Apixaban - Head injury

[gentryman]

Hi, I just wanted to post about something I had not thought about.

I fell and slightly banged my head, got up and although a bit shook up felt ok and carried on.

About 4 days later I felt a slight headache but more of a fuzzy feeling which I can only describe as moving around in my head. I felt fine otherwise and carried on for a couple of days.

Anyway my Doctor checked me out and tested strength in my arms and legs and other tests.

She advised that although I seemed ok I should see what the hospital thought, so I went there.

The doctor there was quite mad with me for not going straight to A&E after a bang on the head and explained the situation regarding Blood thinners. I apologised as I did feel ok at the time, but looking back now I know you can bleed more on Apixaban but did not think about bangs to the head.

I had a CT scan which came back ok and my fuzziness has cleared now.

My post is just to remind people to go to the Hospital after a head injury and get it checked.

Sorry if it`s obvious and boring.

[sassy59]

Good to have a reminder.

[meadfoot]

Thank you for the prompt. Pleased all was well after your fall.

[Drounding]

Good point. I walked into my car boot lid and gashed my head. I went to A&E to check if it needed stitches. When they found out I was on an anticoagulant the first thing they did was a scan to look for any internal bleeding . It was clear and a just had a bad cut and bruising but better to be safe than sorry.

[Frances123]

Several years ago I fell up a step coming into the house from the garden and cracked the side of my head hard against the door. Yes, initially it b/@@£y well hurt but after half an hour I was fine except for a lump. The next day I was going away for a few days and whilst away I started getting quite a lot of headaches and discomfort. On my return I went straight from the station to A&E. After blood tests and X-ray I was given all clear followed by an ear bashing from the consultant for not going straight to A&E with a head injury when it happened because of being on an anticoagulant. Never forgotten that and never will. Was very grateful for being told off.

[Riccyticcy]

Not at all boring…. A worthwhile post reminding stubborn old me that if (when:)?) this happens to me I should follow correct medical advice and , even if a long wait in Aand E is the price, get it checked out. The NHS has put a lot into keeping me alive , so risking otherwise by being lazy or falsely optimistic is foolish and risks there efforts being wasted! Thanks and glad you survived another day😂👍

[HatsOn]

not obvious and boring at all. I hadn’t considered this aspect but forewarned etc. Thank you

[Archaeolog]

Thanks for the reminder. I have had a couple of falls but haven't hit my head yet.

[Speed]

Always good to be reminded.

I may have been very lucky. I had a serious accident falling off my mountain bike 18 mths ago resulting in broken collar bone, 9 ribs and partially collapsed lung. My helmet did its job and fractured as designed to help mitigate the impact. I did not have any head pain / cuts / bruises but clearly there was an impact. I may not have informed them immediately of being on anticoagulants (Epixaban 5mg x 2 daily) - I was struggling with the pain at the time and so only really answering questions rather than pro-actively offering info. I had body CT scan but not a head one as far as I can remember. The Apixaban probably increased the bruising that came out and maybe also the fluid on my left lung but the consequences could have been much worse had I had a head injury.

I’m pretty sure that well within 6/12 hours of admission the hospital would have had a full list of medications I was on and so would have taken into account pretty quickly.

2 take aways:

1/ Always flag up use of anticoagulants in event of any injury - I’ve been on them for years and so forgotten why I carry an information card in my wallet

and, 2/ (please check with your medical provider whether this is relevant / suitable to your circumstances) possibly miss the preceding dose of anticoagulant prior to engaging in any higher risk activity.

[gentryman in reply to Speed]

Hope you've recovered okay.

[Speed in reply to gentryman]

Pretty much thanks - collar bone a bit smashed up with low level discomfort and one of my rotor cuff muscles not firing properly due to damaged nerve but generally ok - could have been much worse if head injury!

[Bloodredroses in reply to Speed]

in USA it’s common (as no central NHS / even iN UK different areas and hospitals have different I T Systems . ) to see people wearing the silicone wrist band alerts with meds on them . Not common in Britain . I have one , black with white alert . + IM TAKING RIVAROXABAN , It’s for paramedics in ambulances as well , so do not give Asprin, which is their go to I am told . Very cheap to buy off EBay or Amazon with your blood thinner name on. Already . Different colours . I bought as at time started 20 mg RIVROX Cut my foot bled for 4 hours . Scared of head injury . At that time , no reversal drug for it . Now there is . However these blood thinner or heart meds alert bracelets are very helpful to US the patient and paramedics , hospital staff . One forgets wallet booklet if head injured or in pain . They always take blood pressure see the alert bracelet . In USA They look for it . Would be great to publicise the use in Britain . My young lady Haematologist in London had never seen one , thought it was brilliant ♥️ 🩸

[gentryman in reply to Bloodredroses]

Yes sounds a good idea, I will have a look.I have a list of medications on the opening screen of my phone, but that might only get looked at later.

[Speed in reply to gentryman]

Available from various sources in UK from £2.99 + delivery

medicalidme.co.uk/products/...

[Bloodredroses in reply to gentryman]

yes can’t see paramedics going into one’s phone, an alert silicone bracelet is on your wrist, with blood thinners name on it. Thry will see your right arm wrist when they take blood pressure first thing . ASPRIN the paramedics go to , ( is what you shouldn’t have on blood thinners I.m told) hence it’s common in USA to see folks with these med alert bracelets , even celebs. As private med insurance ambulance and hospital providers. Makes such sense to have here if on a blood thinner , or important to know med. for older folks especially . The bracelets have most different types of blood thinners ready printed . Silicone , so They stay on in shower . Mine is 5 years old, still good . Cheap as chips online .

[babayaga]

Hello Gentryman, I am taking Apixaban, but only in the daytime. I only do it in case there is a heart thing happening and I have to go to hospital, and I have to WAIT for a long time.

.I did fall over once, hit my head and my knee, had some cuts, but the bleeding didn't go on for much longer than it did back before I used to take the drug. Have had a few cuts since then, from gardening or cooking, but nothing has been very serious .

There are some other blood thinners, and if you take those, there are things the medics won't do, unless you stop taking it for a while. But if I go for a Covid vac, I get asked if I take a blood thinner, and when I say it's Apixaban, they just carry on and give me the vac.

[gentryman in reply to babayaga]

Thanks for the reply babayaga.Yes, like you I'm asked if I'm on blood thinners at Covid jabs.

I have cut myself gardening and like you say not much different than before taking apixaban.

My post mainly was for bangs on the head without any cuts, as you cannot tell if there is any internal bleeding.

[babayaga in reply to gentryman]

Yes, you're right. I did bang my knee when I fell, and a few hours later it swelled up, so I could barely walk for a while. I think it was probably a bit worse than usual because I was taking the Apixaban. But after several days it got better, I didn't see the doctor about it. When I get a vaccination, they ask if I'm taking Warfarin -- and fortunately I'm not, hope I never have to.

[Bloodredroses in reply to gentryman]

I once asked the nurse why if on RIVROX 20 mg , some blood tests jabs bled more than others. She said it was the blood vessels . On the day ? Also depends what you eat if thins blood . I eat a lot of ginger which does, so dies alcohol . A jab in arm is not the same as a head bang or cut or foot cut which bleed a lot . No?

[Bloodredroses]

it’s not obvious to everyone on blood thinners and on this platform definitely not boring , we love detail ♥️ 🩸