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Had Open Heart Surgery. Take Warfarin. Increased Daily Dose. Feeling Like Flu. Suggest?

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Posted on Tue, 29 Oct 2013
Question: i was discharged from the hospital on August 21 2013 having had done open heart surgery repairing a heart valve.
as part of the discharge procedure, i was to take warfarin 2mg tablets to get the range to 2-2.5.. The highest i was able to get was l.8 they now increased the daily dose (at night) to three pills (each 2 mg) and about the time of this increase, I started to feel like crap-like I had a bad flu. is there any connection between this increased dosage (3 2 mg,pills per day ) and how lousy I feel
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sukhvinder Singh (7 hours later)
Brief Answer:
please see details.

Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
Respected Sir
1. Flu like symptoms including fever, asthenia, fatigue, lethergy and malaise have been reported with warfarin use but rarely. However, if present, they warrant a consultation with your doctor.The feeling of flu like symptoms is a non-specific one and can have many reasons.
Usually we do not increase the dose of warfarin by more than 20% at one time. Since sudden increase more than this (~20%) may result in abnormally high INR and consequent bleeding.
Both these issue require a consultation with your doctor on priority. Hence I would recommend you to see your doctors on priority and get yourself examined.
Hope this helps. Feel free to discuss further.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Sukhvinder Singh

Cardiologist

Practicing since :1998

Answered : 1306 Questions

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Had Open Heart Surgery. Take Warfarin. Increased Daily Dose. Feeling Like Flu. Suggest?

Brief Answer:
please see details.

Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir
Respected Sir
1. Flu like symptoms including fever, asthenia, fatigue, lethergy and malaise have been reported with warfarin use but rarely. However, if present, they warrant a consultation with your doctor.The feeling of flu like symptoms is a non-specific one and can have many reasons.
Usually we do not increase the dose of warfarin by more than 20% at one time. Since sudden increase more than this (~20%) may result in abnormally high INR and consequent bleeding.
Both these issue require a consultation with your doctor on priority. Hence I would recommend you to see your doctors on priority and get yourself examined.
Hope this helps. Feel free to discuss further.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder