Travelling whilst on Warfarin medication

My cousin is on coumadin which is basically the same as warfarin. For years, he would go in for weekly tests. Now, he tests his own blood. You might want to check with your own doctor to see if that's something you can do.

There are now meters like diabetics use to test their blood sugar levels. I have seen them in Dr.'s offices. Ask your physician about how to get or borrow one. Also have him prescribe extra meds in 1 mg doses so that you can adjust as needed. My mother-in-law only has to have her levels checked once a month, but my dad has to have his usually every week or at most two.

Personally, I never bother to have it checked when I am on vacation, as my warfarin level stays pretty stable. But, my doctor says it varies with different people.

I would like to hear any information about those self test options.

Lesley

Speak to your Health Care Provider well in advance of your travel. They will give you the best answer tailored to your own medical needs.

Healthy Travels,
F/A

Isnt Warfarin a common ingredient in rat poison?

Warfarin is the MAIN ingredient in rat poison. It's all a matter of dosing. A dose that may cause lethal hemorrhage in rats may be therapeutic in humans, who of course, have a much greater body mass.

On a related note if you have a significant health issue (as does really anyone on Coumadin), for a number of years I've purchased a really good medical evacuation policy from MedJet Assist. For most medical evacuation insurance, some administrator at the insurer decides whether you really need to be evacuated for treatment/care (and I've seen a really frightening decision made re someone with whom I was traveling). With MedJet Assist, you or your family make the decision, provided the doc where you are OKs it and you have a doc willing to receive you when you return home. It can even be used within the US (provided you are a certain number of miles from home). It's only a few hundred dollars a year, and so much better than what you get through standard travel policies, I simply maintain it year-round