Change to Apixaban

[AnticoagulateNow]

Picked up my first packs of Eliquis (Apixaban) today so will be starting them in the next couple of days once my warfarin INR is south of 2.0 (but only just!!). Quite exciting to think of all that lovely spinach and brocolli I can now enjoy without a care and no more trips to the hospital for blood tests....fantastic! Thought I'd better change my avatar too.

One question please and the real reason for this post, directed at those on Apixaban. I'm sure I read somewhere that none of the NOACs could be stored in pill boxes - they had to remain in their blister packs until taken. However the leaflet with my box of Eliquis clearly states that "This medicine does not require any special storage conditions".

Is apixaban different in this respect.......do others use pill boxes?

[knightrider]

My understanding is that Apixaban and Rivaroxaban can be placed in a pill box. This is not the case with dabigatran. Dabigatran needs to be kept in its original packaging until it is taken,

[Finvola]

I don't use a pill box but cut the Apixaban (and Flecainide) strips up into daily doses and keep the pills in their blisters. Each morning I lay out my daily blisters in my 'medi dish' - helps to reinforce memory!

[Mamamarilyn]

As someone who is hoping to switch to a NOAC shortly I'd be really interested to hear how you get on with Apixaban. Did you choose this brand yourself or was it suggested by your GP/cardio/EP?

[AnticoagulateNow in reply to Mamamarilyn]

Researching the internet, it seems to come out best. Only marginally perhaps but better results for stroke prevention and bleed episodes. My EP agreed though to be fair the trials of Rivaroxaban were apparently conducted on a higher risk group than the others so perhaps it is 'as good'. At the end of the day they are all as good or better than warfarin without all the hassle. The 'no antidote' issue is a bit of a red herring - I understand they have ways when push comes to shove.....

[Mamamarilyn in reply to AnticoagulateNow]

Thanks for that...I reckon we did similar research! I know NOACS work out more expensive than Warfarin, so I may have to be at my most assertive!!

[Mamamarilyn in reply to AnticoagulateNow]

Thanks for that...I reckon we did similar research! I know NOACS work out more expensive than Warfarin, so I may have to be at my most assertive!!

[Moonstone56]

Hi

I leave mine in the strip. They are in rows of 2. I take one twice a day and so I can see if I have taken my tablet morning and evening. It's the same with my other tablets flecainide and propranolol. If I put them in a pill box,and I see no benefit of this, I wouldn't know ifi was coming or going.

I decided from reading on here that I wanted a noac and the doctor agreed. No problem.