Jay's Journal

Klara Čičić  Dear Jay, I expect your target INR is higher than that. Sounds like you're maybe taking less medication than neeeded or you're taking the right dose, but your body is metabolizing the drug differently and isn't able to achieve adequate INR. In any case, a reason to talk to your primary care physician or cardiologist for sure! Good luck.

Robert Miller  Seems a bit low. Did you talk to your cardiologist? From what I heard the home monitors work reasonably well but I was surprised how few people use it. Most people seem fine to just get a blood test done every so often. Maybe it's because the insurance covers blood tests but they don't cover the home monitors (not the unit when I asked, some of the test kits depending on insurance). 

Shelly Hubbard  I have an onyx valve. For onyx valve inr should be 1.5 to 2.0. I go in every 4 weeks for a finger poke. I am 10 weeks out from my surgery. My inr is in range. My last check was 1.9 and I will go in again July 9.

Rita Savelis  I'm sorry that you have to worry about INR. My target INR is between 3 and 4.5 because I have 2 mechanical valves. INR goes up and down, but my dose of coumadin stays between 8 and 8.5 mg. I haven't changed my diet and I test about once a month. I found it a real drag the first year but now it is just something I do without thinking. When my INR is too high or too low, I no longer stress, I just slightly change my meds and test a bit more often. I don't have a home machine, although I've been offered one. I think the temptation to overtest would be high. And in fact INR changes throughout the day. It is not stable. So I go to a lab nearby when I feel like it (I have a standing prescription) and I receive my results on the internet and make my own decisions about what dose of meds to use. Home monitors will never be as precise as a lab, but they are fine.  Take care.

Robert Miller  Rita makes a good point. Some people might get too obsessed with INR levels which can vary considerably depending on your daily diet. I still think home tests are useful, at least for the beginning. It helps you understand how your INR level changes. So you start with a high frequency and then as you get a better grip on it you can lower the frequency. And I would still prefer to do it at home. But these are just comments from someone who isn't actually on Warfarin now (I just did a lot of thinking about it how I would want to handle it if they did implant a mechanical valve).