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INFORMATION – Bulletin No 1, February 2021

16th February 2021

Good afternoon

We always try and keep you up to date with information we receive that we think may be of use to you or someone you know.

This message is two fold

1. The foods that can upset INR readings if you are taking Warfarin.

2. The best route to get a vaccination at a location near you.

Recently one of our members was unable to have the vaccination because the INR reading for the warfarin they take was too high. This caused a lot of problems, one of which was not being able to get another appointment from the GP system. Furthermore, after consultation with two doctors neither could give a reason for the elevated readings. The only foods that the member had been told to avoid when they began taking Warfarin 30 years ago was broccoli, cranberries and alcohol. Finally, a young lady at the chemist produced a leaflet explaining which foods could upset the readings. It seems a pity that all the healthy fruit and vegetables can cause these problems. This must be very difficult for vegetarians who take Warfarin.

A copy of the leaflet is shown below.

The following blood test was at the right level, but the problem was getting a new date for the vaccination. The GP link was constantly booked at all locations for days. Luckily, a chance call from the government advised them to phone 119 to book an appointment. The 119 system was extremely efficient. An appointment was made immediately at a local pharmacy and during the phone call the second appointment was made at the same location for the follow-up injection.

Hope this will be of help to some of you and please pass it on to your colleagues, friends and families.

Best wishes

The ASNet Team 🐝🐝🐝