up with an ICD as well. They had already done the AV node ablation for the persistent uncontrolled Atrial Fibrillation. After all of this, I have progressively improved. I exercise a minimum of 30 minutes every day and some days are very difficult. I work full time and have a couple of additional part time jobs. I am very independent and did not like being required to do frequent lab draws. I was able to get a meter approved. For my insurance, I needed to demonstrate that I was out of range about 50% of the time and had a mechanical valve and took 8 plus prescription drugs. This meter has been wonderful for me. I enjoy the independence. I do not do self dosing and would like to learn and start doing that. The only way I can get a table is to order it???? Are dosing tables available anywhere on the internet?
