Dear lovely people!
I have been on anticoagulants for nearly four years now and apart from the noticeable difference re bruising, everything has been ok.
Over the last three days though,I have been having nose bleeds. Nothing horrendous but still a bit worrying because I’ve never had them before (not as a child etc)
The one last night lasted about six hours.
Any thoughts would be welcome about what to do to stop them quickly and so on.
Have you checked to see if your blood pressure is a little high? Also when washing your face do so very gently around the nose area. Do not on any account, at any time blow your nose.
I've had nosebleeds all my life and had a serious one that put me in hospital for a few days about 3 years ago. By adopting the above measures I've not had any problems since.
One thing that I would find comforting is that if any blood vessel is going to bleed, one in the nose would be better than anywhere else.
Let me know about your BP please.
Jean
Thank for that Jean, just taken it and it’s 150/83 but my top number is often on the high side.
Last night I just plugged it, but saw on an American website this morning that you shouldn’t do that necessarily but pinch the soft tissue and as a maintenance thing (especially in the winter) to apply Vaseline twice daily?
I hope you’re ok by the way?
Your BP may have come down since the nose bleed. Next time try deep breathing to bring it down. Breathe in as much as you can then out super quick through the mouth with a huh Mine came from high in my nose so pinching it did nothing, it gushed and the consultant I saw at hospital said I'd probably already lost half a litre of blood by the time I arrived there (I would say it was more). I had to have a plug put up my nose and inflated - I can tell you I'd rather give birth to a child than be in that position again.
If your nose is bleeding fast don't let it go on for too long, call for help. Paramedics couldn't stop mine and took me to hospital, they couldn't either so hence the inflatable plug.
My goodness I feel for you. Please adopt the measures I've recommended. I'll see if I can find the old post I put on this forum at the time, as there may be some tips from others there for you.
Jean
Yes, I have read it now. So scary. Thankfully my bleeds (so far) have just been a persistent trickle from lower down my left nostril. Xx
Here is the link:
healthunlocked.com/afassoci...
Jean
Thanks very much Jean. A few things going on with me just now…Back into AFib on day 8 after my first ablation and needed a Cardioversion (number 6) Also on and off pretty bad heartburn and feeling really cold too.
PS How do you manage without blowing your nose? (when you have a cold etc) My first nose bleed was after blowing, the second one after only sniffing! 😔
If you have a bleed like this that doesn't seem to stop then ring 111 - if it is particularly bad then maybe a visit to a clinic your GP or A&E - whichever is open at the time. My brother had a horrendous nosebleed last Summer when he visited from South Africa that went on and on but paramedics didn't get to him until the following day when it had stopped - he was actually in the shower when they called - he had had a cold -our summer is their winter so he and his wife brought a bad cold with him. There are lots of different ways to stop a nose bleed that seem to come in and out of fashion. My wife was plagued by heavy nosebleeds one time a district nurse spent the whole night with us - at that time plugging the nose was the in vogue way to stop the bleeding but the nurse went through yards and yards of wadding and it just kept coming through the wadding. By breakfast time it had barely changed so Dr called out. By the time the Dr came the bleed had slowed but then it had started sometime soon after retiring to bed at about 11.30 or mid night and this was now around 6am. The best advice she was given ( by the Dr we called out) was to lay flat on her back with a cold compress - bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel held on the back of her neck at the very outset of a bleed and if this didn't work and nose continued to bleed and started to bleed profusely to call paramedics. It has worked for her every time This is now not considered good advice but we have found it always works and stops the nose bleed. I would imagine if you wait until bleeding profusely this would be no good at all and could cause more problems (probably why it is not often mentioned these days) but we find that it works if done straight away.
Many thanks to you for your reply. I suppose in a way I’m lucky because mine is just a persistent oozing and not a gushing… 🧐
Congestion seems to collect in my throat, so I bring it up that way.
Ok. Thanks Jean.
Just re-reading your post and need to tell you that chewing almonds thoroughly can stop the heartburn, it does for me.
Hi,
Similar to my experience, back in the early days.
Random nose bleeds.
For me it was nothing to do with A/coagulants. Turned out I had been prescribed Bisoprolol 5mg to be taken in morning.
