Drugs advice

[GABaracus]

My drugs I’m on are:

Lansoprazole 9am (30 mins before food)

Bisoprolol Fumarate 9:30am

ticagrelor (12 hours apart) 12pm

Aspirin (with food) 6:15pm

Ramiprill 6:15pm

ticagrelor (12 hours apart)

midnight

Atorvastatin midnight

That’s how I’ve been taking them since I got out of hospital.

However my current nurse has said I should change the times I take them to:

Waking up (morning)

Lansoprazole 9am

Breakfast

After Breakfast

Aspirin, Bisoprolor, ticagrelor 9:30-10am

Before bed (evening) 9pm

Statin, Ramipril, ticagrelor

Is this ok to do? I’m worried to change my times etc as the first way is what I agreed with my nurse whilst still in the hospital. The ticagrelor is supposed to be specifically 12 hours apart also.

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

I'm on these (and others), except stopped ticagrelor - and that's the schedule I was told to stick to

[GABaracus in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

The second or first? It’s just trying to figure out how to adjust the times safely that’s the tough part.

Why did you stop ticagrelor? I personally haven’t noticed anything amiss with it after taking for nearly 2 weeks now.

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to GABaracus]

The second list, the one suggested by your nurse.

Ticagrelor is an antiplatelet medicine, or blood thinner- you only normally take it for 12 months after a heart attack - my heart attack was in December 2018 so I stopped taking it in December 2019

[GABaracus in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Should I shift times like closer and closer to the new times over say a week? Or change them abruptly?? I’m at a loss how to change the time window with ticagrelor.

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to GABaracus]

I suggest you check with your nurse

[GABaracus in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

That’s what I thought. Problem is I cannot talk to her again until next Thursday (I think).

[gilreid1]

I am on all the same. And find it a pain in the posterior but if that’s what is required then I am good with that 😊

[stevejb1810]

Yes. That's fine

[GABaracus in reply to stevejb1810]

The original way or the new way suggested by my recent nurse?

[stevejb1810 in reply to GABaracus]

Sorry, I should have made it clearer - the way your nurse has just advised is fine

[GABaracus in reply to stevejb1810]

Thanks. How do I adjust the times correctly though, especially the 12 hours apart “ticagrelor”?

[stevejb1810 in reply to GABaracus]

Sorry, that is the one drug in your list that I don't take. Talk to your nurse. My inclination would be to just do exactly what the nurse said

[GABaracus in reply to stevejb1810]

Right 👌

[NorthantsSteve]

The second (mainly - as I take Ramipril in the morning) is my routine - although I stopped Ticagrelor after a year and was then able to stop Lansoprazole. The second set of timings is so close to the first set, I think it would be difficult to transition. I can’t see a problem in just changing.

[Hidden]

Hi I take lansoprazole aspirin bet blockers clopidogrel paracetamol all at the same time, have done since last year, not had any problems, speak to your chemist they are very helpful and know the medication.

[Maisie2014]

I had my heart attack in February 2019. I find that my current medical regime suits me. My routine is: breakfast; aspirin, ticagrelor, bisoprolol, Losartan, Telfast (an antihistamine as I have allergies). Half an hour before lunch; Nexium. 9:00 pm ticagrelor.

I’m still taking ticagrelor at a lower dose because I have a stent fitted and I’ve been told I have to take it for the rest of my life. I don’t take the Nexium every day only when my tummy is upset with the meds. I don’t take statins.

[russino1]

i am on al of those and i take them pretty much as you’ve been advised to.

lansaprozol 20/40 mins before i eat (i take when i wake up - anytime between 7am and 8:30am)

breakfast

tricegrelor , asprin and bisroprol straight after

dinner (anytime around 5:30ish - usually eat with children so can be earlier? )

Ramipril, ticagrelor within an hour or so after i’ve eaten.

statin closer to bed time

sometimes i’ll take all 3 at same times - around 8pm.

when i was in hospital id not be given tablets till after breakfast / cuppa (6:30/7am ish) so i’d take morning tablets all together after i’d eaten.

speak to your GP if you are concerned 👍😃

[SianMonnow]

Please, check with your medics before any changes. That said, I take aspirin, Ramipril, Bisoprolol and Atorvastatin all at the same time, around 9pm and have had no ill effects. Three years down the !ine from my surgery, my practise pharmacist reckoned that it was fine, and that it was more important that I remember to take them rather than when I took them.

[GABaracus in reply to SianMonnow]

I’ve read that (for example) taking aspirin in the evening or before bed is more effective than taking it in the morning.

[GABaracus]

I’ve just realised the clocks are going forward in the UK tomorrow. So does that mean I take my drugs at the same times, or an hour later?

