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travelling with warfarin(coumadan)


loerie
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I will be doing a 4 week cruise in March and have just been put on Coumadan (blood thinners) I am hoping by  my  blood tests will  have settled  down by then -I would appreciate any advice that  can help me -time difference -testing on board ship etc .All help greatly recieved. Thank  you!

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1 hour ago, loerie said:

I will be doing a 4 week cruise in March and have just been put on Coumadan (blood thinners) I am hoping by  my  blood tests will  have settled  down by then -I would appreciate any advice that  can help me -time difference -testing on board ship etc .All help greatly recieved. Thank  you!

 My my wife has been on Coumadin for years, and has her blood drawn monthly to check INR.  You should have stabilized well before March - and are aware of effects of miscellaneous  matters (lots of green vegetables, unusual alcohol intake, etc.). You should be monitoring it fairly frequently for the first several weeks until how your system  reacts is known.   I believe most large ships are able to test on board.  You might want to invest in your own testing device - which I understand are now available .

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thank you-I am hoping hoping  I will  be stable -price is very high for INR testing machine  but I believe   if you are  longer than 3 months on Warfarin Medicare will pay towards it -so heres hoping .!thank you for your help and I hope your wife is doing  well.

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On occasion, the hit and run poster isn't all wrong.

 

I can see a physician not being concerned with a stable patient allowing testing to "slide" for four weeks. After all, INR testing on a monthly schedule is pretty standard.

 

There are a couple other medications out there, Eliquis and Xarelto, that do not not require routine testing as they have a wide therapeutic range. Warfarin has a narrow range and regular testing is required. A major downside of those medications is cost.  Around $450-500 a month versus about $4 or 5 for generic warfarin. And other drug interactions are less frequent with Warfarin. 

 

Good luck and follow your physician's advice.

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Currently on a 6-week cruise.  Had a blood test and checked my INR prior to our trip.  It was good.  I called the Coumadin clinic and informed them that I won't be able to get another blood test until after we return.  They said it was ok (my INR has been within range and stable).  I always bring along my prescription bottle in the event someone would question my prescription/pills.  I take my Coumadin at night...so when flying and go through a "time change"...I simply make sure I take the next dosage 24 hours later, no matter what time it is at another country or time zone.  In addition, I always bring extra pills in case our trip is extended.

Note: I have to really be careful how much I drink (alcohol) because it "thins" out my blood...I can usually tell when my blood gets too thin...my nose starts bleeding.  Happy Sailing!

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1 hour ago, CPT Trips said:

On occasion, the hit and run poster isn't all wrong.

 

I can see a physician not being concerned with a stable patient allowing testing to "slide" for four weeks. After all, INR testing on a monthly schedule is pretty standard.

 

..

Yes - a “stable patient” usually tests INR once a month — but it takes at least a month or so to determine stability - Coumadin impacts people quite differently - reflecting normal diet, alcohol consumption, and other factors.

 

But “let it slide” and “something that doesn’t require blood tests” are not appropriate comments.  No responsible doctor would prescribe Coumadin without running a test period to determine efficacy and side effects - or at all, if something else would be better.

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I was put on Xarelto 5 weeks ago. It doesn't require the testing that some of the others do, but my Dr said her wants it tested a week before I go, just to make sure and will probably test when I get back. 

Just follow Dr orders until your trip,  as long as you don't have any unusual issues,  you should be good. 

Hopefully all goes well for you!!

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On 11/23/2019 at 8:15 PM, CPT Trips said:

There are a couple other medications out there, Eliquis and Xarelto, that do not not require routine testing as they have a wide therapeutic range. Warfarin has a narrow range and regular testing is required. A major downside of those medications is cost.  Around $450-500 a month versus about $4 or 5 for generic warfarin.

 

I was on Xarelto for a while. The manufacturer had a program that reduced my out-of-pocket cost to zero. 

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Hi!  I have been on Coumadin since 2016.  I have to test weekly so I have an INR monitor that I bring with me.  I always let my doctor know when I'm traveling because I don't email in my results while I'm gone.  I also bring extra medication in case I need to adjust my dose or if our trip would get extended.  I take my meds at night before bed and if the time change is only a few hours I just continue my bedtime routine.  

 

After you have been on it for awhile you will know what foods and drinks affect your levels and how they affect you.  I have also learned to adjust my dose to my diet (with my doctors assistance) and not let Coumadin control what I eat and drink within reason of course.

 

Happy cruising!!!

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