Anyone on warfarin here?

I'm now on this for life.
I know you're only supposed to have a couple of units of alcohol per day but I've read loads of stories of people drinking normally on it. What do you do of you're on this drug?
I'm taking 3 1/2mg each day and INR is 2.5
Really used to like a drink especially before footy and I'll miss all that now.
Was going to buy the testing machine and still might. £300 is a bit pricey though just to check my level while having a drink
What's your thoughts

PM me mate, my Father in Law used to run a Warfarin clinic. Its your choice but he can explain risks as he has seen 1000's of people over the years

moggy said:

I'm now on this for life.
I know you're only supposed to have a couple of units of alcohol per day but I've read loads of stories of people drinking normally on it. What do you do of you're on this drug?
I'm taking 3 1/2mg each day and INR is 2.5
Really used to like a drink especially before footy and I'll miss all that now.
Was going to buy the testing machine and still might. £300 is a bit pricey though just to check my level while having a drink
What's your thoughts

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Had to take this rat poison when recovering from a broken pelvis. Weekly blood tests were a hassle. They kept uping dosage and I was off booze for 3 weeks. Then I had a brain wave. Started drinking and reduced my Warfarin intake, and guess what. My levels were correct. My advice is try having 5 pints before a blood test and they will prob decrease it somewhat.

bhafc4eva said:

Had to take this rat poison when recovering from a broken pelvis. Weekly blood tests were a hassle. They kept uping dosage and I was off booze for 3 weeks. Then I had a brain wave. Started drinking and reduced my Warfarin intake, and guess what. My levels were correct. My advice is try having 5 pints before a blood test and they will prob decrease it somewhat.

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Yeah, that's fine if you're drinking every day then they can work that into your dosage.
I'm just an occasional drinker so for me it's really match days I like a good drink. 5-6 pints or so

moggy said:

Yeah, that's fine if you're drinking every day then they can work that into your dosage.
I'm just an occasional drinker so for me it's really match days I like a good drink. 5-6 pints or so

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On a match day, I would suggest to halve your dosage and have a few jars.

I was on about double your dosage to start, but beer saved me.

I was feeling very tired a few years ago, when it reached the point of walking across a room with a few sheet of A4 paper and having to rest with exhaustion I decided it was time to check it out. The doctor immediately diagnosed I had atrial fibrillation, which could have given me a stroke at any time. This put me on the dreaded Wafferine together with a nasty drug called Amiodarone. I stuck it out for just over a year taking very little alcohol, and obeying most of the medical instructions given to me.
Despite several tests during the year there was no change, and my heart was still very erratic, and I was booked in for a Cardioversion, which is basically stopping the heart and firing it up again, and as my heart is a two stroke I was a bit worried as those buggers never start!!!

I went to the hospital the day before the procedure to have everything checked before the Cardioversion, and was promptly sent home, my heart had returned to normal!!! and despite putting me on treadmills and various other tortures they could not make it go out of sync again. The consultant told me when they finally discharged me that as I had stuck rigidly to my medication, plus walking two miles a day, I should have no further problem (touch wood). I now dont take Wafferine, but am on a Asprin a day as a precaution.

That is my story of Wafferine, but as a side issue a regular in the pub I use was on the same medication and the Amiodarone says in the leaflet inside do not go out in the sun without protection, so I covered up well and used a hat, and it was a really hot summer. The other guy was wearing shorts and a string vest so I pointed out the warning on the drug as I drank my orange juice and soda and he threw back several pints. He replied that was just a load of rubbish the manufacturers put on there to cover themselves. Next day he was in intensive care and nearly died of blood poisoning!!!

Worth a look
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060715054858AAii1eZ