Drug interaction horror stories!

[mike1003]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

She was taking menthol cough drops before the syrup was prescribed.

She's home and doing somewhat better. Her PT-INR is hovering around 6. She is very dependent on her mom and grandmother. She definitely needs to take charge more.

It's the menthol that's most likely the culprit on the protime changes

[LoriNJ]

Folks, menthol decreases INR. SC's girlfriend experienced a substantial increase in her INR. So it could not have been the menthol cough drops. My money would still be on the antibiotic and/or a lupus medication. If she was put on a glucocorticoid like prednisone, that could have raised the INR significantly.

https://accpjournals.onlinelibrary.w.../phco.30.1.110
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1345/aph.1E537
https://www.pharmacytimes.com/public...eractions-0510

[old fed]

Originally Posted by LoriNJ

Folks, menthol decreases INR. SC's girlfriend experienced a substantial increase in her INR. So it could not have been the menthol cough drops. My money would still be on the antibiotic and/or a lupus medication. If she was put on a glucocorticoid like prednisone, that could have raised the INR significantly.

https://accpjournals.onlinelibrary.w.../phco.30.1.110
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1345/aph.1E537
https://www.pharmacytimes.com/public...eractions-0510

my guess would be as you suggest along with the possibility of the nausea causing a change in daily diet that resulted in the incr. INR. i.e. eating lesser amounts of vit k containing foods.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by old fed

my guess would be as you suggest along with the possibility of the nausea causing a change in daily diet that resulted in the incr. INR. i.e. eating lesser amounts of vit k containing foods.

And also making sure to remind/inform each healthcare practitioner visited by the OP's girlfriend that she is on coumadin. It doesn't hurt to remind even those practitioners she sees sometimes, but it's essential to inform new practitioners unfamiliar with her health history, they aren't mind readers.

It's an essential part of being a "partner" in one's own health care, and not doing so can, as we have seen, lead to devastating results. And while some people ( I'm not referring to you, OP) seem to welcome opportunities to bash and blame the medical profession every chance they get, it's still the patient who suffers the consequences of medical mishaps.

[LLCNYC]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

And also making sure to remind/inform each healthcare practitioner visited by the OP's girlfriend that she is on coumadin. It doesn't hurt to remind even those practitioners she sees sometimes, but it's essential to inform new practitioners unfamiliar with her health history, they aren't mind readers.

It's an essential part of being a "partner" in one's own health care, and not doing so can, as we have seen, lead to devastating results. And while some people ( I'm not referring to you, OP) seem to welcome opportunities to bash and blame the medical profession every chance they get, it's still the patient who suffers the consequences of medical mishaps.

+1.

Man....this OP dove head first into this bizarre medical/GF relationship.