Xeralto and side effects ?

[CarolineRaffan]

Hello there, Ihave been on Rivaroxaban for a few years now. Its certainly easier to take than Warfarin. However I have this year had a few episodes of vomiting, pain across the abdomen, feeling very cold etc. These have resolved, each time, but I am also a bit worried about colon health too as i seem to have got a bit of distension left side. Had 2 ultrasounds recently and have been told I dont have a hernia but do have gallstones, so have been looking into that a bit. I am going to have acupuncture for the gallstones, but am a bit worried geneally now about whether I should stop the Xarelto. My GP does do annual blood tests to check dosage, but thats all, and nobody has mentioned any adverse things about the drug. I found an American webpage (put up by a legal claim company) referring to Xarelto as "extremely dangerous" because it can cause liver damage!!! So I think it might be time to take a look at possible longer term effects, I dont khow if there are any studies available to read on this? Any help appreciated, I guess Xarelto has been on hte market a while now so there must be some kind of information available that is reliable?

[CDreamer]

You really should have regular (3-6 monthly) bloods to catch any changes in liver function but if you take as prescribed, with a main meal containing fat & protein then the risk is low, as far as I am aware. Many people don’t take as prescribed or advised so the drug is not metabolised effectively - so the liver struggles to cope with clearing the drug from your system.

I would tend to take anything on a US legal claim site with a very large pinch of salt - metaphorically speaking.

You were given anticoagulants for a very good reason & any drug will have a risk profile however benefits should always outweigh the risks - if you have AF your greatest risk is stroke - anticoagulants are a prophylactic treatment for stroke prevention so I would think very carefully and discuss with your doctor before even thinking about stopping them.

Best wishes.

[CarolineRaffan in reply to CDreamer]

Thankyou very much for commenting, so valuable to get others' experiences. I was thinking of cutting out fat from my diet, which could help perhaps with gallstones but apparently there are 2 kinds, one caused by cholesterol and the other by bilirubin. Thanks again, C

[Tako2009]

Hi Caroline. I changed from Xarelto to Endoxaban a while ago. I was experiencing what I would describe as IBS symptoms - and these have cleared up since the change of med. Xarelto caused me quite a few ‘gut’ problems. Liz

[CarolineRaffan in reply to Tako2009]

Dear Tako2009, thank you for the information. Yes it is similar to IBS plus events that have led me to have the scan which revealed gallstones. I will see if my GP can change me over to Apixaban, she has not suggested any change. Take care and thanks again, Caroline

[Coco51]

Hi. I take Apixaban but I do remember when I first went to the anti-coagulation clinic and they took my history I was advised to take Apixaban rather than Rivaroxaban because I had been having stomach problems (gastritis). It may be worth asking about. There seems to be a link for some people. Certainly it chimes with Tako2009's post.

Apixaban is taken 2 x daily as it has a shorter life in the body, but an advantage if you have a bleed. I too am monitored yearly and have no liver problems 🤞.

As for long term effects, I weighed up the risks and the risk of stroke seemed to outweigh any others.

[CarolineRaffan in reply to Coco51]

Hello Coco51, thank you so much for commenting. That sounds about right, I could talk to the GP about a change perhaps. I have never had any gastric problems previously. Much appreciated.

[CDreamer in reply to Coco51]

Apixiban doesn’t require the main meal to metabolise so may be the better option - Twice a day though rather than once. I think it may be a better option for people with gastric problems.

[Hidden]

gallstones will certainly cause the side effects that you have described.

When I had them I ended up in A+E as the pain was unbearable and presented like a heart attack

I'm not sure what you are expecting acupuncture to do for this condition. I had my gall bladder removed, no more pain

[CarolineRaffan in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply. So far i have had some pretty infrequent episodes, so its not doing anything htat dramatic. I got it once during a visit to hte pacemaker clinic which made me wonder if stress was a factor (!). but possible I had just wolfed down a sandwich before then. I am glad the operation worked well and cleared it up for you. Caroline

[Dawsonmackay]

Do not blame it on the Xarelto. I have been taking it for three years and zero side effects; however, antibiotics and all sorts of pills over a number of years will affect the liver and gall bladder. You should look into liver and gall bladder flushes. I have been following this program for awhile. Since being diagnosed with Afib thirteen years ago, digestion and related things have taken a nosedive. Watch what you eat etc.

[CarolineRaffan]

Nice to hear from you... no it’s just that these are very new drugs and so info from others helps as pharmacists etc may not have a user-based view I suppose. Caroline

[malcolmwilliams]

What are gall bladder or liver flushes

[CarolineRaffan in reply to malcolmwilliams]

People tell me you can use olive oil to flush out gallstones, I have not tried it.

[kvmj]

I've been taking Xarelto since 2017 when I switched from Eliquis. My left forearm exhibits what looks like week old bruises and the occasional purpura. I switched because insurance covered a higher percentage of Xarelto than Eliquis. That's when I found out that it was Eliquis making my hair fall out. Also, Eliquis left both forearms covered in purpura.

For me, Xarelto is better, but, everyone is different.