[BobJ52]

Hi I am a pharmacist and have checked this for you. The product specific data says the ticegrelor is to be taken twice a day. There is no specific must be 12 hours apart in the product specification. This means two doses spread evenly in the day, respective to your lifestyle is the order of the day. The information from your nurse is correct and I would have no hesitation in following it. The time for half the dose to be metabolised is roughly 12hours so once you have been on the drug for 2to3days dose timing is not super critical

Hope this helps, take the tablets to suit your lifestyle don’t let the meds run your life

[GABaracus in reply to BobJ52]

Thanks for your reply.

I’ve been thinking to keep the aspirin at night because it seems to work better.

I just want to know if it’s ok to take the ticagrelor a little earlier to fit it in the morning and at night with the other drugs. The spacing will be less than 12 hours as I currently do 12pm and midnight.

[BobJ52 in reply to GABaracus]

Fit with other meds will be fine

[Qualipop in reply to GABaracus]

JUst make sure you take the aspirin after food so it upsets your stomach less. I haven't been told a specific time so I take min after lunch as I don't eat much breakfast. I'm off most of your list now so can't remember times but the oly thing I was specifically told to take at night was the statin.

[GABaracus in reply to Qualipop]

I’ve been taking the aspirin “with” food in the evening, usually around 6:15pm. I haven’t yet decided to change how I take my pills.

The clocks going forward an hour is certainly going to confuse things for me.

[Maisie2014]

I take mine at 12 hour intervals, 9:00 am and 9:00 pm, purely to ensure I remember to take them.

[GABaracus]

I’m thinking

Lansoprazole 9am (although I don’t always wake up at 9, sometimes later)

Then breakfast

After that

Bisoprolol and ticagrelor

Then nothing till 9pm

At 9pm I take

Aspirin (does it have to be taken with food?)

Ramiprill

ticagrelor

Statin

I sometimes don’t go to bed until 1am.

[Debee28 in reply to GABaracus]

Aspirin after food

[Marco2764]

Having been in this situation a couple of years ago the second option is easy to live with, it would kill me stay up until midnight to take a bloody statin.

[GABaracus in reply to Marco2764]

I don’t stay up just to take the drug, I just don’t tend to go to bed early.

[Stumpy47]

You should not be seeking advice here for medication!! If you do not trust your nurses advice, seek advice from your GP. Sorry to be blunt about it. From my own experience I have changed the time of day I take Bisoprolol WITH My cardio/EP recommendation.

[Chronic25_Catlover]

I'm on Bisoprolol,Aspirin and Ramipril.I since came out hospital after shedding all other meds and back onto Aspirin(didn't know had to continue it) had my Bisoprolol increased within that time and now decreased.I was taking mine :Ramipril about 12-2 ish Asprin about 6-7 and Bisoprolol before went to bed.Since about Jan time I believe due to me having low BP causing dizzy spells and had to go to A+E as was really low a DR advice to change my med times and have my Bisoprolol halved.It took some time to get used to the new schedule and seemed to have been working but then I have ended up getting dizzy spells again.My new schedule is Aspirin and Bisoprolol about dinnertime and Ramipril about 6.

Like you I was also abit concerned as I had been on the same routine since hospital(2015+) but also since then had the Aspirin facade shortly after and one point a week off Ramipril due to low BP which rung Cardiologist to notify and they didn't like that.It's perfectly fine to change the routine and has been known to be advised to try navigate symptoms etc a.k.a:Lowering back my Bisoprolol as HR isn't high and changing med times to see if makes any difference to my BP etc

[Susangibbons]

I am on apixaban and thats 12 hrs apart and I take it 8am and 8pm its more manageable for me than a midnight dose. As long as you take it with an hour its ok I think , though I have sometimes forgotten my 8pm one till bedtime and haven't noticed any side effects.

I take bisoprilil at night.

Think its easier if you work it into your daily routine xx

[Debee28]

Hi I take the same meds as you and do what your second nurse said, just morning and evening. Your other schedule will drive you crazy and tie you down to strict times.

[GABaracus in reply to Debee28]

I’m thinking about that, but keeping the aspirin in the evening or night.

[Debee28 in reply to GABaracus]

Are u putting aspirin in water to dissolve?

[GABaracus in reply to Debee28]

Yes.

[GABaracus]

I’m using my phone, with its reminder & medical apps etc. I keep the meds themselves in their original packaging.

I would be terrible if it wasn’t for my phone and my other smart devices.

The way I currently take them, and have done now for almost a year is:

One drug at 8:00am

Three drugs at 10:30am

Three drugs at 10:30pm