Mike got home late yesterday. He has a big list of what he can’t do and his blood will be monitored locally three times a week. Wayfarin is a pretty nasty drug regarding side effects. I have a long list of foods he can’t eat while on this medication. He is so bruised up- he looks like a domestic abuse victim. Taylor missed him so much. She had been sleeping with me in his absence, but now, I am once again chopped liver and he is the apple of her eye. She won’t let him out of her sight at the moment.
Feral Cat Behavior
Blogging about feral cats and life in general
Warfarin is no better and no worse than other medications. Need to understand the do / don’t do with all of them. Balance leafy dark green vegetables (kale, spinach, arugula, lettuces) so every day is consistent. Avoid grapefruit which potentiates / makes Warfarin more powerful. Carefully check other medications – including over the counter type – for compatibility. Lots of useful information on-line.
In the beginning they will do a PT/INR test fairly frequently as they adjust Mike’s dosage. Once stabilized this can be as infrequently as once a month. I do hope that wherever this is done they have one of the small devices that works with a drop of blood from a finger prick, and an almost instant reading. Much easier for everyone than a blood draw with a phlebotomist that is then sent to a lab.
On the plus side – if emergency surgery is ever needed Warfarin can be quickly reversed.
My husband has been on Warfarin for years and years, manages quite easily and well.
Warfarin (aka Coumadin) is a life saver. It’s all in how you look at it. Judy is spot on about it. My mother-in-law was on it for years and had her blood checked (Prothrombin time or Protime) every week, but that was a small price to pay for saving her life.
I’m glad the cats haven’t forgotten who Mike is! Our cats don’t recognize us unless we go out the back door — if we go out the front door and walk around to the back, they freak out…
I’m glad to read that Mike is home. Now, if only he’ll abide by the rules he’s been given… At least no one suffers there from animals not making them feel good!