I admit I have been off my game this last month, having had a nasty couple of weeks with Covid over Christmas and a slow recovery, but I have just noticed that my repeat prescription for Apixiban (Eliquis) has been switched to Apixiban produced by TEVA.
There was no discussion about this and I am assuming it is a cheaper brand. I can understand the need of the NHS to reduce the colossal amount spent and often wasted on drugs but I would have appreciated a nod to this change at my recent drug review.
My questions are “Has everyone in the UK been switched to this new brand?” And “Has anyone noticed any adverse reactions?”
Written by
Maggimunro
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
So far I have been prescribed the Eliquis brand, though my dronedarone has varied between Multaq and Aristo.
In some ways I am glad that there is a generic apixaban now, having seen so many people being asked to switch to Edoxaban. If the NHS can get a cheaper brand of apixaban then there is more hope of staying on it.
ETA - it’s possible to look up ‘full list of excipients’ to find the fillers in each. They look very similar to me - though the iron oxide is a different colour. Blinking iron oxide gets in everything - I’ve needed to avoid multivitamins with it in, as it disagrees with me. Though I haven’t had a problem with apixaban so shall pretend I didn’t see it! It’s only in the film coating.
I always panic when they change brands, especially when it’s then made up as my prescription without telling me - I have so many drug sensitivities that just one change sends everything haywire
It just seems to happen at the pharmacy. I just edited the above and the ingredients look very similar. Better than a complete change of NOAC I reckon.
I hate both brands of dronedarone, the drone part is so apt! Plus, it’s not blinking working 😂
About 7 years ago I had 6week course of Riveroxaban with no issues, last year they tried to put me back on it but it gave such severe heartburn so changed to Eliquis. This happens a lot that I’m not able to go back to a previously used drug
Throat slightly better but the old heart is being a bit naughty again, but racy and irregular again, don’t know if it’s the meds, whatever is going on with the chest or that the ablation not working another waiting game I guess - I’ve sent ecg to EP and seeing GP Thursday 🤷♀️- trials of life eh! Keep smiling 😊 everyone ☀️ ⛅️ x
I have an appointment Friday afternoon. The Apple Watch keeps triggering high heart rate and AFib with some saying inconclusive - it previously registered inconclusive when it changed from AFib to AFlutter. Chest is a bit better but still poor voice and sore to speak. Thank you for your good wishes x
I sometimes get false positives on my Kardia mobile. The reason I believe that it is wrong is that I also have an implanted Link Look recorder and the device clinic that reads the reports says that I have not had afib. I am going with the device clinic!
Obviously an implantable device (I’ve had one years ago) is far more accurate - I don’t take the singular machine rates as gospel by any means but often check against BP machine and/ Oximeter or all 3 - they are just a guide for anyone who doesn’t have implantable and if at all concerned as always contact your medics - stay well
meant to mention before - think the pharmacies give different brands when maybe cost is a factor but I get told certain brands all of a sudden - unable to get supplies of them anywhere!
Also, - Fish oils Omega 3 - should not be used when taking any anticoagulant therapy - apparently the vitamin A content in conjunction with the anti coag’ will increase the risk of bleeding- this fish itself can be consumed. Any vitamin & mineral supplements are apparently OK to.
I thought I read that somewhere. I do take fish oil at a different time of day, stopped for a while then started again. Also a probiotic, and I’m sure I read somewhere to avoid that. Trouble is my digestive system likes it.Guess I need to just keep eating the salmon etc.
Hope that racy heart settles again for you. I am singularly lacking in hope right now. Even an appointment notification would help a bit.
I also had my annual script for Zopiclone, for those odd nights when I simply cannot get to sleep. According to my pharmacist there is a national shortage of the 3.75mg. He advised me to request a new script for the higher dose and cut the tablets in half!
I wonder if there are manufacturing problems with many drugs.
Haha, I can just imagine myself bumbling around in the dark with a sharp knife cutting tablets in half! Seriously though, I will need to prepare some with a tablet cutter and find a little container for the bits.
