counter intuitive solutions which follow evidence....

[pellicle]

I'm a bit curious about how you get a 7.25 dose. )

What I do is alternate 7 with 7.5mg (5mg + half 5 = 7.5 and 5 + half 3 + half 1 = 7)

granted its not daily 7.25 but its more like a consistent 7.25 than any other whole number alternating dose combo

 

[Protimenow]

I used to average out my weekly dose like that - 5 mg every day, 2 mg every day with a 'u' in it and 2.5 mg for every other day.
In the United States you can get 7.5 mg tablets, and also 5 and 2.5 mg tablets. It's possible to do 7.25 every day with 1/2 of a 7.5, a 2.5 (or half of a 5), and a 1 each day.

 

[pellicle]

I used to average out my weekly dose like that - 5 mg every day, 2 mg every day

Yep
That's a much bigger alternation if you ask me

May as well do 14 every other day an say it's 7

 

[pellicle]

Saturday Morning

INR = 2.6, so all is as I expected

the chart of data

where day is on the bottom (X axis) and LHS Y axis is INR and RHS Y axis is dose.
Red line is warfarin dose in mg
blue bars are INR measurements

as expected I was under for a short time ...
as this is a modern valve I expect that I was at no time in a risky situation
as the Coaguchek is noted for giving readings which are slightly lower than other vein draws then I'll assume I was actually 1.8 or higher at my lowest

I had an echo study done yesterday in preparation for my next surgeon meeting (before I bug out to Finland) and will report what transpires there on another thread.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

Hey Colonial Boy, ...Lamb Curry Josh Rogan but post the recipe in case my INR drops

My recipe is pretty close to this:
http://www.sitar.com.au/content_common/pg-indian-recipes-rogan-josh.seo


The Meat Sauce
lately I'm a slack arse and use a Pataks paste: https://www.pataks.co.uk/products/rogan-josh-paste.aspx

and add fresh ground coriander and a bit more tumeric and some fresh ginger sliced ...

Put a little oil in the pan (under no circumstances us olive oil. Rapseed, canola, peanut or sunflower seed oil) and a pinch of tumeric. When the tumeric starts to release its colour into the oil add the diced lamb.
Fry the meat gently, stirring in that paste
add a can of "crushed tomatoes" and a bit of water to make it a "simmer sauce"

simmer for some hours (I often start this about lunch, turn it off after an hour, and then leave it covered. I'll check the consistency at 4pm and add a dash of water if its become too dry and then heat for dinner)

The Rice
when I do the rice I follow a Japanese methodology with a difference. Of course use Basmati rice

Now, this sounds harder and more complex than it is. If you doubt this, try writing out a set of instructions on how to make a cup of coffee to a robot.

first, "season" the small pot (with a lid) by adding a tablespoon of oil and a few seeds of fenugreek and a small pinch of tumeric (a small pinch of tumeric or it will be as bitter as hell)
heat the oil (god I hope you're using gas cos this is a mongrel on stupid electric stoves) till the seeds start to produce tiny bubbles as if they're boiling)
reduce the heat and when they're bubbling well take off the heat entirely and allow to cool . this has released their aromatics into the oil
DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO GO BLACK

When that's cooled a bit put in (for example) 1 cup of basmati rice and 1.5 cups of water and a good teaspoon of salt (the salt raises the boiling point a bit too thus helps cook the rice)
cover with the lid and using full flame bring it to the point where steam is emerging from the lid and its about to start boiling out of the pot (try not to let it do that)
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES LIFT THE LID (read that again for good measure)
bring the flame down to its mininimum (and minimum is often not low enough, so I usually turn it towards off till the meerest hint of flame is showing but it has not gone out)
start your timer for 12 minutes

when the timer is done the rice is done, so remove completely from the heat and stand for a minute on something which of course won't burn. I often lift the lid and stir it with a chopstick (of course the handle of a wooden spoon is fine) to "break it up" and then recover it ... its then ready to serve.

 

[Protimenow]

Actually, I erred slightly - I used to alternate 2.5 and 5.0 - this was before I knew much about anticoagulation.

Interesting that Pellicle reports that CoaguChek XS reports LOWER results than the labs. My experience has been the opposite - either almost the same as the labs, or slightly higher (and sometimes a LOT higher), in my tests. Of course, it depends on body chemistry and the lab's procedures and reagents.

 

[pellicle]

Interesting that Pellicle reports that CoaguChek XS reports LOWER results than the labs. My experience has been the opposite - .

Only citing documents from what I've read, not personal testing

As always get lab draws now and then to base line your personal situation. Myself I've never been out of range during a test and as I'm in range so much (preferred) it would need me to make a test situation.

Instead I prefer to remain in range, and have occasional tests to compare my xs to lab to be comfortable

 

[Protimenow]

I also try to stay in range, too. In fact, one of the nurses at my last anticoagulation clinic called me 'Mr. Reliable.' Self-testing before getting the blood draw helped assure that my blood draw was in range. I trust my meter. I use a monthly blood draw just to keep the anticoagulation clinic happy, and to assure that meter and lab are still within a few points of each other.

I've slipped away from testing on the same day each week -- but have to go back to that schedule. Last night, about 12 days since my last self-test, my meter showed a 1.9. This was a bit of a concern - how long was it this low? Realizing that a 1.9 on my meter is probably a 2.2 in the lab was a minor comfort, but I've slightly increased my dose (from 8 to 10) and plan to jump from 8 to 9.5 (a 7.5 and half of a 4.0) tonight and retest tomorrow and possibly Wednesday. I'd be more comfortable with an INR around 2.5 than I am with one closer to 2.0.

 

[Protimenow]

Actually, she called me Mr. Consistent.
That's what regular testing will do for you.