Pradaxa

[MazzyB]

I’ve been on Warfarin for just over 2 years now and thought I didn’t really have any side effects well except being tired! A friend of ours changed from warfarin to Pradaxa and said there are no side effects to taking this tablet! Is anyone else on this tablet please than can give advice.

[john-boy-92]

No problems at all with Pradaxa. There is a reversing agent called Praxbind in the event of a serious bleed. Pradaxa has a short half life but I had to stop taking it three days before a biopsy. If you are in the UK I saw a commercial price comparison about a year ago, with Warfarin at £10 a year and Pradaxa at £600 a year, so there may be some resistance to change from your prescribing Practice. Conflict of interest note: in 2017 I appeared in a short video about Pradaxa for clinicians in the UK and USA, but I was happy to do so as before I took Pradaxa I had a stroke that left me partially sighted: primarily I wanted people with AF to know the potential consequence of not taking an anticoagulant.

[MazzyB in reply to john-boy-92]

Thank you so much you’ve been very helpful.

[SpeedyH]

Hi there! I have taken every anti coagulant over the last two years and am now taking Pradaxa as it is the only one not to give me side effects. Everyone is different though so you need to try it and see. A really important thing though.... Pradaxa needs a very acid environment in which to work so the contents of the capsules are very acidic. Make sure that you take them with food and drink a lot of water with them to make sure that the capsules reach the stomach before they start dissolving or else you will get very painful heartburn.

[MazzyB in reply to SpeedyH]

Thanks.

[Kaz747 in reply to SpeedyH]

Sounds like me - I was on Apixiban for 4 weeks after a cardioversion last year but a few days later I was diagnosed with Shingles so put all my symptoms down to that. When my arrhythmias went crazy again I was put on Rivaroxiban but when they found a blood clot in my heart (I’d been off them for 2 days) I was switched to Apixiban and ended up back in hospital after a few days which I believe was from the Apixiban (same issues as I had when in them for 4 weeks). So I was switched to Pradaxa but had digestive issues so I’m now back on Rivaroxiban.

Where you on Apixiban SpeedyH? If so what side effects did you encounter?

[MazzyB in reply to Kaz747]

I’m on warfarin at the moment but got a few issues such as skin under my arms very sore! Also in a personal place which others have said they have too! Thanks

[SpeedyH in reply to Kaz747]

Hi Kaz747. Yes, I was originally on Rivaroxaban but had a whole range of side effects including severe muscle and joint pain, nausea, numb arm, unable to feel the floor with one foot, exhaustion. I was changed to Apixaban but this works in the same way as Rivaroxiban by inhibiting the activation of prothrombin which is needed for clotting to occur, and the symptoms on this for me were the same as with Rivaroxaban. The tablets also depleted my Folate and Vitamin D so had to have them on prescription. Pradaxa (Dabigatran) works on a different part of the clotting cycle and suits me much better. I found the digestive problems that a lot of people have were controlled by taking the tablets with food and lots of water but I don’t have any underlying gastric problems like ulcers.

[subo2 in reply to SpeedyH]

It’s pradaxa that works on thrombin directly. The others work in factor X

[Kaz747]

Pradaxa isn’t great if you have any digestive issues. I had to come off it when I developed Gastritis and Pericarditis after a heart procedure last year. I have a sliding hiatus hernia and take PPIs so with gastritis as well it wasn’t the best. Now back on Rivaroxiban.

[MazzyB]

Great thanks.

[Asdan05]

I was on it for two years during three major surgeries with no problems. Unfortunately it wasn’t strong enough and I developed two dvts. I am now on Apixaban.

[SpeedyH in reply to Asdan05]

Asdan05. Did anyone tell you that Pradaxa is not as efficient at preventing clots? The reason why I ask is that recently I have wondered if it providing me with enough protection. On Apixaban I noticed I had bleeding gums and developed small nose bleeds and if I cut myself it was hard to stop the flow but with Pradaxa, the bleeding stops pretty much as normal and I have no other bleeding. I m aware that I am more anxious after having unexplained PEs and put every muscle ache down to a developing clot but I am wondering if I should follow this up with my GP.

[Asdan05 in reply to SpeedyH]

GP says both anticoagulants work in completely different ways so I suppose it’s an individual response. It’s a bit risky if you’re on the wrong one though!

[subo2 in reply to Asdan05]

What dose of apixaban are you on , if that’s ok?

[MazzyB in reply to subo2]

I’m not on apixaban someone said I would be better on it! But decided against it thanks.

[Asdan05 in reply to subo2]

5mg twice daily.

[MazzyB]

I have a dvt and a PE on my lung! Thanks.

[MazzyB]

Thanks everyone for your help.

[subo2]

I do believe that in general the newer tablets are safer. Edoxaban is a good alternative to apixaban if you don’t like trice fat medication , as it’s once s day and does not need to be taken with food!!

[MazzyB in reply to subo2]

Thanks will ask about it.