Extra dose of pradaxa

[tiny43]

Hi I just read post about extra dose of warfarin. I am on pradaxa what should you do if you take an extra dose of it. I have not taken one yet just curious.

[CDreamer]

Warfarin and Pradaxa are SO different in the way they work you could not possibly compare.

If you took a SMALL overdose of Warfarin you could check your INR and adjust subsequent doses and keep monitoring. Warfarin works by inhibiting Vit K whilst Pradaxa by Factor X.

Can’t do that with Pradaxa so whilst it may not be an emergency, I would be wanting to be very, very careful for the next 24 hours until I was sure it was out of my system.

[Paulbounce]

Personally I would stick with the dose you have been told to take. It`s pretty effective and fast working - IMO there will no benefits taking an extra dose. I suggest a call to your doctor will be the best course of action.

Best,

Paul

[BobD Volunteer]

Use a special daily pill box and you won't mess up is best idea.

[jedimasterlincoln]

I had my first daily pill box in 2014 when I commenced warfarin as one day would be 5 tablets one would be 6 and it would all depend week to week for months until I eventually fell into range.

I remember actual registered nurse colleagues bordering on ridicule for my purchasing a morning and evening one (for £1.50!) as I was only early 30s and it was deemed 'odd'

At the time I was living alone, the commencing of heart meds regular fatigue and no one to remind me meant they were invaluable.

I still use them today, because my mind is still often all over the place, my concentration and alert state isn't what it was 5 years ago, I have a lot of distractions at home (kids) and its useful to know if I have or haven't taken them. Especially when used in conjunction with my pill reminder app.

I think I once took a double dose of bisoprolol once, as I'd put it in my "evening" pill box instead of my "morning" one, but as it only equated to a day's dose (split) of 10mg nothing was done (I took 10mg daily in one go recently)

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

I have a pill box for my Warfarin too Jed, I'd never remember whether I'd taken it or not without! I once took an extra dose of Metoprolol in error and when out shopping with a friend it made me feel very odd, almost on the point of collapse. I was meant to take just a quarter of one, but instead took a whole one and the quarter and didn't take my Flecainide because that's what I thought the whole Metoprolol was - both white pills! Poor old girl that I am!

Jean

[Hidden in reply to jedimasterlincoln]

I did feel like an old man when I bought my dosette box. But after one scare when I took a double dose of my NOAC I saw sense !

Like you I'm busy running around after kids/job/house/wife and sometimes forgot to take my meds, or couldn't remember taking them.

Plus I was on about 11 different pills at one point!

now I'm on 2 pills a day, but still use the box

[Hidden]

Good question. On page 10 of the manufacturer’s advice sheet, it says you should contact your doctor, because he may want to do a blood test. I don’t know what that would be.

I take Apixaban which is also twice a day and if I realised I had taken two together, I would miss the next dose, and take it quietly as CDreamer suggested.

pradaxa.co.uk/assets/patien...

[jennydog]

Do not remove a Pradaxa capsule from its foil package until it's needed. The coating is a special acid material which dissolves very quickly especially if put onto a damp surface. It releases loads of tiny white balls which taste atrocious. Pradaxa needs an acid stomach so avoid antacids.

Remember to have an annual test for kidney function.

[MarkS]

If you take an extra dose of pradaxa then you should be very careful for 24 hours but still take the next dose as usual. That's because it's effect is immediate and it's cleared out of the body quite quickly. If you take an extra dose of warfarin you can just miss out the next dose then continue as normal, it's not going to make much difference.

The worse performance of DOACs in the real world may be due to people inadvertently missing/doubling up on doses. If you take them then it's vital you take doses regularly. Warfarin is a lot more amenable as its effect is cumulative

[tiny43]

I would like to thank everyone who replied to my question about taking an extra dose of pradaxa. The replies were very helpful.