Question on High INR...

Hi there, I am sorry you are going through this, I have been in similar situation that you have for the last 2 years now. I got my DVT because being too athletic I was put into a cast and after three months developed a blood clog in my left leg, which damaged the valves in my leg vein. Now I use compression stockings everyday to prevent blood pooling.
About your questions:
First, INR fluctuate so much under very small changes in diet, even with changes in season! When the summer starts, my INR goes down to 1.6 or 1.7 from a therapeutic range of 2.5. The INR values also depend how your body respond to the medication, for some people 1mg/d can keep you in therapeutics levels, for others, like me, I take 10mg/d to be at 2.5, so the dosage you are given of 10mg/d for the week is a way to, first, get you to therapeutic levels, and then to see if how have your body responded to it. I ma sure the dosage will be adjusted after that.
Second question: Aching in the leg is common under thinned blood. I have been dealing with it, but it comes and goes and there seems no to be a reason for these shifts. This is something you have to deal with it and hopefully you find a way to cope with it.
Third Question:
This is a very good question and something I was wondering as well. I have not found any answer to this, and I think is because clogging is such a person/specific case. In my case, the doctors did a genetic test and found out I have a mutation that makes me prone to clogging. I would suggest you ask your docs for such exams, than you will know the origin for this diagnosis. Saying that, I went 33 years without clogging, having a very active life with the genetic condition. I know stories of little girl with the same genetic condition I have which started clogging at age 12. So you can see that it is hard to know when a clog might appear in your body. About stopping taking medication and hoping for no clogs is something that is unknown to me, I think you could go without clogging without coumadin or even at lower levels, but you never know if this could happen again. I think having a terapeuthic INR is the way to prevent anything from happening giving the high degree of uncertainty in our bodies and its reaction.
I can tell you that you can have 99.9% of your life back to normal with daily dosage of 10mg/d. I have resumed playing soccer, yoga and pretty much having an active life again. I now pay more attention to my diet, but I don't see why you couldn't get back to yours, particularly if you where an athletic person.
Best of luck with your life, all the best

Ive had two DVTs before and just a few days ago my leg started swelling up around my ankles but the strange thing is that my INR is fine...is this a another DVT or what?...any help will be appreciated...thanx

Hi All,

I have found all of your comments insightful and helpful. Thank You. I am 45 and was diagnosed with DVT in left leg (2 below knee and one above) on June 3. I am physically fit, consume a regular healthly diet, don't travel excessively and have not had any recent surgery's or injuries. My doc's have run the full gambit of tests, all of which have not revealed any abnormalities. My first question for those of you who have similar traits to me is if you have discovered the reason for your DVT?

Like most of you, I began on Warfarin and lovenox. Was weened from lovenox after a week and half once my INR was in the 2-3 range. I have had numerous athletic injuries over the years but have to say the pain associated with the DVT rivals what I dealt with when I had spinal fusion in the late 90's (that was a big ouch!). Has anyone compared the side effects or warfarin against coumedin?

Lastly, I am curious if any of you are willing to share your experience with recovery time. The main thing I'd like to know is how long did your leg pain last? While not pleasant, I can deal with the headache, upset stomach, blurred vision but the leg pain prevents a good night's rest.

Thank You

Hi, I'm new here. My dad is on INR for more than 5 yrs and was always stable until recently. In 10 days his INR went from 3.0 to 6.0. He was on steroid for curing medicine allergy. Could it be the case? His legs esp.feet went very dark.

Megan, my 23 y.o. son has a DVT and PE as well. He is very nervous. To some point I am glad he is nervous because that helps to keep him from smoking. It's been just over 2 weeks now. How did you get your DVT? Understanding how you got it might help ease your anxiety. I also have a clot from a surgery. My son doesn't know how he got his but we are guessing because he hurt his back and laid down for a couple days to rest it.

Megan wrote:

I am 23 years old and about 6 months ago i found out i had a DVT in my left leg and had some small clots in both lungs. Its been almost 6 months now and I have a great doctors office and staff that are always helpful. My problem is I have developed extremely horrible anxiety. I mean to the point where I cannot go anywhere without xanax. I get the slightest feeling in my body that is different than normal (any small ache, headache, anything) and I will have a panic attack! Even though I know that I am okay, I have had another CT scan and ultra sound and i KNOW that they are all smaller, I still cannot stop this feeling I get. My INR was 2.7 last week and thats the highest its been (normally 2.1-2.4) and they did not change my dosage or anything, but i knocked my hand into a wall earlier (which is not unusual for me to do!) and it started bruising and I just had an instant anxiety attack! Has anyone else had trouble with this (anxiety)? Will it ever go away? It doesnt matter how many times they tell me I AM fine and I WILL be okay, i still get this just scared feeling in the pit of my stomach or where it feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest..I just cannot make it stop! I hate taking medicine but if I dont the xanax when I start getting these feelings then it just gets horrible, but when I take the xanax I guess its doing its job because I am able to shake it off and go about my business! I know everything is in my head! Does anyone have any tips to help control this or am I just going to have to ride it out???!

