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612551 tn?1450022175

Does Omega 3 lower ProTime/INR?

I started taking 2 grams of Omega 3 Fish Oil capsules a day about 10 days ago.  I had my ProTime/INR test run last Friday.  INR came in 1.7, my desired range is the usual 2 to 3.  I have a log history of testing near 2.5 +/- 0.3 so I wonder if the Omega 3 might tend to make the blood clotting go up, like vitamin K, green salads....
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Avatar universal
I know this is an old post, but just for the record.. I looked up my PT INR results over the years and it seemed to vary only by +- 10% regardless of whether I took fish oil or Ticagrelor or both or none.
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612551 tn?1450022175
COMMUNITY LEADER
Thanks, my result is in the other direction, my INR went down, or I just got a lower INR due to my recent diet. And I see I got my direction backwards in my initial post.  My most resent INR reading was lower than desired/usual.  

A big stress issue here at home did upset my eating habits, that may be the reason.

In discussion with my EP today I decided to just live with AFib.  He said studies show that getting back into sinus does not improve me life expectancy and given I don't have much discomfort from AFib suggests "live with it" offers the least risk of complications.  So, I'll not, for now, go to a stronger drug, and ablation is clearly too risky given my condition.  He also encouraged me to engage in regular exercise and not to worry about the AFib as long as I keep my HR below 140.  He said I should be able to regain some of my past strength/endurance for physical activity. This is my main complaint about AFib, tired and shortness of breath, and HR goes up too easily.

So for now, it is back to my Cardiologist for care, and even that not for several months unless something comes up or I change my mind.  
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251395 tn?1434494286
Hi Jerry...

Hope you had a good checkup with your EP...Any new news? Here's some information regarding Omega 3 lowering PT/INR:


Fish oil may inhibit platelet aggregation, and should be used with caution in people on anticoagulant medications. In particular, people taking fish oil or long-chain omega-3 fatty acid (EPA and DHA) supplements in combination with anticoagulant drugs, including aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), dalteparin (Fragmin), dipyridamole (Persantine), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, ticlopidine (Ticlid) and warfarin (Coumadin), should have their coagulation status monitored using a standardized prothrombin time assay (INR). One small study found that 3 g/day or 6 g/day of fish oil did not affect INR values in 10 patients on warfarin over a 4-week period (161). However, a recent case report described an individual who required a reduction of her warfarin dose when she doubled her fish oil dose from 1 g/day to 2 g/day (162).
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