How long have you been on warfarin and your INR low? Some docs give up really soon on the INR; some give it more time. I was on warfarin for several years and it took a while to get my INR in range. I would suggest not changing your diet to try to "help" your INR increase. That can sometimes make it more unstable. Also, for some people, truly it just takes a while.

I'm on xarelto now, and I've done well on it so far.

Almost 2 months. They started me on a heprin drip. Then I was taking heprin and levonox shots. They stopped the heprin and I was taking levonox shots and Coumadin. But my levels never went passed 1.7. Then the levels started dropping. For the last month it has been 1.1.

That's frustrating. How often is your doc checking your INR? Whay dose are you on?

They check it once a week. I started off with 4mg. Then 5. Then 7.5 and then now 10. Now I'm like if you can't get the Coumadin to work and get my INR up how do you know xarelto will work if they do not monitor it. Seems like a waste of time and money

Xarelto works on a different part of the "clotting process" than warfarin does, which is why the dosage doesn't need to be adjusted for the patient. However, I have heard a few stories about "tweaks" to the dosage that may help it be more effective for patients with certain disorders.

I'd be frustrated, too, if I were you! Many people have their INR drop as they start to become more active further into recovery, but it's crazy that you're down at 1.1 (which is what a normal person has for an INR). I mean, some folks need to be up around 16 or 17mg a day, and it sounds like you are probably one of them. But, yeah, I'd be frustrated with the delay too.

Xarelto might be easier for you, for sure.

I am really hoping something does. I'm really tired. My breathing is better but I can't over do it. The thing I'm worried about is how do I know the meds are working if they can't see or test it though. It my biggest fear. Im scared of having another attack. It was awful. The whole dying thing is just unbearable

I never got close to an INR of 2 the first 5 months I was on warfarin. It was always below 2. It's very taxing. Xarelto wasn't around then. I ended up needing 15mgs of warfarin a day for a good while to stay therapuetic. Then over the years I was between 12mgs and 15 mgs in different combinations. It's a funny drug and some people's bodies resist warfarin to varying degrees, be it that a larger dosage is needed, or the body resists the warfarim outright. But for me, eventually everything stabilized. Took a good while though.

Consider the xarelto, especially if the plan is to keep you on it short term. It's so stressful to be running around to the lab so frequently feeling like it's pointless. And most doctors seem to have a handle on prescribing xarelto now. A few years ago, I'd not be saying that but it's been available for a while and I trust being on it more and more, the longer I'm on it.

Find a new hematologist, you are not in therapeutic range.