GP said take same dose at night. Did this .... never had a nose bleed since ... ever!
ALL IS NEVER AS IT SEEMS !
Thank you! I take most of my meds first thing in the morning! 🧐
I would try and have a conversation with my GP and ask about the wisdom of changing some or all my meds to night time. Phone call won't cost much. You could always go onto NHS website that covers medication and see what has been written.
Thank you Ben. Good advice.
Hi Slidingdoors99
I honestly don’t want to worry you and it may well be a minor new side effect. When I was completing first aid training, the chap said that nose bleeds that occur more than once over a few days or last longer than 20 minutes or as a first time symptom (where one or both of the above applies) requires medical attention just as a precautionary measure.
If you experience another, I would suggest contacting your GP or NHS 111 depending on time of day etc. It may be that a slight tweak of your meds relieves you of this unwanted side effect.
Hope it resolves swiftly for you, keep us posted please.
Best wishes
Soap 🧼
Many, many thanks.
Sorry I have only ever had nose bleeds when I have been given aspirin or clopidogrel. Warfarin I have been taking for nearly 20 years and no issues.
I’m on Edoxaban Bob. Thank you for your reply.
Nosebleeds are scary and the anticoagulants may not be to blame. Like you, I had bad nosebleeds which started about 4 years after I started Apixaban.
Long, long story of hospitals, doctors and specialists - and misery. It turned out that Mr Muscle glass cleaning spray was the main culprit in my case. I stopped using all cleaning sprays and haven't had a bleed in about 5 years.
I was advised when a bleed started to grip the soft part of my nose whilst leaning forward slightly and I used to push an ice cube with my tongue against the roof of my mouth to shrink the blood vessels there. Sometimes, I had to go to A&E and face a rhino-pack (felt like a bloomin' rhino!) to get the bleeding stopped.
Have a think through what you are using/doing just before the bleeds start - you may hit on the trigger. BTW - most doctors assumed in my case it was the anticoagulant causing the problem - only one ENT consultant suggested an allergic reaction - bless her.
Thank you so much for that.
That's interesting to hear about your sensitivity to sprays Finvola. I think they have an effect on me too. I always wear a mask now when I spray rose plants. The best stuff for cleaning bathrooms is washing up liquid and bicarbonate of soda. Just sprinkle both around bath, shower screen, tiles or sink (not too much) and then use a slightly abrasive bathroom sponge. The results are amazing and they stay clean for longer.
Jean
Snap Jean - I researched a lot when I identified my favourite bathroom cleaners as the cause of the bleeds and found a recipe for a mixture of bicarbonate of soda, castile soap, bit of water and essential oil (if liked). I mix it into a paste and I agree, it cleans more thoroughly and has more staying power.
Part of my search for an answer was to look at the ingredients of suspect things which I used and then to pull up the data safety sheet if I was concerned. Glass cleaners have a very toxic ingredient which can cause breathing difficulties, tissue damage and should 'not be used in an enclosed environment'. Oh, and you should avoid breathing it in - right! The safety instructions on the Mr Muscle bottle are well hidden on the back of the front label and have to be read through the green liquid. I use a mask too when spraying my gooseberry bushes but at least one expects danger in bug killing sprays but bathroom cleaners seem so normal and everyday.
I have bleeding from the bum from constipation that can last weeks. I'm telling what I started doing which clears me up quickly. First off this is not advice or even a suggestion. I stop taking my anticoagulant for a couple days and I take notoginseng. Notoginseng is an herb given to wounded chinese soldiers to stop internal bleeding. It's been a blessing for me.
Thank you very much. 😊
If you are having regular nose bleeds that last for more than half an hour you should get an Emergency appointment with your GP.If you have a nose bleed that doesn't stop on its own over hours you are recommended to go to A and E.
That's because no matter what the cause may be , which they will also investigate, they may need to give you the right treatment to stop the area that is bleeding if it isn't stopping and healing itself. Otherwise the nose bleeds can keep happening , as they are in your case.
Please contact the GP this morning and let them know how many nose bleeds you have had and for how long over the last few days , and also remind them that you are on a anticoagulants ( if you take one) and have AF .
If they can't see you today I would hope that they would recommend for you to go to Our of Hours at the hospital to get it examined.
