coumodin levels

[konah]

I was diagnosed with rectal cancer, went through chem and radiation, I have an eliostomy, had a lot of compications which one was a pulminary embalism. While in the hospital they had me on heprin shots, then lovanox and coumodin. My coumodin levels finaly reached 3 with taking two shots of locvanox a day and 20mg of coumadin, after removing the lovinox shots my level dropped back to 1. I have stayed away from any food with vitk, the Dr. is baffled as to why my levels will not stay theraputic, do you have any clue?

[John Kenyon, CNA]

Hello -

I have to assume your doctors have run tests on you for a clotting disorder, but if not then you need to be screened for this. You're on a very high dose of Coumadin already, so increasing it is unlikely to fix this problem.

I think by "Coumadin level" you're referring to your INR, which ideally should be around 3 in your case.

If there is no other medication or supplement you're taking which would compete with the Coumadin, then your doctors are going to have to delve deeper for the cause of the failure of the medicaion to be effective.

I hope this is helpful to you. Please follow up with us as needed.