It's really hard to say, just mostly because everyone needs such a different dose.

Me, for example, I'm right in range at 6mg. Since they usually start you with a 5mg dose, I see good results in a couple of days and it has never taken longer than a week or so to get into range when I've started warfarin.

Of course, if you need a 15mg dose, you're not going to see much of a result after taking 5mg and it'll take much longer to get into range because they'll be slowly increasing your dose, waiting to see the effect, and then raising again.

I mean, big switches in dose results in big swings in INR, so its best if they're slow and steady with the dosage changes and looking for results. Some folks really take a couple of months to dial in the right dose and to get really consistent.

So, really, there's no good answer to your question. It really is the million dollar question for warfarin and no one can answer it ... warfarin management would be a lot easier if they could.

Hang in there!

Like TNT said, everyone is different. It initially took me 5 days to reach 2.0, but since have fluctuated from 2.5 to 1.8. They upped my dose (7.5) to 10mg one day a week, then 7.5 the other 6. Confusing! And obviously diet can change things, but also activity level. That seems to be my issue. My activity keeps increasing, thus INR decreases.

It takes me about 2-3 months. I went off it for a hysterectomy in December, and my INR has now been in range for 3 weeks now. So it was almost 3 months. That's how I do with every surgery. My INR will go ages without moving, and then it's suddenly up over 4.0 and won't come down. And the strange thing is (to me, at least), I've had several surgeries while on warfarin, and my dosage never ends up being the same after surgery as it was before. It's normally somewhere between 9 and 12, but it could fall anywhere in there. This time, I'm on 10, but I was alternating 9.5 and 10 before the surgery. It's just so interesting to me how different all of that stuff is for everyone.

On a side note, the first time I ever had to do my own injections was during my first pregnancy, 10 years ago. It weirded me out so much to think of putting shots into my tummy where the baby was, so I started doing it on my inner thighs. That's been my location of choice ever since. :-)

Initially I was put on 10 mg of warfarin a day and it took me 9 days to get my INR in range, so don't worry, you'll get there.

The good news is that my INR got to 2.8 and I dropped the Lovenox (rarely so happy to drop something as that - there is no normal-colored skin left on my torso).

Thanks all!

Great news!!

Hi lapopessa

I seem to bruise more on my left side too! Sometimes I find the initial stabbing hurts but then other times I don't feel it at all in different spots....the whole thing, injections, warfarin, getting INR at a steady level - it's all weird I think!!!