Hi Carrie, I have used warfarin for about 3 years and so far have had no problems with it. Once a month trips to the coumadin clinic for testing of my inr and $10.00 for a 90 day supply. I eat and drink anything I want including salads. If you eat things like salad just keep it on a even basis and they will adjust your warfarin levels to keep you in the proper range. $276.00 a month for pradaxa seems a little out of reach for many people including myself. Nsr to all Rick

Thanks so much for your response Rick. I appreciate it! Sounds like warfarin works well for you. Do they have to adjust your dose much? I think it will work out pretty good for me. I keep my diet about the same week to week.

Wow! $$$$$$ Have you looked elsewhere for competitive pricing? Like Costco or Walmart. Seems a real shame if you like Pradaxa and wish to continue to use it,.......... :(

Hi Carrie, That seems outrageous what you are being charged. My husband was on Xarelto at 25.00 per month through Costco. Does your insurer participate in a mail order prescription plan at a reduced cost? Did you check into the cost of Xarelto instead of Pradaxa? Good luck with this. Take Care, Lisa

I could not afford that either if could have.. Been on warfarin for just over 2 1/2 years now. My med ins covers the lab fees but med ins is $120 on top of medicare fee. Been 3 years then end of July.

My lab fees are covered but not the INR clinic deal here. I go to lab and they give it to clinic Dr and he has some one call with the dose and how soon to come back.

No alcohol or anything with aspirin in. Once in a while my INR flips up and down and this time I can not find not reason for it. I think could be stress maybe. This way I have no set day and time to come back. Dr will say back in month or two weeks and this time a week as too low. I was doing good on the eating. I think it is good to start out with the clinic at first and I did. But here with med ins in this area and the clinic charge was too much.

Here there is no drug store as we know it. It is hospital pharmacy and they are not that cheap . I now pay $12 for 90 pills of warfarin. Does not go me 90 days. I do try to eat a steady diet. Right now Dr is putting me back on more warfarin that he had stoped. I was doing good till this stress started. If it will stay where it should the once a month to lab is not bad, My Dr has told me to not worry about the INR flipping up and down . My Dr is retiring by end of June. I have gone to him for over 22 years and having to get a new Dr is very upsetting. Yes, his office has set me up with a new one, So I said I will try him. I have appt with new one for the next heart check up. Just a family type Dr. is all I have had and will have long as things go okay.

By way am 80 miles from my Dr and so use the local lab. We have no Drs here in this little town but those at the clinic. One seems to stay here and rest change. I have never met or spoken with the clinic Dr here. My Dr set that up with him to monitor me. The ins total really is more than can afford and but pays on drugs and so on. But at my age 81 I feel I had better have it.

Hi Lisa: Thanks for the response :) I have a high deductible health plan with no prescription coverage (self employed). The price I referenced is the cash price you pay if you do not have prescription coverage. Xarelto is newer than Pradaxa so I suspect it is pretty pricey too. I will have to check out the prices at Walmart and other pharmacies as Thomas (surfrat) suggests.

Hi Colorado- Thank you for your response and sharing your experience with warfarin. I am sorry you have to meet a new doctor after seeing the same one for 22 years. After 22 years, I am sure you were quite comfortable with your doctor. Hopefully, you will find the new doc is a good fit. Take care and thanks again :) Carrie

Good Luck Carrie, So frustrating our health care system. It seems the people who work the hardest receive the least. Hopefully the cost comes down soon on Xarelto or Pradaxa. Take Care, Lisa

Hi Carrie,
My experience with warfarin is pretty much the same as Rick's. No problems, blood test 1x/month. I'm big on salads so my dosage has been adjusted for that.
Like you my diet is pretty much the same week to week.
I eat anything I want but since alcohol is an AF trigger I don't drink everything I want.
My dosage has changed a couple times in the past 2 1/2 years. Dosage is now less than in the beginning: 4mg 1/wk and 3mg 6x/wk.

I'm fortunate to have a Medicare Advantage Plan. In SF there is no monthly premium. I pay a minimal cost like Rick for warfarin and I'm not charged for blood tests or calls from Dr.'s office re: results.

Annette

Hi Carrie, I have been on Warfarin for 5+ years and have had no problems. I can eat whatever I want as long as I offset an INR reducer with an INR increaser There are lots of both. My diet is fairly steady week to week. i do like salads so I make sure I get plenty of nuts and tomatoes in my diet( they are one of hte many foods offset the effect of salads). It might take a few weeks to balance things out but you can have a nicely varied diet. I used to measure my INR once a month at the doctors, but he asked me if I wanted to do my own testing and so i am now testing at home once per week - my numbers have almost always been in the therapeutic range of 2 -3. Rarely I might have a high number in which case I just take no dose that night or half a dose depending on how high the number is. Another reason I like warfarin is that it is over 50 years old - which means all the side effects have been identified. We can't say the same thing for any of the new anticoag drugs. In the case of Pradaxa I would guess

Thank you Steve and Annette for your responses. Sounds like once I am all balanced out, things will be pretty routine. My doctor said my monthly blood test will be around $25-30 dollars per month. Its a funny thing..six years ago, I left a job that had great insurance to start my own little business at home. Back when I left the office (2007), I didnt have any health issues. Since I was insuring myself, I took a high deductible health plan with no prescription coverage..I was 39 years old. In 2010, all this Afib stuff started. Oh how I miss my group health plan with all the goodies :)

Carrie, Jobs with great benefits usually have great demands~

I had no ins. from age 40-49, I too was self employed. I took a job because I would have benefits. Since I had health ins. I went for a routine check up. My first pap test came back with diagnosis ot precancer cells in uterus. I had emergency hysterectomy 6 weeks later. I consider myself Blessed!

I loved my job for 20 yrs. and had only minor health related problems.

I retired and joined Medicare. 6 weeks later, I was diagnosed with afib, then Lots of back issues. As frustrating as Medicare can be, I am Grateful to have Ins.

My first Cardio Dr. said I "Had" to take Pradaxa vs Warfarin. If I had it to do over, and I just may someday, I would take Warfarin. Pradaxa has very clear instructions that it is not indicated for folks over 75. Also, had I been taking Warfarin, I would not have had to stop taking it for my tooth extraction.

Are we invited to your Graduation?????

Hi Carol :) Your messages always make me smile! Since the EMT course is only a semester long (but a very LONG semester of school, internships and my regular job combined), there will be no formal graduation :) I just finished the course took my finals. I take my state exam this month. Once I pass the state/national exam, I will officially be an EMT. I totally LOVE that work! While I am still going to keep my regular job as an appraiser, I plan to do both and will be looking for a job in the EMT field, most likely in a hospital setting. I wish I had done this 20 years ago because I think I would have truly enjoyed a life long career in that field....awww hind sight is a beautiful thing! :)