Starting Eliquis today

[Slattery]

I received my 1st 3 month supply of Eliquis. After reading what can go wrong when taking this drug, I must say is a little scary. One question I have is what if you want to stop taking this drug what will happen to you. The info tells me you could have a stroke if you stop this medication? Is this true. Please tell me your experience.

[10gingercats]

My understanding of Eliquis(Apixaban) is is one of the safer NOACs.I have taken it for c 3/4 years with no problems and i am altogether somewhat 'sensitive' to most drugs .I take everything with caution.Stoping any anticoag. suddenly may leave you open to the possiblity of stroke as you are no longer protected.

[S11m]

Hi Slattery - I picked up my first batch of Eliquis/Apixaban yesterday - and I will start taking them on Tuesday.

I assume that we can stop taking them and "go back onto" Warfarin or whatever.

I believe that Warfarin is a very cheap drug - is Eliquis the cheapest NOAC?

[Slattery in reply to S11m]

Yes, in the USA.

[S11m in reply to Slattery]

That is probably why it is used by the UK NHS!

[allserene in reply to S11m]

Is it really available on the UK NHS ? Love the NHS for what they can do, but prostate screening etc is poor... Here in the US Eliquis is about $650 a month but say $300 co -pay on medicare.. I have bought some from "North of here" at $160 but you can get genuine stuff for less than $100 by that route....

[S11m in reply to allserene]

I do not know what the NHS criteria are for Eliquis... perhaps if one is on a high dose of Warfarin - or you forget to take them - or get in a muddle working out the dosage?

A friend of mine moved (from Spain) because he had to take a taxi every fortnight for INR tests.

[grambo62 in reply to S11m]

Hi, I've been on it since March of this year and felt exactly as yo do.

But, the guidance they give about any drug is more about them covering their arse than the side effects.

I eat and drink more or less what i want even wet shave and cut myself with myself clotting more or less as normal.

So give the drug a chance. I take supplements like Tumeric, magnesium, which you carn't take on Warfarin.

As for going on Warfarin, it is a lot more extreme and you do have to watch what you're doing and eating.

[S11m in reply to grambo62]

Thanks - have been on warfarin for years, starting Eliquis tomorrow.

[grambo62 in reply to S11m]

Good, a friend as also change from warfarin and he seems more relaxed knowing he doesn't need to go for loads of blood samples every year. My blood thinner nurse told me that all i need to do is have an annual blood sample at my doctors and report any suspicious activity.

[allserene in reply to grambo62]

I have been on it for a month with zero noticeable side effects.... I use a waterpik high pressure water flosser on my gums, and they either bleed a tiny bit for few seconds (as usual) or not at all... Now I have found a cheapo (but genuine ) source of Eliquis, I am relaxing about it.... Love the correct spelling of "arse". I have UK/US passports and Its fun guessing where folks are from...

[CDreamer]

You are taking Eliquis to reduce your stroke risk therefore if you stop taking it your stroke risk will increase again - the drug won’t increase your risk of stroke - it’s not taking it which will - that’s what it means.

[Slattery in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you, this makes a lot of common sense to me!

[BobD Volunteer]

Why would you want to stop taking something which makes you safer? See CDreamers post also.

[Slattery in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob,

I was concerned that if I had a bad reaction to this drug, how would I stop taking it and try another anticoagulant. I am finally convinced that anticoagulants is the best thing to do if you have Afib and your doctor Agrees, is to take an anticoagulant. You also made a big difference in my attitude, thank you and everyone on this site!

[Hidden in reply to Slattery]

Yes I stopped Apixaban and changed to Edoxaban. Which was kinder on my stomach.

[secondtry]

My cardiologist said last month Edoxaban is his current recommendation, previously Rivaroxaban but evidently some trials in the USA did not favour the latter. He gave me a prescription to use as PIP if I wished but the stroke risk of stopping unfortunately wasn't discussed.

I recall some comment made here that coming off a NOAC increases the stroke risk - the reasoning be the body adjusts to a thinner by thickening the blood, take a way the thinner and the body's adjustment back to 'normal' takes a while, hence you end up with a greater risk for a period. I can see the logic here but as with other information on anti-coags it is hard to get at the real level of increase risk i.e. if the risk is 1/100 for me that would not be a problem.

[CDreamer in reply to secondtry]

Firstly DOACs (Direct now because they are not Novel) are NOT ‘blood thinners’. The viscosity of blood is not affected. DOACs prevent blood clotting by affecting various factors which cause blood to clot Wafarin using Factor K and DOACs using another - I think called factor X.

The whole culture, which is used by medical professionals, has given credence to the myth that blood can be thickened or thinned.

DOACs have a half life of 12 or 24 hours which means that half of the active substance will have be expelled from your body within that time which is why it is so important to continue to take the meds at regular intervals.

Aspirin on the other hand is an anti-platelet which is sometimes prescribed for people with ‘sticky’ blood. Again this is a misunderstanding of what happens because the blood isn’t sticky - it’s the cells floating in the blood which stick together and can cause a blockage in the blood vessels, which is why it is recommended for some people after surgery.

