Lyle's Posts

does he have an at home test kit? if not, contact your insurance or a company like Acelis indirectly. they can work with your insurance. with that said, i’ve been told by a VA Coumadine clinic nurse to not use international test strips. he could take a supply with him. also, cleveland clinic should be able to find someone-they have doctors from around the world! and there are cleveland clinics in saudi arabia, dubai. i know that’s not spain but they should know.

Hi Lyle, thanks for the update. I know how hard and helpless it can feel to have a child entering surgery. Thank God he is all well and in recovery-mode. As young as he is at 19 years, he will heal incredibly fast. I also live in VA, and had my surgery at Mt. Sinai in Manhattan, and then went to Inova Fairfax Hospital in Northern VA for my cardiac rehab.-- Probably the best in the DC-Northern VA area. Sharing this latter info, just in case you son is interested in the rehab. Even if he goes to only a handful of visits, instead of the full monte, might be helpful with his confidence to exert, etc.

Yes. It can take days/weeks to get your INR in place. It varies from patient to patient and it is normal as your body has to get used to this new med. And INR will continue to go up and down, that's what it does - it is not stable. It can make one very nervous at the beginning. It's been almost 9 years for me now. I worried a lot for the first year. Now I rarely think about it, get a blood test when I feel like it (about once a month), decide on my own med doses and eat whatever I like (in moderation). As I said, INR will go up and down but usually eventually settles as time goes by. It's hospital protocol to not let you leave until you get to the range they want for you. You can't speed it up. It will happen as it happens. It's hard I know. I feel for you. It's hard for the patient. And harder in a different way for family. Wishing you the best.

Great to hear from you, Lyle! Please give our best to your son. Although I didn't have an artificial valve, my surgeon prescribed blood thinners for my first three months of recovery and I was surprised at the initial fluctuations. Your son will acclimate quickly just as Rita described and now he has a healthy heart and long- lasting repair. All the best to you both! ❤️