Sanity Check

[Magic8Ball]

This is just a shout out for a second opinion on what i'm doing to make sure my logic is ok...

My INR has been pretty stable since surgery.

I have altered my dose slightly on a couple of occasions since surgery for valid changes in circumstances...more activity & range change.

The latest change is taking lipitor, prior to taking it my weekly tests had been 2.6 2.4 2.5 with a slight spike to 2.8 just before taking lipitor.

I have been taking lipitor for 6 days and my latest test was a 2.8 again.

I'm currenty taking 40mg a week on a 6/6/5/6/6/5/6/6/5 kinda schedule.

I'm about to change to 39mg a week on a 6/5/6/5/6/5/6....6/5/etc schedule. The last time i did this it dropped to 2.2 but i'm assuming with the lipitor it will be a little higher.

My range is 2-2.5 but i'm happy with anything from 1.8 to 3.5 so i'm in range but would like to be around 2.3 if i could choose a number (which i know i can't)

I'm not particularly consistent with food or drink or exercise although i return to work next week (bugger) so i don't know whether to just leave it as is until ive done a couple of weeks at work to see how this affects the inr...

Dam, rambled again..

Vote 1 for "change to 39" or vote 2 for "leave it alone until returned to work"

Sanity check over...

 

[JimL]

I think you're right on with making very small changes to your dosage. The normal range on the INR scale covers 1 point, not half a point, as you state, simply because INR fluctuates so much. I would probably up the dosage by 1 mg to 41, because I like to stay closer to the top end of the scale, in my case around 3.0. But small changes in the dosage are the key.

 

[Ross]

Who ever gave you a range of 2 to 2.5 needs a slap upside the head. It's nearly impossible to keep in that range as a test can vary that much. Personally, I'd leave you dose alone until it creeps in excess of 3.5. There is virtually no difference between an INR of 2.5 and 2.8. Your talking mere seconds.

 

[tommy]

I'm not particularly consistent with food or drink or exercise ............................. Dam, rambled again..

I resemble that!

Things to think about................
1. I'd rather be thin than thick....(rather bleed than stroke).
2. It can take a several months after the trauma of surgery for the body to settle into a dose.
3. It often seems like the lag time between dose adjustment and INR change is like steering a boat. Small adjustments and patience can be required to avoid "over steering".
4. Getting advice from Ross for a "sanity check" is a bit of an oxymoron. (Sorry, Ross.....couldn't resist....it was such a good set up).

Seriously, do you have a medical professional helping you?

 

[Magic8Ball]

Seriously, do you have a medical professional helping you?

Yep but he has already cottoned on that i'm not taking his advice and self dosing using the help of this site.

Early on i was taking 6mg a day, he suggested a change to 5mg a day when i hit 3.2, 3.3 on tests, i overruled to 6mg/5mg on alternate days....that kinda set the rules early on.

Ross, i know the range is way to small and i have little chance of staying in it but as long as i'm around 2.5 more often than not i'm happy....i realise 2.8 is still ok and that in itself would not make me change, i'm only considering a change because of my takeup of lipitor with me thinking that my 2.5's are now bumped up to 2.8's.

Cheers again guys, i thought i was doing the right thing and just wanted to make sure a crowd of people didnt shout Whoah partner.....

 

[Ross]

Hey sometimes you just gotta experiment a little, fine tune and tweak as needed. Just don't let it go less then 2.0. Higher can always be dealt with.