Need help,apixaban

[Leonad1988]

Has anyone played contact sports while on apixaban,is it safe with head gear on

[MIC1]

I think that the answer depends on the sport and the equipment. I take Eliquis, and I play ice hockey. I wear full protective equipment, including a helmet, face mask, and neck guard. Although hockey is considered a collision sport, we don't check. But I have taken a few pucks to the head and hit my head on the ice a few times with no problem. I do wear a quality helmet. When you say head gear, I think of boxing. I don't think that I would box, even with head gear, while taking an anticoagulant.

[Leonad1988 in reply to MIC1]

Our head gear is something like ice honkey

[Jjda]

I agree with MIC1. If you are thinking American Football, the answer is "not only no, but hell no." I am not that familiar with other contact sports, but anything that has a significant risk of blows to the head or abdomen should be off limits.

[Hidden]

Hi I play five a side football and have been bruised kicked etc no problems, bruises take longer to heal but not by much ! Depends on the sport i wouldn't play 11 a side on it or anything like rugby but i think minimal contact sport is probably ok !

Andy

[Bagrat]

I can't advise I am sooooo risk averse anything I say would be of little use.

The literature says best not but it depends how that would impact your life.

I am very clumsy so just walking into town can be a significant risk!!!!

[MarkS]

I used to play (field) hockey. I stopped when I went on warfarin as the risk of getting hit on the head by stick or ball was too great and that applies to any anti-coagulant. I now cycle (always wear a helmet), sail (make sure I duck when gybing) and various other activities. But I wouldn't do rugby or football or any other contact sport.

[Leonad1988]

It’s something like hockey but we were helmets

[Moany01]

I played 5a sides for 30 years every week was told by the doctor when I was put on Apixaban I couldn’t play contact sports anymore I was gutted .

[Hidden in reply to Moany01]

I still play on it and my consultant is aware, would get a second opinion if I were you ! I have had numerous minor knocks bruised shins etc !

[BenHollow]

Not to scare you or overreact, but if it were me, I would stay from contact sports. Remember, you don’t have to see blood to have a major bleeding emergency on blood thinners. If you take a blow to the ribs or abdomen, you are more prone to rupturing a good-sized blood vessel and could bleed internally. Or if you suffer a concussion, you could have a hemorrhage.

I used to play goalie in indoor soccer, and I dove to block the ball and slammed into the side of the goal itself, which in indoor soccer is a hard corner. It was my left ribs that took the blow. I had massive bruising and also a concussion. That was before I ever got on blood thinners, but I can’t help but wonder how bad it would have been if I had been on blood thinners when that happened. But, I was playing in a ridiculously competitive over 30 league. It was supposed to be a bunch of guys having fun, but it turned out to be a bunch of lonely middle-age guys that had something to prove for some reason. They were over the top. If it has been casual and just for fun, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten hurt. But these guys would kick the ball as hard as they could at 100 + MPH, I swear it was ridiculous. I just wanted to have a little fun and get some exercise, but they thought they were in the World Cup or something....

What sport are you playing?

Stay safe out there...

[Leonad1988]

Something like hockey,we were helmets

[Vivante]

If you are on anti-coags, you need to take more care. I am on Digoxin and Apixaban. I prefer Digoxin and am not happy wit Apixaban. I was on Warfarin for some years and had bruising. I managed it as well as I could. As soon as I started Apixaban, my right eye became bloodshot, I had conjunctivitis and ended up having to put antibiotic eye drops in it. I had surgery on my right eye for cataracts and glaucoma. I did not have Apixaban for 4 days, as I was told, the surgery was complete, the moment the surgeon started removing the covering, my eye started bleeding. The bleeding stopped and thankfully all was well.

Completely different with the left eye, I was on Warfarin, I followed all the advice and all was well. The surgeon was the same. I also have COPD. The cataracts were rare, they had a green tint. If you are not happy with the meds, insist on a second opinion.

I wish you well.

[dickie007]

Hi I was advised not to do any contact sports while on same, just in case you have heavy bleeding injury. A lot is just common sense, still do cycling & running but avoid anything too extreme. Having Afib certainly changes your lifestyle.....