Regarding risk - it is hard for anyone to gauge the actual risk for an individual as all the calculations are based on what is called herd statistics ie take the population as a whole and look at how many have a stroke in a period of time - usually 1 year. Then look at people with AF and see how many people who are not anti-coagulated who have a stroke in one year - oh dear - it seems to be 5 times more likely to have a stroke if you have AF and are not anti-coagulated. So because we are not all the same - risk factors were introduced as well - we know as we age more people have strokes - so if you are over 75 you will be higher risk - if you have or have had high BP - higher risk etc etc. So you come out with a score - if you score 0 then 5 times 0 = 0 therefore your risk is no higher than someone in the general population who hasn’t AF - but people in the general population still have a risk which may be an unknown risk.

You at least know, because you have AF, that there is a risk, albeit a small one, that you may have a stroke and you are being offered a prophylactic to help prevent that small risk. Don’t be that 1/1000 who does.

RIsk analysis is only juggling numbers - the higher the number statistically the higher the risk. Your personal risk will not be factored for.

[Bucerias in reply to secondtry]

Secondtry

I don’t understand why you say he gave it to you as a “pip”

[secondtry in reply to Bucerias]

We discussed going onto them daily and I said I would like to postpone but I said if I started AF again regularly, I would very likely go onto them. I explained if it was just a one off episode, I said I would like to have them ready as peace of mind to take but it would probably need more than one episode to put me on them permanently. So he didn't actually prescribe them as PIP but saw it as a way to move me towards a decision to take and meet my request.

[Hidden]

On the other hand, I was terrified at not being anticoagulated immediately after diagnosis due to stroke risk. As soon as I was prescribed Apixaban (Eliquis), I felt much safer and have not had any side effects.

Make sure you always carry your Patient Alert Card in case of accident. It comes in each pack of tablets. I have photographed mine and use it as my mobile phone screen saver. Some people on here wear a silicone wrist band or engraved silver medic alert bracelet

Pat x

[Hidden]

Been on it 2 years with no problems if you get a bruise or small cut it just takes slightly longer to heal ! Small price to pay for the benefits !

[Aus19]

Hey Slattery, I have been on Eliquis (apixaban) for 6 months after having a minor ischaemic stroke last October (I’m 51, no health problems, then subsequently diagnosed with AF and sinus node dysfunction). I have had no side effects from taking it. Having already had one stroke, I can only say that I’m glad to be taking it. Cheers from Australia

[mavisrich]

apparently with a f the blood can pool in the bottom of the heart and then clot so these new drugs can stop the clotting therefore lowering the risk of the blood clotting and running round thearteries causing a stroke. Far better to take the pill!!!

[Bagrat in reply to mavisrich]

So does warfarin, well they all SLOW clotting but at different points in what is a complicated clotting cascade.

[neas999 in reply to Bagrat]

i think the main thing is these latest meds take a lot less monitoring

compared to warfarin

[Tudee]

Hi Slattery, Ive taken Apixaban for 3 years, the only drawback I found was hair loss, which as a woman I found distressing, and I believe this is not an uncommon effect of the drug.

[Tapanac in reply to Tudee]

Yes I found hair loss with rivaroxaban too, but changed to apixaban, then after a blood test found I was very low on zinc. After a course of zinc I was much better, but my hair has started to thin again so maybe low in zinc again????????

[Tudee in reply to Tapanac]

That’s interesting Tapanac, worth looking into. Thank you.

[Violetta25]

I take Apixaban (Elequis) and am very happy with it. I take it twice a day, which suggests to me it's effect is not long lasting hence the need for a morning and evening pill. I've had to temporarily come off it for an op with absolutely no noticeable effect at all. When bumped or giving blood i haven't noticed any propensity for bruising or excessive bleeding.

Definitively endorse what CDreamer said.

Hope this allays your fears.

[Auriculaire]

I started Apixaban about 2 months ago after a suspected TIA. I was very reluctant to take an anticoagulant as I am normally very sensitive to drugs. So far the only thing I have noticed is that scratches and small cuts take a lot longer to heal than before. I am cutting back roses and old perennial stalks in the garden and my arms look awful! But this is a small price to pay as I do not want a full blown stroke.

[sjanee11]

I took it for 7 months and the only noticeable difference I had was my menstration being heavier. I stopped taking it with no issues as well.

[Frankanonymously1]

I have been on Apixaban for a year now for having a blood clot on lung.

I have cut myself whilst shaving and clotted as normal.

My hair growth is normal.

I have been told to avoid taking aspirin and ibuprofen. Just take paracetamol.

If you bump your head go to the hospital and have a scan.

Tell them that you are on Apixaban.

Carry your apixaban card with you at all times.

[foxglove1]

been on apixoban for several years. Felt exactly like you at the beginning and hated the idea of being on medication for life.

Settled down though and have had no problems of any kind. Good luck with it all!

[Slattery]

Thank you, I feel better already!