Some patients who undertake self-monitoring of their INR may, in certain circumstances, be able to take the next step to self-management of their warfarin therapy.

Self-management involves measuring the INR, as for self-monitoring, but instead of communicating the dose to the doctor, the person adjusts their warfarin dose themselves.

The dose adjustment is made using a special dosing scale individualised for them by their doctor. The scale tells the person what changes to make depending on what the INR result is. If the INR is too far from the target INR range, the doctor needs to be contacted for advice on where to go from there.

This management option is especially useful for people travelling for long periods of times on big trips or overseas.

INR self-management is a big step and not everyone is suitable for this management option. Just as everyone needs different doses of warfarin, everyone will find a way of INR monitoring that is best for them. Discuss your options with your doctor or pharmacist if you're interested in trying something different.