I've been on warfarin for 17 months because of pulmonary Emboli. My inr never stays stable and yesterday received a call from the doctor I was seeing on holidays. He said my inr is higher than ten. He told me to go to the hospital , but I'm so over it. If I stop my warfarin now and don't go, will all be ok. I've no real symptoms just a small headache since this morning.

Hi I'm hoping I can get some advice over the last year I've had 4 different episodes of pulmonary embolis. Everytime I went to the same place and got to thereputic level bc of heavy menstral bleeding they admitted me due to high risk of bleeding(hemraging and becoming anemic everytime I do have my period) the last time due to loss of employment I've had to use the county clinic during the 3 months I've been there they've taken me off cumadin for a 3 week period after me being back on it for a week I had another pe form during that time they did put me back on it. Anyway I was not in therepy range 2.0 to 3.0 yet highest I've been is 1.7 and they said I was good waiting 2 weeks to do inr during this time I've gone to er bc throwing up blood, and am having the worst headache of my life along with visual mygraines I have my period the last 3 weeks I go through a tampon and pad every 45 minutes (they have me taking 10mg everyday last 3 weeks) today I also feel extremely dizzy and shakey if they say tomorrow at my appt its high just stop taking it for the weekend come back in 2 weeks what point should I worry and consult either a er or find a different clinic. Also they have been using the finger poke test I was told by the hospital and previous doctor they could not accept that due to its irregular readings and they are doing the finger poke bc they were unable to draw blood from me 2 days in a row I do have deep corkscrew veins but I'm begining to feel very concered the nurse practioner doesn't know how to really handle this kinda sitution. Any advice would be very gratefully received

My mother was hospitalized from complications of diabetes, the hopital adminstered Plavix and coumadin. They amputated one of her legs though her bllod was very thin. It turns out INR reading is 9.1 at the time! They claim she had she did not have an infection, yet another hospital of the same association says she did. She has recently passed away and we are awaiting the result of cause of death. My quesion is could this high reading contributed to her passing?

I have been on Coumadin twice now for blood clots in both my Brachial artery followed by a PE and IJ followed by micro-clots in the lungs. I have no veins left for the weekly blood tests. The doctors are having a hard time keeping my INR within therapeutic range. I have only been on it for 8 weeks so far this time and have only hit therapeutic twice. To make matters worse I have severe asthma and Factor 5 Lieden. Is there anything I can do to help the situation? I watch my diet closely, do not drink alcohol, and do not add any meds without my physician prescribing it for me.
Earlier this week I had a nosebleed that lasted for 5.5 hrs. Yes I did go to the ER and they had to cauterize my nose and give me a vit K shot.
What else can I do to help myself?

Ho I am new to this site I have been on warfren for five months and it's so hard to keep my rni levels balance. I take 10 mgs a day.I don't eat any lettuce or greens so I wouldn't off set my levels,because I don't eat those veggies every day. My Inr was at 1.9 and was told to take 15mgs. Then next day just go back to taken 10mgs. I. Go to the doctor Wednesday, but o notice that I am having a little bag bleeding. I am also at the age of post mentapause so my period comes and goes and sometimes none at all. Should I be worried and I have know energy.

i have been on warfarin for last 5 months as i had s uffered DVT . My inr has been fluctuating between 2 to 3 .But last night i suffered from bleeding with my urine. Is it due to the increased inr .

Nurse at my health practice stopped my Warfarin medication without consulting doctor after I was to have a D.V.T June 11, then 8 months, Warafin therapy. One week later, I was admitted to hospital with many superficial clots, and was at high risk of more DVTs as valve in left groin area was and is not operating properly. Is this normal practice? I am not certain if a nurse has the authority or qualification to make such a high risk decision. Was to spend 8 days, in hospital, and on my release have now been put under the care of same nurse, whom has now increased my warfarin daily intake to 14mg, and whom now says my INR range is 3-4, whereas it has always been 2-3 even when I was under the care of consultants and doctors whenever I was in hospital. My INR level was 2.8 before this nurse was to change the INR range, now 3.6. I do not trust this nurse, am I being paranoid~? Would appreciate answers or guidance to maybe my sensitive and suspicious thinking on this issue and nurses actions. Thank you.