The trouble being even if it has stopped at the moment, and the cause for the first nose bleed might have stopped too, your basal passage is more fragile and it could start up again at any point if you sneeze or wipe your nose without proper treatment.
They might need to heal the area in your nose and might recommend a few days change in your medications while it heals but only a doctor can make those decisions by examining you.
If you are in AF at the moment or have had recent treatment they need to check you over properly for that as well as they may need to give you some more acute care for your AF symptoms too.
Let us know how you get on and I hope it clears up soon, take care , Bee
Dear Bee. Thank you very much.
I had very bad nose bleeds a few years ago. It was before l was given an anticoagulant. It is worrying for you as your mind automatically thinks of the worst scenario when you take an anticoagulant. I was told to pinch my nose until it stopped. I found them very frightening. In the end l had to have my nose cauterised twice. I have never had them since then. I believe the blood vessels in the nose are very weak, and delicate and therefore easily bleed. I never blow my nose hard and treat my nose area with respect. It may be worth seeing your GP if they continue.
Thank you for your reply. I do need to see someone about this.
I can support the point about cauterisation (if that is the right word). Never had nosebleeds at all in my life then suddenly, about 7 years ago (59 years old), had several within a few days. Each for an hour or two, one drip per second. Frightening. Was diagnosed with high BP and put on tablets. But I managed to get in to see an ENT specialist, who thought that the problem was not so much high BP as weak vessels in the nose. She offered to cauterise there and then (this was not in the UK), warned me about the smell (actually not unpleasant - like roast pork) and then performed the procedure. Never had a nose bleed since.
Thank you. Really useful to read your post. ☺️
I ended up in A&E once when I had been having nose bleeds and on one occasion it wouldn't stop bleeding. They arranged for me to have a cauterisation. That was before I developed AFib and started taking anti-coagulants. Now I just get the odd grumble but nothing dramatic. My recipe is to make the area cold so the blood vessels contract and it helps to clot the blood. So suck on an ice cube in the roof of your mouth. Also I put a cloth round the ice cube and run it over the nose area. If that is not enough then squeeze the bottom of your nose. The nurse who did it to me in the hospital really pressed hard. And you have to do it for 20 mins which feels like a lifetime.
Thank you very much. Really useful. ☺️
I had this issue earlier this year with several severe nosebleeds that the paramedics were only able to stop with the inflatable balloon placed in the nose. Of course, being on apixaban (Eliquis) made it worse than it would have been. After the third episode I went to see my ENT (ear, nose, throat doctor, otolaryngologist) and had the interior of my nose cauterized -- completely painless and completely cleared the issue. Get thyself to an ENT as soon as you're able to.
Many thanks. 😊
pinch the nose for ten minutes, check, further ten mins, check and if after the third check your nose is still bleeding then A&E for review snd cautery. You can lose a lot of blood with nose bleeds. Take care and hope they don’t trouble you again 🦊x
Thanks very much. 😊
Avoid blowing your nose too hard or irritating or scratching the nasal lining.
Try to keep from letting your nose dry out too much. Use a humidifier if needed.
Fibnum
Thank you. ☺️
I also developed nose bleeds since taking anticoagulant. I use a nampon to get it under control (Amazon), then cotton rolls (also Amazon) and pressure on soft tissue of the nose til it stops. To prevent, I use a netipot - about once a month with the saline solution, and a nose lubricant I got on Amazon. All that with a bedroom humidifier has drastically reduced the incidences. Good luck.
Great information! Thank you. ☺️
i had my nose cauterized when i was a teenager and have not had any problems since. Don’t know if they still do it?
I don’t know, but I expect they do. My bleeding seems to come from not too high up… 🧐
It was soooo long ago I can’t remember! My husband gets nosebleeds when the seasons change or if there is a change in atmospheric pressure but they don’t last long.
In my case, the nosebleed was in an area that couldn’t be cauterized but I was told that’s what they would do normally.
Oh dear. So what did they do for you then?
They put in a surgical packing which put enough pressure on the bleed area to stop the bleed. It stayed in 5 days and then was removed by an ENT. Since then, using the Nampons and doing the other things, it has been controllable at home. No fun at all!
