I have been on warfarin 6.5 mg for over two years, but my last two INR test were above 3.9 and 5.8. I have not changed my normal eating habits or foods. I have not added any new drugs and I have not drank any alcohol. I would like to have a list of food that INCREASES INR, I can find info on food that decrease in INR but not those that Increase INR time?
What food increase response time (INR) when taking Warfarin?
Question posted by Dickpeter on 21 March 2011
Last updated on 11 November 2018
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9 Answers
vikktor
28 Sep 2017
I want to know what food increase the INR levels while taking warfarin ?
Phillie2
9 March 2017
I had a colonoscopy and had to use a Lovanox bridge. My INR is 1 after 5 days. How can I get it back to the norm? I'm back with Warfarin and Lovanox together for the next week. Any suggestions?
Also, is it okay to eat hamburgers??
Thank you.
jjj75
2 March 2017
Been on Wafarin for 6 years. Here are the foods that have caused my INR to increase. Licorice, cranberry juice, grapefruit. And it didn't take much of any of those to make my INR raise to over 3. It's almost always between 2.3 and 2.7. After the high INR, I had a good idea of what caused it, as I seldom eat licorice, cranberry juice or grapefruit and had not eaten or drank anything else other than my normal diet. So once I stopped the suspected food/drink, my INR returned to normal by the time I had it rechecked in 2 weeks.
Valentine4670
25 Feb 2017
I have been on Coumadin for 5 months. My level recently went from2.8 t0 3.3.Is there a reason you can explain for this increase?
heisen
7 Oct 2017
Your INR will vary, and this variation, while probably putting you out of the range that you are supposed to be in, is not unusual. You can bring it down by eating more greens.
madraeger
29 July 2015
I have been taken warfarin 10 and now 15 mg plus 100mg lovinox shots twice daily to finish my bridge over and I am still at 1.1. I am supposed to be at 2.8 - 3.2 because of my PE. I've had five in the past 3 years even one after the filter was placed. Please let me know what to do. I am two weeks from post surgery. Still in recovery and on antibiotics due to being septic. Any help would be great.
Tamber12
20 Aug 2015
What type of surgery did you have? Was it because of the PE?
What antibiotics are you taking? I didn't have surgery, but a lot of PE and Lovenox injections twice daily. Had a reaction & can't take Lovenox now, just Warfarin. Skin infection has me on Septra now & my INR won't stop going down... Was at 2.5... Now it's 1.4... How do I get that INR number up??
queenie365
31 Oct 2017
What is PE just started taking warfin
Silverjim
17 Jan 2018
After aortic valve replacement 3 years ago (hard carbon titanium valve), my medical professionals got me to a daily warfarin dose of 17.5 to maintain an INR range of 2.5-3.5 (home testing every two weeks) over some 3months' trial and error. I am now fairly stable at this range, with slow reactions to most foods that would make lower dosed patients' INRs move rapidly. Pharmicists tell me mine is the highest daily dose they've filled. I have AB+ blood: medical literature indicates ABs (negs too) have the thickest blood (and a higher than average stroke rate than the general population, by some 30% because of their blood types' thicknesses). Our presence in the gen pop is 2% for AB+ (Universal recipient) and only 1% for AB-! Being the rarest two blood types, we surprise many med professionals about the dose we need. I can't offer you citations from the literature about AB bloods, and clotting, but it is out there.
Point this out to your concerned physicians if you have either AB positive or negative blood, and they will find the medical commentaries & studies I found while I did online research some two years ago. I live in an area affected by hurricanes and my original printouts are in storage! You may find similar literature on AB blood too, with a minimal amount of persistence. I have assumed you have AB negative or AB positive blood. Please let me know whether my assumption that you are an AB is right or wrong, and I of course hope you are well. If your higher warfarin dose is for some other reason you don't mind sharing please let me know, and good health!
petsaremylove
1 June 2015
Do you take herbal supplements - omega 3 - fish oils? Fish oils can increase INR
Have you changed manufacturer of any of your medications? My INR changes when a new batch of meds are sent to me
petsaremylove
29 July 2015
every time I get a new 3 month supply of Warfarin I have to really watch my INR also. Apparently generics per my Coumadin clinic do not have as stringent requirements for actually dose can be 4%? either way.
waikerie
11 Nov 2018
This was such a HUGE problem for my husband, and we noticed the erratic tests with each fresh batch of warfarin too. We tried ordering 6 months at a time, so it would be the same batch (but that wasn't always the case... ) We FINALLY switched to name brand Coumadin, and the name brand seems to keep him in range much much better... Yes, it's more money, but the peace of mind is priceless... Typically, according to data on the internet, generics can be 80% to 120% as effective as the name brand... This is VERY problematic with a drug like warfarin... Hope this helps...
kathleen Pendergast
1 June 2015
Eating cranberries And drinking lots of cranberry juice
DzooBaby
21 March 2011
Sometimes the body dhemistry just "shifts" and you may get higher INR's for no apparent reason. That is why they do test often and it is important to do your testing regularly.
Inactive
21 March 2011
Your, right. Typicallly we see food that can decrease INR, not as many things increase INR.
I am currently working and jsut asked a couple of our coumadin pharmacist. They have seen hot pepers like jalapenos, sunflour seeds, grapes, ice tea, real licorice, and theoretically craneberry juice.
I will do some futher reasearch to provide a list.
Also, decreases in activity level can increase INR.
Thanks for the question!
Brian PharmD Candidate
Inactive
21 March 2011
I put together a list I found in my text books that have the potenial to increase INR, it isn't all inclusive or a full ist by any means.
Bergamottin (component of grapefruit juice)
Bishop’s weed (Bergapten)
Bitter orange
Cat’s claw
Chrysin
Cranberry
Devil’s claw
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
Diindolymethane
Echinacea
Eucalyptus
Feverfew
Fo-ti
Garlic
Goldenseal
Grapefruit juice
Ipriflavone
Kava
Licorice
Lime
Limonene
Lycium (Chinese wolfberry)
Milk thistle
Peppermint
Red clover
Resveratrol
Sulforaphane
Valerian
Wild cherry
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Further information
- Warfarin uses and safety info
- Warfarin prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Warfarin (detailed)
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