Jantoven vs. Coumadin
Posted over a year ago
Is there any problem with substituting jantoven for coumadin?
The pharmacist recently refilled my 84 year old mother's coumadin prescription with jantoven.
Reese99 - Hmm, I say there is a problem and you should go back and talk to your pharmacist. Coumadin is what they call a "Narrow Therapeutic Index" drug which means that there is a small window of margin between the toxic dose and the effective dose. You know how INRs are very sensitive and changing brand name, generic names, etc. can affect INR and risk of bleed. Once you are on Coumadin, don´t change brand names, stay on Coumadin! Jantoven is another brand name drug for Coumadin. Each company makes their drugs a little different. If you go back and talk to your pharmacist, he/she should know about the existence of Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs and that Coumadin is one of them. He/she might have something different to say.
Reese99 - The pharmacy may no longer stock Coumadin Brand, which is why they gave you Jantoven. If she took a few, don´t worry. Ask your pharmacist. Like I said, he/she should know about the sensitivity of Coumadin.
Afiblady - I hat taking Coumadin. I think it has side effects that are not reported becaus someone deemed the side effects to be non-life threatening. Since I have been on it (Atrial Fibrilation) my memory has taken a nose-dive. I can remember things, but it takes my brain much longer to bring up the word or memory. Also, I have been having heart-burn which I am being treated. I understand that there are other medications for heart rythmn problems that are much better. I also hate getting my blood tested every week. What is Amiodarone?
Afiblady - My brother -in-law has been on coumadin for ten years. He tollerates it well, but has been changed to Jantoven by his insurance carrier. Is Jantoven less money? Or is it better than Coumadin? Doesn't the doctor have to approve? His doctor did not tell him about the change, he discovered it when his medicine came, even though he had pleanty of Coumadin left.
What is the difference between both drugs?
He suffers from a memory disfunction. Could it be from the Coumadin?
Travelnsuezi - Jantoven is a generic coumadin that has been around for a long time. Their inactive ingredients stay the same, it is cheaper than coumidan, but more expensive than other generics. I have been on blood thinners over 25 years now, I either take brand coumidan or Jantoven and my INR is consistent. I have tried other generics and my INR either sky rockets or bottoms out!!! I prefer to remain constant so I believe Jantoven is the way to go to save money.
Laura Clemens - Im so confused. MY INR # are either very high or exceptionally low, I have been taking Jantoven for over a year. I watch the foods I eat as I am also diabetic.
The MD has changed my levels from 2-10 monthly. Just cannot find the happy medium. I contacted the pharmacist, who states some people cannot handle Jantoven and need the coumadin. I plan to discuss with my MD next week.
Laura Clemens - Does other medications, such as Metformin, high blood pressure pills, Tykosen affect the levels of Jantoven?
Dave65 - I was taking a generic form of Warfarin for the last few years, and my pharmacy system recently started sending me Jantoven instead of the generic that I was taking. Just over the past few weeks my INR has gone to 3.5 from a two year stable 2.2. I am on weekly testing and trying to get a good balance back again, but I have to think that changing the medication manufacturer was what caused the spike in my INR. It is a good thing that I go in for at least monthly testing or I could have had a real problem here.
Alars6693 - To travelinsuezi - Jantoven is not a "generic form of Coumadin," it is a brand name of warfarin. Warfarin is considered the "generic" name. There is a difference. Warfarin has been around since the early 1940's, when a farmer from Wisconsin brought a dead heifer and a milk can full of blood to the UW Madison School of Agriculture to find out what was killing his cows. Link, a scientist with WARF, discovered that it was the sweet clover leaf from spoiled silage that the cows were eating, which was acting as an anticoagulant and making cows bleed to death. This is how warfarin got it's name, from the organization that helped to discover it (Wisconsin Alumni Reasrch Foundation). Jantoven and Coumadin are brand names of warfarin.
Better Living - Travelnsuezi & Laura Clemons ~
I had the same result as Laura. I had stable INR & PT on both Coumadin and the generic Warfarin Sodium. When I hit the donut in April 2011, I switched to Jantoven for the rest of the year. My numbers alternated between 0.9 and 5.4 despite eating the same thing all the time. (I am a lazy diabetic, so it is easier to always eat the same food at the same time of day than to vary diet and times.) My blood sugar also messed up during those 8 months - 48 to 364 and I ended up in the hospital both for diabetic and clotting issues several times. The pharmacist condescendingly insisted there was not any difference. I switched to WalMart and since I have been back on Warfarin Sodium (same 10mg dose) my INR & PT as well as my glucose have been stable. BTW, Warfarin is $10 for 3 mos (except the 5mg) @ WalMart.
I do not know if Metformin or Glucophage effect as both of those caused crashes (with expensive ambulance "surcharges" not covered by insurance), so I take a different medication which does not contain any of those two.
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