my local Gp pharmacist rang me up and said everyone in the Leeds Health Authority was being changed from Apixaban to another anti coagulant which you only needed to take once a day. Sorry I didn’t get the name. I argued saying I had no side effects on the Apixaban and didn’t want to change. They said this other one was more cost effective. In the end I won my argument, or at least for now. Just wondered if anyone had changed and what the general view of this is
Jane
Edoxaban is cost discounted so this is happening a lot arund UK. Don't be bullied and stand your ground.
When it comes to these life saving medicines, it is sufficient to say that Apixaban has now been available for years, has been the subject of extensive research studies which shows it is effective and safe, and has now been reduced in price too. Anyone trying to force a change had better be doing it for reasons other than cost cutting. And I would expect them to provide me with comprehensive long term research data to prove that it was either better or absolutely as safe and proven in use as Apixaban.
I changed from Apaxaban to Edooban and side effects much better (non existent )I really did not know until I changed . So I am so glad I did the right thing !!!
I have taken Apixaban since my stroke nearly three years ago. Apart from the risk of bleeding what are the side effects you are talking about. I'm partly asking as I have various symptoms ever since which I have wondered might be attributable to Apixaban (morning giddiness, digestive problems, blocked sinuses) but as I can't stop taking it I have never really considered it. I note that this German study seems to think it might have a better risk profile even, than Apixaban. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/347...
I get digestive problems with Apixaban and terrible lower back pain. I discovered this when taken off for 8 days before my first hip op. Despite needing op hip pain improved as well!
I got shoulder pain joint pain and sick feeling .....
I don’t have any side effects that I am aware of which is why I don’t want to change to something else
Here's an article that explains the background to this switching decision ...
pharmaceutical-journal.com/...
Knowledge is power, as someone somewhere once said.
We are all striving for "informed choice", so well done for standing up for your rights.
Hi Janey.I had the same conversation with my GP pharmacist. I have been on Apixaban for years with no problems whatsoever. I would not change. Its the only medication I'm on and I dont want to change now. I make other decisions regarding my health that doesn't impact the NHS so I have no qualms about the expense of my medication and I have struggled with other anticoagulants. Apixaban is a great choice for me.
My consultant cardiologist prescribed Apixaban and I don't see why a gp or pharmacist should overrule him.I have heard that edoxaban compared with apixaban, has no antidote, is not so good for the kidneys & that a generic version of apixaban is due soon (thus negating the cost argument)
The GPs are also getting paid to swap their patients to edoxaban!
That's a very important consideration.
Hi,
When I was diagnosed with AF 2 years ago, I was put on Edoxaban & had some uncomfortable side effects.
After speaking to my cardiologist, I was put on Apixaban & have been fine since.
I had an ablation December 2021 & now off my Flecainide. So just taking Apixaban 2 times a day.
Glad you stood your ground & good luck!!
the same thing happened to me. I went on Lixiana in place of Apixaban which I had tolerated well. I started to feel breathless, tired, my heart was racing, in fact I felt as if I was experiencing a worsening of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. I felt quite ill, but something made me check on side effects of Lixiana and I found I was experiencing many of them. I changed back to Apixaban, and immediately felt right again.
interesting
I had been on Apixiban for 7 years with no problems but thought that it might be a good idea to take one a day instead of two and changed to Rivaroxaban. Three months later I had an unexplained 6 day haematuria (blood in the urine) and changed back to Apixiban again immediately. No further problems.
I've just been issued with the generic apixaban! Must be cheaper.
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