Rivoroxaban

[Lizzie0205]

Hello. I think I read on here that xarelto can be hard on the stomach and not good for people with reflux/gerd. Could anyone with experience of this tell me what happened when they took it? TIA. Liz

[meadfoot]

I had GERD before I started with Afib. In fact my gastric issues are a direct trigger for my Afib events. Right now I am in Afib triggered by taking a paracetamol for the flu virus I am currently going through which has upset my stomach.

Add to that taking my Rivaroxaban with little food as I felt too poorly yesterday exacerbated my GERD and the knock on was the afib event.

As I said I had GERD before ever taking Rivaroxaban and have found no increase in it since starting the anticoagulant over eight years ago. If you find it troublesome perhaps you could switch the apixaban which is meant to be gentler on the stomach however its a twice a day medication. Always take rivaroxaban with a meal, not a snack, and one containing some fat, good luck.

[Lizzie0205 in reply to meadfoot]

Hi. Your story sounds like mine. I’m pretty sure an oesophageal spasm I had precipitated the AFib. This was about four weeks ago -first episode. I was in a lot of pain and took a load of painkillers also couldn’t sleep then the tachycardia started. I’ve had gerd for years and since the AFib episode and starting the anticoagulants my digestive system has been in overdrive. Have you taken any measures to control your gerd that has helped with the AFib?

[meadfoot in reply to Lizzie0205]

Lots of trial and error on the gastric meds front. Just to say the link between cardio/gastric events is widely acknowledged medically these days, what to do about it is less clear.

I cannot take proton pump inhibitors as they, without a doubt in my case, trigger my afib. Both my cardiologist and gastroenterologist accept this is the case with me. I have tried Ranitidine but that, although partly successful, was with drawn from the marker a couple of years ago. Famotidine has been prescribed but I am not sure about it for myself. Ktvthink it is Cometidine on the same family which shows side effects of arrhythmia so they are a no go for me.

The only med I resort to is Gaviscon Advance. I take a dose before bed and have it with me during the day just in case. I dont eat after 7pm and sleep propped up. Not ideal but its a way to cope. I cant have a fundoplication surgery due to my arrhythmia and slow gut motility which I am told would make my condition much worse. Good luck its a hassle I know.

[CDreamer]

The Rivoroxaban is hard on the liver & kidneys, especially when not absorbed properly. Are you taking with a substantial meal? That is the advice though you won’t find it in much of the literature.

[Afibflipper]

I was changed from Riveroxaban (once a day) (which gave me really severe heartburn type pain in the oesophagus) Was then put on Apixaban (Eliquis) which is twice a day and I am fineIt was very strange as I had a course of Riveroxaban about 7 years ago without issue but I guess our bodies change

[Hidden in reply to Afibflipper]

Did the Apixaban resolve the issue? Is it just Riveroxaban that's associatedcwith GERD?

[Afibflipper in reply to Hidden]

As soon as I realised it seemed connected I requested a change (I have hiatus hernia and take Rabeprazole but kept needing Gaviscon) took about a week to settle but am fine now on Apixaban

[Mrsvemb]

I was on Rivaroxaban for over two years. It caused acute gastritis and a gastric ulcer. I was also told after the endoscopy that I had some recent bleeding as well. I always took it with food yet still got this problem.

I cannot tolerate PPI’s though at the time I did manage to take ranitidine for a few weeks.

Now I rotate between Apixaban and Dabigatran. I would never take Rivaroxaban again.

Hope this helps.

[raymelb]

I've been on Xarelto for over 4 years now and haven't suffered any gastric issues. I switched from Dabigatran/Pradaxa which gave me dreadful gastric issues and I would never take that again.

[MissTia123]

I take mine with the second mouthful of my meal at dinner and it seems less harsh on my stomach then.

[DevonHubby1]

When wife was put on AF meds she was also put on Omeprazole to counteract reflux issues.

[Ppiman]

I have had GORD with a sliding hiatus hernia for very many years and take esomeprazole daily for it. I started taking rivaroxaban in mid 2019 and I never once knew I had taken it, having never experienced any side effects, bruising or excessive bleeding. Reasonably enough, you will generally only hear from people who experience side effects from drugs they take on the internet, but this is a very widely prescribed medicine that is a decided improvement on the older "blood thinners" and seems to work exceptionally well.

Steve

[Sunnyann]

I was put on riviroxaban a month before my ablation ...2 weeks later the gastritis started...something I hadn't had for over year ...so definitely caused by the riviroxaban....not knowing riviroxaban caused stomach issues I carried on with them all through the 3 month blanking period feeling dreadful and trying to recover from.the ablation . Finally off the awful med...my gp aaid they use riviroxaban as its cheaper then apoxaban and edoxaban .

A week after I stopped them my stomach has improved greatly and so has my recovery from ablation

My advice ....stay away from riviroxaban

[dave152248 in reply to Sunnyann]

Hi Sunnyann, can I ask how did you come off riviroxaban? did you just stop? I want to come off this drug ASAP

[Sunnyann in reply to dave152248]

Hey daveI saw my consultant for my post ablation consultation and told him the distress I was in with my stomach...gastritis is extremely debilitating...and he assessed me on the Chad vasc scale and decided to take me off riviroxaban.

No weeing off ...just ceased them that day .

However your Chad vasc score and situation is different to mine and you must consult with a professional .

I know that apixaban and edoxaban are both gentler on the stomach and may be a better option for people with stomach issues

Ann

[Kimhari]

I have recently started rivaroxaban and have severe stomach cramps diarrheor my doctor insisting not this drug.

[secondtry]

My cardiologist does not favour Rivaroxaban (due to research in USA) and prescribed Edoxaban (I dont take it yet). From responses here over the last couple of years, I would ask for Apixaban.

PS Does anybody know if you can insist on Apixaban in the UK or do you have to go with what the CCG can afford?

[Jimmy37]

Can be hard on the stomach, you must take it right after your main meal and take a peppermint capsule at bedtime. This is my formula for taking rivaoxaban and it works. I Suffer from acid reflux and take lanzoprasole.Good luck!

[Dollcollector]

I have taken Rivaroxaban after my breakfast for a number of years. I have never had any side effects from it although l do have terrible side effects from all the other heart medicines.

[Folly41]

I have taken Rivaroxaban for about 12 months, always with food. Had no problems.

[July30]

Hi been on it 6 years no problem s at all.