Eliquis Muscle pain: Eliquis and severe... - Anticoagulation S...

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Eliquis Muscle pain

Pontlottyn profile image
10 Replies

Eliquis and severe muscle Pain in both arms and shoulders. Switched to Eliquis from Riveraxaban a month ago due to numerous Haematoma on right leg. They're fading but this muscle pain is new. GP says may be due to Atorvastatin but i've been on these for 10 years.

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Pontlottyn profile image
Pontlottyn
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SpeedyH profile image
SpeedyH

I too have severe muscle pain after taking Rivaroxaban and then eliquis. I am now taking Dabigatran and it is slightly better. I have recently been told it is Fibromylagia and I am convinced it was caused by the anticoagulants but all medical professionals from haematologist to rheumatologist have said that they have never heard of anyone getting muscle pain with these meds and that it is unrelated. In my case it appears to be permanent damage as I stopped taking the meds for a few months in order to get some relief from the pain and although it improved, it is still at a life changing level. I keep thinking ‘surely I can't be the only one!’ So at least I now know I am not alone!

sizzler52 profile image
sizzler52 in reply to SpeedyH

Definitely anticoagulant related. Most doctors are blind to this as they only ‘learn’ the side effects quoted by the pharmaceutical companies. I started on Rivaroxaban 3 months ago, since then have had various episodes of mild to severe pain in lower legs and feet. Yesterday had pain about 15 out of 10. Went to hospital suspecting gout or septic arthritis (having read a lot and being an ex nurse). Sure enough after 10 hours in hospital, fluid taken from swollen ankle joint showed uric acid crystals confirming gout. This group of anticoagulants (Rivaroxaban, Eliquis etc) alter the clotting mechanism by blocking certain protein actions in the body, which in turn causes raised uric acid levels leading to uric acid crystal deposits in the joints , ie Gout. I find it interesting, (but not surprising looking at the unethical money orientated pharmaceutical industry) that Pfizer, who market Eliquis on behalf of Bristol Myers Squibb) are currently researching drugs to combat lower limb and foot pain, perhaps to sell millions of $ of it to those unfortunate stooges prescribed anticoagulants that cause exactly those symptoms. The world we live in 🙄

blmbmj profile image
blmbmj

OMG, this is EXACTLY what happened to me. I had been on Eliquis for about a month when I noticed that all of my muscles were constantly aching. I felt so debilitated and OLD.

I could not even lift my arms because my shoulders hurt so much.

I stuck with it for a few more months until I could not take it any more and stopped at about 5 months of taking Eliquis. When I told my doctor, she said it was an allergy and that I should have told her sooner so that she could have switched meds.

Honestly, I felt like a 90-year-old person, my muscles ached so bad. I could hardly move.

After I stopped, my muscles returned to normal in about four weeks, so I KNOW it was from the Eliquis.

Daneball profile image
Daneball in reply to blmbmj

Exactly the same here. Intercostal pain, hips, shoulder and back pain. All since Eliquis. Although it started on rivoboxaran. I’ve Seeing haematologist and neurologist as well and nobody seems to see the link between the medication and the pain issues. Now they are going to be treating me as if I have Phibro or myofascial disease and I think they’re putting me on gabapentin.People that are going off of Eliquis what are you taking instead? I get DVts and I’ve been told it’s the safest want to be on to help prevent further once.

SpeedyH profile image
SpeedyH in reply to Daneball

I went on to Dabigatran, which works slightly differently to eliquis and rivaroxaban and the excruciating joint pains went away, however I am left with fibromyalgia muscle pain which I think was triggered by the rivaroxaban/elequis because it didn’t improve when I stopped all anti coags for six months. The stiffness is vastly improved too. Dabigatran is a bit nasty as it needs an acid environment to work but i find it is fine if you take it mid meal.

Daneball profile image
Daneball in reply to SpeedyH

May I ask why you are on bloodthinners? I am told that Eliquis or Xarelto are best for recurring DVT's and I have not heard of the one you are on.

SpeedyH profile image
SpeedyH in reply to Daneball

I had bi lateral pulmonary emboli two years ago. There was underlying dvt but I didn’t have symptoms apart from swollen legs which I put down to the heat... I am on anti coag for life to prevent recurring dvts and I have worked my way through Rivaroxaban, Warfarin, and then Eliquis. I managed to get an appointment with the haematologist who recommended I try Dabigatran (brand name Pradaxa). So, Warfarin works by interfering with the role of Vitamin K in the blood clotting cycle. Rivaroxaban and Eliquis both work exactly the same way by interfering with the action of Prothrombin in the clotting cycle. Dabigatran works differently by directly affecting the Thrombin in the clotting cycle.

SpeedyH profile image
SpeedyH in reply to SpeedyH

japi.org/june_2014_special_...

This first page has a good diagram showing where the action of the various drugs in the clotting process.

Asdan05 profile image
Asdan05 in reply to Daneball

I had been on Danigatron for three years after warfarin didn’t suit but I had two DVTs whilst on it. I have switched to Apixaban and although a few nuisance muscle pains, I feel safer on it as it apparently works in a different way.

Daneball profile image
Daneball

Exactly the same here. Intercostal pain, hips, shoulder and back pain. All since Eliquis. Although it started on rivoboxaran, andt the trouble started within 6 months of starting that one. I’ve Seeing haematologist and neurologist and neurologist as well and nobody seems to see the link between the medication and the pain issues. Now they are going to be treating me as if I have Fibro or myofascial disease and I think they’re putting me on gabapentin.People that are going off of Eliquis what are you taking instead? I get DVts and I’ve been told it’s the safest want to be on to help prevent further once.

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