What kind of physician is managing your inr? I go to a anticoagulation clinic, so all they do is manage warfarin. I have never had my levels checked 2 days apart, that seems a bit much, especially 2 months out. They usually like to give me a week-10 days on the new dose before changing. So many things effect your inr, it is hard to say. What do you mean by not eating much? I would think that may interfere with the rate you are metabolizing the meds, but I'm not a doctor.

If you suddenly started eating fewer calories, that could affect your INR. I'd assume it could make your INR higher. Wit diet and INR the general rule of thumb is consistency. I'd never tell anyone to start eating more. I'd just try to remain consistent with how you eat.

It can take time to stabilize so that happens sometimes. It took me a good while. But I'd question the constant testing you're doing. In the beginning it's usually every one or two weeks. Then as your INR remains in range, it's like every month. I think testing every two days is way too often. I mean you have to give any dosage a adjustment a chance to actually get in your system.

Well I will check with my doc next week after my next test. The doctor is my regular doctor. I am not eating much for two reasons. One is I have a toothache. Swollen face and assess. Two, I am just going through a break up that have greatly diminished my finances, so I am getting along as cheaply as possible. Thanks for the responses.

It sounds like the dosage changes your doctor is doing are just too much. If every time you're low, your dose gets increased a lot, then next time you're going to be too high. Then you hold and next time you'll be too low.

It's better to do small adjustments. Like if you're at 1.7 on a certain dose, you should increase by a half mg or 1 mg at a time. Wait five days and retest. And testing every two days is too often, since it can take 3-4 days for the dosage change to take effect.

It sounds like your doc isn't great at managing warfarin (and not all are). I mean, some folks just take a while to get into range, but it sounds like you're being a little too aggressive with the dosage changes. I'd test every 4-5 days and make small dosage changes (not big ones) and see where you wind up.

I mean, warfarin is a difficult drug, for sure, and some folks take a while to get into range, but I think you have to be methodical.

Also, yeah, suddenly eating less can affect it, but if you've been eating less for several weeks now, then your INR should already be reflecting that difference.

Hang in there!

Hey sandysan,

Im with rmb " Wit diet and INR the general rule of thumb is consistency.

keep things regular, I was on ino-hep injections, every day for a month before i was in range, and i remained on warfarin, 15mg every day for 6 mos.

and i got headaces from warfarin, and i felt like crap. but im still here.

hang tough, you will get through this, but i found it helped my nerves
when i was more engaged,with the anti coagulation clinic

If your don't have one,Monday or when ever you can to get one, get the reference from your doc, and if you can get your blood checked for genetic issues, regarding clotting. just to check if it could be a reason for your clot.

Regards, thor37

For about the first 1-2 months after I started warfarin, I was also very up and down. One week it was up at ~6, the next I was back down to ~1.5. Because of all the stress of having a dvt, I also wasn't eating much at all, which I think ended up being a big cause of the inconsistencies. If you're not eating much, one very slight change in your diet is probably going to change your inr significantly. Once I got back to a more "normal" diet (minus large amounts of vitamin-k things), my inr stayed relatively stable.

And I agree with the others, checking every 2 days is way too often. Once a week should be good so that the dosage amount can get stabilized in your system.

I agree with the others. You are testing too often. To stabilize your inr you have to make very small changes or you will just end up swinging back and forth. Also, what do you mean very high? If you have an inr of 8, then yeah you are going to make a big adjustment. If you mean high like 3.3, then you just need a small adjustment. I'm currently trying to bring my levels down after a round of antibiotics. So, I'm testing weekly and making very small changes to my dosing.

If you are just doing a short course, like 3 months, realize that you might not ever be stable. Sometimes it takes months to dial in your dose and stabilize.

I had my hysterectomy in December, and they took me off warfarin and bridged me with lovenox. When I went back on the warfarin, it took me 3 months to get and stay therapeutic. I'm always slow to get there, but once in the sweet spot, I'm normally there for good.

I am right around 2.05 for the past two months and I'm testing once a month. I'm so greatful that my INR has been pretty stable since I began taking Warfarin last year. But then again I don't eat much green stuff. I take grewt pride in not eating a lot of green leafy vegitables. I hope you get your INR under control soon. It's very important to keep your INR level theraputic during the first few weeks after your DVT had been diagnosed.

It took nearly 2 months to get my dose where we wanted it. It was either way high or a little low. They are probably checking you and changing your dose too often. It takes several days for a new dose to change your INR. You usually need to stay on it for 6 months.

I had a DVT when I was 18 and now again 23 years later, i know it sucks. I had the same issues as you are having now the first time around. I was on it for 4 years up and down like you are now. Then I was bleeding under my skin then the reading was too low. I was so negative when I was diagnosed with DVT again now. Not that it came as a surprise its a feeling that you never forget and when it happens again you know immediately. We are traveling so I had to get a CoaguCkek little hand held to check my own INR. I must say it works like a bomb. You get everything for it and its a prick of the finger no big needles drawing blood and after a few months you start looking like a druggy. Remember Warfarin takes about 4 to 5 days to realy have an effect so checking your blood every two days will never give an accurate reading. Go check it out on www.coagucheck.com. I recommend it, you then do your test every 5 days in the beginning once you see it has stabilized then you do it every 10 days. There is a lot in your diet that can have an effect on your INR levels. I have done a huge amount of research and have tested a lot of food types to see what effect it has on you. Should you like to contact me to get more info please feel free to do so.