I feel really sorry for you. Oh goodness. What a nightmare. 😔
Be worth calling your GP. What anticoagulant are you on. The new ones dont need INR monitoring ( ie Edoxaban etc )...By the way, its worth getting your nasal passages checked, as both myself and my wife have had this in the past, sudden nose bleeds. It was caused by an 'abberant vessel' inside the nose ( Littles area ). Very common and easily treated by a small chemical cautery there and then
Thank you for your reply. I’m on Edoxaban. ☺️
My ENT did a thorough exam using a scope (no fun) and found nothing irregular. He said I was one who , as long as I’m on an anticoagulant, would get nosebleeds. Fortunately they have become much less frequent so that it only occurs every 4-6 weeks and is moderate.
Hi. That’s still a lot! Poor you. Do they last for ages?
I have changed back to Apixaban to see if that will make a difference in the future.
When nosebleeds first started they would last several hours. Now they stop after a couple of hours. I’m considering the Watchman so that I could stop taking eliquis.
Had nose bleeds and blood in urine while on Rivaroxaban; pharmacist advised change to Apixaban; now no problems with bleeding after 2 years.
Thanks. I’m sure my bruising was much less on Apixaban (changed when I changed surgeries) so I’m going to ask to go back…
Sorry about predictive text errors in line 2
Hi Slidingdoors,I had some nosebleeds due to high bp qu1einte a few years before being diagnosed with Paroxysmal AF. They came on without warning but only lasted a few minutes. Since being on Apixaban September 2019 they have been a bit more frequent. Sometimes it would be going into a warm café after being in the cold, so more often in winter. This past year I had quite a heavy one in May. I was due to pick up daughter and granddaughter from station but couldn't drive. Late May I had one that lasted about 15 minutes and was very heavy. I saw gp who said if it lasted longer I was to go toA&E. She prescribed Naseptin antibiotic cream which seemed to keep it at bay till last Saturday. Fortunately it didn't last long and I could drive back home. In May I asked about cautery . Gp said it had a 9 month waiting list but didn't put me on it! My great aunt suffered from fragile blood vessels so I might consider going private for cauterisation. In the meantime I am now taking 2.5mg of anticoagulant in morning and 5mg in evening I am 80 in June 24 and weigh 53 kg,2 criteria for reduction of Apixaban.
Thank you so much for telling me your story. I had another one this morning. That’s three since Friday! 😒
Oh no. Let me know the outcome when you can
I should check it out with a doctor. It might be high BP
BP seems ok. I’m going to see someone though this afternoon hopefully!
Hi
Have you got cancer?
Because I read that Afers with cancer should not have anti-co-agulants.
But I was given PRADAXA twice daily on the lesser amount of 110mg x twice day.
Which anti-co.... are you on?
Perhaps you could ask for the lesser dose of PRADAXA.
I can understand why you are concerned. You must share with your DR/Specialist who gave them to you.
cheri JOY 74. (NZ)
I don’t have cancer as far as I know! I’m going ask to go back on Apixaban. ☺️
Use Nozohaem nose bleed gel, available on Amazon and Ebay but not yet on NHS unfortunately, my friend recommended to my husband, who is also on blood thinners and he never had a nose bleed until recently, but he always keeps this handy.
Thanks! I will definitely look into the gel.
I have just ordered some! Many, many thanks! ☺️
Here is a tip that works for me when I get a nosebleed. I useed to get them frequently. At your drug store buy some nasal decongestant spray, In the US Afrin is good. In Canada Otrivin works. The chem name is Oxymetazoline hydrochloride or Xylometazoline hydrochloride .1%. Also get some small cotton puff balls that will fit snuggly in your nostril.
Give a squirt or two of the spray up your bleeding nostril and the insert a puff ball that is liberally sprayed with the decongestant. You want thee puff ball to contact the bleeding spot. The decongestant shrinks the pores and the bleeding stops quite quickly.
I read about this several years back that this technique was used with the the mount Everest first aid stations as climbers get nosebleeds with the high altitude.
Also - if you are prescribed a blood thinner you might need to switch to a different one. Pradaxaworks for me.
Thank you. That was really useful! In the end I needed to have my nose cauterised and it’s been ok since, but I will remember what you said for the next time- if there is one! 😬
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