Warfarin monitoring

littlewren

MoneyMate wrote: »

May be worth checking with his Doctors there are alternatives to Warfarin that do not require constantly checking Warfarin levels ( Apixaban )

He was given one of the alternatives which unfortunately didn't agree with him and gave him such terrible side effects a few days ago that he was taken to hospital in the middle of the night.

littlewren

bryanb wrote: »

A friend has done this at 2 different clinics Oxfordshire/Dorset, communication between them was awful. He ended up phoning the results through himself.

Hmm that's interesting bryanb, that's what my Dad's worried about, the actual communication/admin side of things between both areas.

Mojisola

littlewren wrote: »

I wondered if anyone could help with a query regarding my Dad please? As he has a heart problem (AF) the doctor recommended taking Warfarin, which he is willing to take, but the problem is he spends 3 weeks at home and then 3 weeks at his partner's home over 50 miles away, so of course outside the catchment area.

Couldn't he stay in one place for a while until he gets the levels sorted?

littlewren

Mojisola wrote: »

Couldn't he stay in one place for a while until he gets the levels sorted?

Yes, this might have to be something he will have to do.

helcat26

hi
having been on warfarin getting the levels right is crucial. too much and you are so cold and miserable bruising and bleeding all the time. but they got me balanced after about 3 months


I would say it is worth sticking with his home clinic during the calibration period and if his partner cares for him then they should not expect him to travel and stay at their home during that period If this is not possible then he will have to travel back for the blood tests

littlewren

Thank you helcat, I hope you are doing well at the moment.

[Deleted User]

bryanb wrote: »

A friend has done this at 2 different clinics Oxfordshire/Dorset, communication between them was awful. He ended up phoning the results through himself.

I think this is a good point, they'll never be able to get their act together. Your dose is calculated using the past history of dose and INR, so you really need all the data in one place or there will be mistakes made. Jacobs et al. recently published a paper finding that time spent outside the therapeutic zone is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.

Jacobs, et al: Time outside of therapeutic range in atrial fibrillation patients is associated with long-term risk of dementia.

Heart Rhythm Vol 11, Iss 12, Dec 2014, pp2206–2213

FBaby

littlewren wrote: »

Many thanks for your reply, I will pass the info on. My Dad is registered with a GP at home and also registered with the one at Peterborough.

I would be very careful then as you can't be registered with two GP practices. They might pick up on this and make him pick one or the other. It really isn't a good idea as he will have medical notes at two different places and that could be dangerous as one prescribing something not aware the other GP prescribed something else.

littlewren

FBaby wrote: »

I would be very careful then as you can't be registered with two GP practices. They might pick up on this and make him pick one or the other. It really isn't a good idea as he will have medical notes at two different places and that could be dangerous as one prescribing something not aware the other GP prescribed something else.

Yes I thought this was the case, that you couldn't be registered with more than one GP, but my Dad says he is. And also, as you point out, he would have to be careful that medical notes between both practices were correct.

broasis

Could he just buy his own monitor and do it at home? Or could he maybe have to go private in one of the areas? Would the NHS not be able to sort something out for him if he explained the situation to his GP?