My best pal recently had open heart surgery resulting in a replacement valve & work to correct a leaky valve.
As a result going forward he will be taking warfarin for the rest of his life.
As things stand a couple of months after the operation his walfrin readings are very varied & keep going up & down.
He has always enjoyed 3+ large glasses of wine each day and has continued a similar pattern post operation.
Clearly this intake is way above the recommended 1.5 units for those taking walfrin.
Notwithstanding the obvious impact of such daily volumes for anybody never mind someone having had heart surgery, I do have two specific questions:
1) Could the alcohol be one of the reasons for the lack of stabilisation on his walfrin readings ?
2) Could the alcohol actually have a negative impact on the effectiveness of the Walfrin ie causing increased risk of heart attacks ?
I love my mate to death but am concerned that he may be in denial as to the impact of his continued drinking.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I take warfarin and have done since i was a baby.
Your not supposed to have alcohol while taking warfarin full stop as alcohol thins your blood.
Dont get me wrong, i'm not saying i have never had alcohol, i have a glass of wine every now and then (like once every few months) and it definatly effects my inr reading, it can make it unsettled for about 2 weeks. Luckily i home test so i can keep an eye on it .
He should have been given an instruction booklet with lifestyle instructions. There are thing not to have and others that you can have in moderation including alcohol. Basically it is to keep your alcohol level stable at 21 units a week and no binge drinking.
The usual advice:
While alcohol can be a source of pleasure and enjoyment, drinking too much or at the wrong time, can cause problems when on warfarin. Alcohol has a marked affect on the action of warfarin.
The important thing is to know where the benefits end and the risks begin!
We recommend that you should drink the same amount of alcohol each day, thus avoiding big variations in the amount you drink from day to day. The guide to the amount of alcohol that is both safe to drink and good for your general health, is no more than 21 units of alcohol for a man or 15 units for a woman a week.
1 unit of alcohol equals:Half pint of ordinary strength pub beer, lager or cider
Small glass of wine
Single measure of spiritPlease remember that some drinks are stronger than others. The strength of alcoholic drinks is shown on the labels.
too much at 3 large glasses I'm afraid, also mixed with liver function, which may have been impaired if he has been a heavy drinker for many years.
Is he also overweight, he may have a fatty liver, and that also impairs liver function.
I notice with my husband if I feed him too much dark green food for the week it also affects his levels, so i try to keep it well mixed up with other vegetables, carrots, sweet pototoes, parsnip, beans, pumpkin, and keep the swiss chard, and cabbage, broccoli and other very dark green veges towards a smaller serving even though they are reccommended to us by the dietitian.
I had my valve repaired over 2 years ago - I was already on warfarin for 3 years before that due to AF, I drink a couple smallish glasses of wine a night and my readings are fine. Generally it's also food which causes probs with blood readings - I was told not to eat too much salad when I was prescribed warfarin but as I have diverticular disease it's one of the few things I can eat!! It was fine as I had always eaten lots of salad before going on warfarin - the main thing is not to vary your diet too much, I only need to go for my blood check every couple months unless I have been ill and lost weight or taken medication which altered my readings. Try not to worry and maybe suggest for him to only have 2 glasses a day. Wishing him all the best.
My favourite vegetable is Brocolli and the INR nurse tells me it is the leafy vegetables cause more of a problem.
Wow, you get ti test your blood every couple of months?! That sounds amazing.
I have to do mine once or twice a week - hence why i bought my own machine to home test!
The longest i have ever gone without testing is about 2 weeks because my levels have been very good for months.
Having taken it for so long I thought that your body would have been well used to it.
Nurse said that I was a 'slow responder' in it settling down but this time I have had a six week gap. Will see what tomorrows INR check says.
You would think so wouldnt you but its not.
Whats your range?
Is everyones the same?
Mine is between 3.5- 4.5
Mine needs to be betwen 2.5 and 3.0. Last time it was 2.7 on dosage of 8mg.
I take an average if 4-5mg per day
My levels have been good lately, 3.9 today which is perfect. I am glad because i am back at the hospital next week.
Which hospital are you under?
Yes my readings are generally fine - though I was stupid on holiday in LA a month ago and took them 6.30 pm as usual for a couple days then realised the time difference!!! Should have taken them 10.30 am!!! I just carried on as I'd started but my INR was bad when I returned so she saw me the following week. Luckily I get mine done with the nurse at my surgery which is handy!! Such a good idea to get your own machine , that's v frequent testing you have to do. Your readings must fluctuate a lot to have to do them so often.
I take mine at 6pm every evening.
We got a machine when i was about 8 i think. Ive always had to have a test every week (unless the reading is too high or low then its more) so i was missing at least one day at school per week to go to the hospital. My attendence was already poor from having so many surgeries and illnesses and general appointments and we just found it easier because it would mean i could test it then go to school rather than have a day off.
The machine has been replaced by a newer version about 6 years ago and i bought it because i couldnt imagine having to go to the hospital more than i already do! It also means when im feeling poorly (or if i have had alcohol one evening) i can just test it when i want.
Once per year i have to take the machine to the hospital and they test my blood on my machine and theirs to make sure the readings are correct and give it a general MOT. Best thing i ever got!
Well it sounds like it was a great idea to buy the machine, time saving and so much better for you. I'm sorry you've had such a lot to cope with, you sound like a really wonderful person 😊
Thankyou.
You said you take Warfarin, what do you take it for? Have you had many surgeries?
I took it originally as I was diagnosed with AF around 5 years ago, then after having a cough for 2 years they found it was caused by a leaky heart valve which was repaired over 2 years ago, during the op they tried to cure the AF but it didn't work so have to stay on warfarin 😕 How many surgeries have you had?
Wow so they didnt pick it up till you were an adult then?
I was born with Shones Complex. I had my first surgery at 3 days old. I had 4/5 holes in my heart and repairs to my mitral and aortic valves, and evenutally had them both replaced with mechanical valves. They had the be replaced periodically as my body grew (and obviously they didnt) i also have a leaking aortic valve.
I have had 12 surgeries so far. I am awaiting my 13th to either replace both valves again or have a heart transplant. At the moment its looking like they are going to replace the valves again because i am not eligable for the transplant list (even though they say a transplant would be less risky now)
I feel lucky it was discovered by my lung consultant - the heart consultant treating me for my AF didn't ever listen to my heart with a stethoscope!!! My goodness you have gone through so many operations from so young, and more to come - surely you must be eligable to be on the transplant list?