can i have alcohol while taking warfarin ?

can i have alcohol while taking warfarin ?

This is a question for your doctor for your specific circumstance. Most people are advised that you can have a single alcoholic beverage unit per day. A unit being a standard bottle of beer, glass of wine or single shot of liquor. Alcohol WILL increase your INR (time to coagulate), which is both a good and bad thing. Too much alcohol can be fatal. It also impacts your liver's rate at which it metabolises the coumadin (warfarin) again with possibly lethal effects. So, 1 drink a day does not mean none for 4 days then 4 drinks one night. That kind of thing will cause a bleed.

There are many dietary factors involved in getting the dosage for your coumadin correct. It is therefore important to discuss this with your doctor. The general rule that doctors apply is that you need to be consistent in your diet ... if you drink a rare single drink, it's probably OK, but if you drink semi-regularly, it could be better to be as regular as you can. Some doctors may simply say that it's not advisable at all.

Like all things ... talk with your doctor - he knows you and your dosages.