I was tempted to get a tablet cutter from Amazon - but then realised that I would get some very odd recommendations! Once bought jeweller’s scales for weighing yarn when knitting. Was recommended small plastic bags, roll up paper and filter tips 😂
Hi Flipper Funny to think of us all weighing or cutting up our pills. A couple of years ago I remember buying some cutters in Boots to chop up some beta blockers which I was trying to take. The pills were small to start with - what fun!! I hope you are feeling a little better now. x
Hi how are you doing? Hope you’re improving! I need to go back to cardiology on Friday, the HR now back racing, it’s registering AF again so don’t know if it’s meds related or failed ablation (having CT lungs on same day) have made some progress Let’s hope it continues xx
You get used to it - most of the things I take are half a tablet, and my faithful pill splitter is my friend - it can be difficult with awkward shape pills but you get used to it. Sometimes if I'm in the mood , I will half all the pills in one session and place them in containers ready to use !
Hi, I am on Zopiclone and cut the 7.5mg tablets in half, use a good tablet cutter. I must say though I still wake up when taking these, only took them for about 5 days in a row, think I might give them a break for a few days. Trouble is I notice my heart going a little faster and dreams when I don't take them
Hi, when I collect my prescription it's like a lucky bag because I never know what brand of anything I am going to get 🤔So far I have had Eliquis Teva & Sandoz Apixaban.
It makes me feel uncomfortable chopping & changing but I can't say that I've noticed anything different thank goodness.
the active ingredients, whether the original brand or generic, should still be the same. It’s usually the excipients which are different. I have problems with these and react with migraines and vomiting. (I also have fibromyalgia which gives me hypersensitivity to chemicals, amongst other things. ). The gp prescribed me a different betablocker (for bp) when I had argued with him that I needed to go back onto bendromethiazide because it worked and I didn’t react to it. But no, he wasn’t having any of it. So I took it, one night - outcome? Migraine and throwing up. GP response - ask the pharmacist as they know more about the ingredients. Lovely pharmacist agreed with me, not to take the one prescribed. Gp then did a script without a word to me for the bendro. It’s still not in my records that I react to excipients - I must get them to do it . Sorry, bit off topic. But my heart does sink when I see a change in manufacturer. I am settled on my current meds, thankfully. 🤗
I do agree with you and sympathise. My GP flatly refuses to agree that different drugs and fillers cause any of my stomachs problems when I take them and the pharmacist looks bored and annoyed when I insist that I can't take certain brands. After ten years of battling dreadful PAF I've had a Pace and Ablate procedure and now am off all drugs accept blood pressure and anticoagulant and feel great.
that is good to here, glad you are feeling better 🥰 When I rang the surgery she had no problem switching me back, said it was an outside agency that had been put in place nationwide to do it - don’t think my surgery was very pleased at that. 😊
I'm going back on eliquis due to needing another ablation - the cost difference from 4 years ago is stunningly less. Still pricey but not the outrageous cost previously! Anyway, best of luck!
Eliquis is the brand name for Apixaban. I think it is made by Bristol Myers . All others are generics which can be made by other companies. Teva is one of the biggest manufacturers of generics . Mylan is another genetics company . Once the name Eliquis disappears from the packet you know you have been given a generic. I think a lot of the problems with generics can come from the pharmacies switching companies probably due to what is the best deal of the moment. If one can find a generic that suits and then stick to that company there would be less variation .
My brand has been changed as well, but then all my medication brands are regularly changed according to what the pharmacy can get hold of. I can’t say I’ve ever noticed a difference myself.
Teva using a different filling. I’m in the thyroid grp and most people complain about Teva. It’s good if you are lactose intolerant but not otherwise.
I also had Covid at Christmas that set off my A F which has been quiet since ablation 2018. Hopefully settling but the constant coughing doesn’t help. Have lung tests next month.
It’s the pharmacy which changes the brand- they give what they have. If you want a particular brand the GP has to put it on the script.
You can also talk to the pharmacist. Explain the issues you get with the alternative brands and they'll usually try to help. That's what I found anyway with my Flecainide.
Not apixaban but I have other meds that I specifically ask for those by Teva. I have multiple drug sensitivities; never been anle to find out which additive causes it but Teva seem to be free of whatever affects me.
No my last supply from December are Eliquis Apixaban Bristol-Myers’s Squibb/Pfizer (liking the third name - goes with everything right now as in damp Squibb x
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
New anti coagulant
Anti coagulant antidotes for NOACs
Brand change
At home again 
Different brand tablets.
