Q: Can you wean down your dose of Coumadin®?

Is it possible to increase certain things like Vitamin E, A and C so that you can lower the dose of Coumadin needed? Of course you would have to be monitored by your doctor, but is it possible to use Garlic or some natural ways to thin your blood so you would not have to take so much Coumadin?

I'm a registered nurse and my cousin has to take 30 pills every day, including 10mg of Coumadin. She is asking me if there is any way she could be weaned off of some of the medicine.

Thank you so much for your information. I have printed her your list of foods and their Vitamin K content. Besides lowering her intake of Vitamin K what else can she do to thin her blood?

Q: Dr. Gourmet Says...

I don't know of any research that supports using vitamins or other supplements to reduce the dose of Coumadin® (warfarin). I am not sure how to have your cousin weaned off of any of her medications but often a visit with her doctor to discuss this subject and / or consolidation of some pills is helpful.

There's no clinically proven methods to help "thin" her blood other than the medications recommended by her physician.

Thanks for writing,

Dr. Gourmet
Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!