Anticoagulation Therapy

[TracyAdmin]

Are you currently taking anticoagulants? Perhaps you are taking a Direct Oral Anticoagulant (DOAC) such as; Apixaban, Edoxaban, Dabigatran, Heparin, Rivaroxaban or even Warfarin?

Have you have recently been approached or had your medication changed to an alternative? If so, have you experienced any noticeable side-effects since the transition?

Are you able to share your experience with our Patient Services Team?

If so, please contact: [e-mail]

subject: Anticoagulation Therapy.

Your support is much appreciated.

[CDreamer]

Such as? My Apixaban is now a generic - is that what you mean?

[Thomas45 in reply to CDreamer]

I think more likely a switch like mine from Warfarin, because my INR wouldn't stabilise, because I didn't eat regular meals, to Rivaroxaban which caused extreme pains throughout my body. Taken off it after 12 days. The pains persisted, and were later diagnosed as Polymyalgia Rheumatica. I requested to be switched back to Warfarin, bought my own Coaguchek INR meter, and went on to regular meals. I'm very wary of anything ending in "aban". I will contact Tracy when I get up, and am at my PC.The Polymyalgia Rheumatica was treated with reducing doses of Prednisolone, and it took just under four years to rid myself of PMR.

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to Thomas45]

Thank you Thomas45 for your prompt response, I look forward to hearing from you in due course. Take care

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you CDreamer, it is just if you have been prescribed a specific anticoagulant in the past and now have switch to another one? for instance, Warfarin to Edoxaban ?

[CDreamer in reply to TracyAdmin]

Dabigatran to Apixaban but that was back in 2016 I think. I had gastric issues with Dabigatran.

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to CDreamer]

I am really sorry to hear that, I hope all okay with you now. Thank you again for your support.

[KentAndrew]

In the UK, the NHS have encouraged Doctors to change prescribing Apixaban to Edoxaban to reduce costs.

I made the switch several months ago and have not noticed any difference.

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to KentAndrew]

Thank you for your prompt response - it is much appreciated.

[Shrek1974]

Hello Tracy, No change here currently (Apixaban) other than brands change now.

Steve

[dedeottie]

warfarin to Apixaban. This was a fab move as INR was very unstable and now I don’t have to worry about that. Also my hair was falling on on warfarin and now it is fine. No side effects on Apixaban and easy peasy to take. Will fight any doctor who tries to take me off it. 😂

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to dedeottie]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, pleased to hear the side effects have also disappeared now.

[Quivery]

Over the past few months my Apixaban prescription has not changed, but the pharmacy has started substituting various generic medication instead of the previous branded Eliquis. I'm currently taking MA Holder, with Glenmark to start shortly. I haven't noticed any difference, but did prefer the good quality plastic alert card that came with Eliquis, compared with the rubbishy thin paper card stuck to the inside of the box of the generics!

[TracyAdmin Partner]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[Gumbie_Cat]

I’ve been on Apixaban since diagnosis last year. As with others, this has been changed to generic brands.

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to Gumbie_Cat]

Thank you for your reply, all feedback is much appreciated.

[Fred1954]

Switched from Apixaban to Edoxaban, no noticeable difference. A bit more convenient to just have one a day to take.

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to Fred1954]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us -much appreciated.

[Greenhilldrive]

I changed from warfarin to apixaban because my INR was all over the place and I was also losing a lot of hair.

Now I enjoy not being on a restrictive diet and not having to monitor INR.

I was lucky that I had no unpleasant side effects with Apixaban, but hair loss is still happening. The switch to Apixaban was 6 months ago.

I’m praying and hoping that the hair loss will come to an end one day.

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to Greenhilldrive]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with me, if you are still concerned about hair loss, perhaps contact your GP it may or may not be related to the medication and they may wish to investigate further.

[RosaAlba]

After having tried and failed to be able to take every daily medication I have been prescribed for afib, I did a pharmaco-genetic study. It explained everything.

I was originally started on Warfarin but began to have stomach pain and insomnia at 1/2 normal dose. I couldn't reach an anticoagulated state. I can't take a higher dose due to a genetic defect in gene VKORC1, meaning I am an intermediate metabolizer of all Coumadin based drugs. They accumulate in my liver and cause major side effects.

I am an ultra-rapid metabolizer of DOACS, due to a defect in gene ABCB1. Doctors can't prescribe them due to the probability of therapeutic failure.

So I have been prescribed heparin injections which are unpleasant but I'm taking them because I don't want another ministroke.

I'm hoping to have an ablation and Watchman procedure done as soon as possible. My EP has proposed a way to do it using only heparin pre- and post-op. Then quit taking the meds once everything looks good.

I hope this info helps.

Have a great day.

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to RosaAlba]

Thank you for taking the time to share your recent experiences with me.

[Desanthony]

Not yet! Am just over 80 and had my annual blood tests over a month ago but not had results yet as had 3 appointments cancelled at surgery! All going well I should get results tomorrow so just writing out questions to ask Doc. Will let you know if they choose to change or give lower dose of Eliquis currently weigh 74.9kg so presuming she is not going to change my dose.

[TracyAdmin Partner in reply to Desanthony]

Thank you for taking the time to let me know. I hope all goes well with the GP.

[Desanthony]

thanks blood rests all OK and GP decided there was no need to change dose of apixaban

[Bounder]

I was admitted to hospital two weeks ago with bilateral PE. During treatment I was also diagnosed with AF. I was initially on intravenous heparin and on leaving hospital prescribed with Edoxaban. No untoward side effects from either this far.