Medication for those without stents?

[Stuartym568]

Hi everyone,

I had a smallish heart attack aged 42 (3 years ago now) and I didn't have any stents fitted as the blockage was in a small artery. I was on Ticagrelor for about 6 months then moved to clopidogrel. I've been on it since. Is there any hope of coming off it ever? I asked my GP who wrote to a consultant who advised this as long term treatment.

Thing is, I'm also on apixaban as I developed AF a while after the heart attack. Was talking to a doc a while back who voiced concern that I was on clop and apixaban. Any thoughts or experiences?

I'm on:

Clopidogrel 1x

Apixaban 5mg 2x

Bisoprolol 7.5mg 1x

Amlodipine 5mg 1x

Atorvastatin 80mg 1x

Lansoprazole 1x

[Rose54]

Hi

HA just over a year ago I was on Tricolour not sure of spelling but only for a year .

Losartan. Omaprozel ,Indapamide ,Dispersible aspirin, Bisprodo and Atorvastatin are my current meds

[Stuartym568 in reply to Rose54]

Hi Rose54. Did you have any stents fitted?

My old gp was telling me that Ticagrelor is quite expensive so they take people off it as soon as they can. Clopidogrel is cheap as chips tho so they prefer it.

[Rose54 in reply to Stuartym568]

Hi

No I had no stents

All I was told was I needed take it for 1 year which is the same as others on here.

I did get extensive bruising which has stopped now I have came of it.

My Mum is on Clopidogrel for life

[Kristicats]

I had a minor HA 5 years ago no stents,was on clopydogrel for a year then it was stopped and since then stayed on the the other meds aspirin ( I take one every other day)and bisoprolol . I was also supposed to take ramipril but I stopped it 18 month ago as my BP was low enough without it. I haven’t got AF.

[valeriep]

i believe most people are prescribed Clopidogrel for a year after they've had stents inserted as a preventative measure against blood clots, but some of us are put on it for life. I have inoperable blockages in my carotid arteries and a genetic fault which leads to high cholesterol, so after having three stents inserted, I was told I would have to take it for life to help prevent a future heart attack or stroke. I've never been prescribed apixaban, so can't comment on that.

[LesleyJ59]

I had a small HA three years ago, and was put on ticagrelor, being told that it would be for no more than a year - I didn't need stents. For some reason I was still on it 18 months later and it wasn't until I had a review with a pharmacist over the phone that they took me off that. I was pleased to stop taking it, as I bruised at the slightest knock. I'm on aspirin, ramipril, atorvastatin and amlodipine.

I was a bit of a puzzle to the docs, but there was damage to a small part of the heart and they think I had a small blood clot in one of the blood vessels in my heart. My doctor has advised me to take Lansaprole too (to ward off stomach problems with aspirin) but I didn't like the look of the side effects, and my current regime is more than tolerable. These are all lifetime drugs, which is a pain but I'd rather that than be at risk.

[Stuartym568 in reply to LesleyJ59]

Hi Lesley, sounds like we have very similar cases. I was on Ticagrelor until I had an afib episode - the consultant asked me why I was still on it. I didn't have a clue as I'd been to my GP and she was still signing off the prescriptions. Consultant changed me to clopidogrel.

I was getting some angina issues (I think it may have been anxiety related to be honest) and I managed to persuade the consultant for me to go for another angiogram, which was clear. The angina magically went away after that. The consultant switched me from ramipril to amlodipine which helped with the angina but has now given me puffy ankles.

I'm on Lansoprazole and I find it works but I havent even thought about side effects. I asked for it as I was getting a lot of indigestion but that could have been my diet (I like spicy things) so I might look at coming off it.

Hope you're keeping well!

[LesleyJ59 in reply to Stuartym568]

Hi Stuart, yes I'm doing fine, I just get flutters from time to time, and can tell when my blood pressure's up. I'm told my Granny had palpitations all her life and lived into her 90s, so that's reassuring. Anxiety is a swine, I do a lot of Tai Chi (I teach it, or did before lockdown) so I'm pretty chill, but some things still push my buttons.

I hated my angiogram and I hope never to need one again. The staff were very efficient but had no bedside manner. I also had a scan, I forget what the machine was, but it gave a 'live' picture of my heart beating. I was in it for over an hour, which was challenging.

It's so difficult to change your lifestyle, and diet is an issue. I also love spicy things but my partner tends to dictate what we eat as he's very picky.

I avoided lansoprole as depression was one of the side effects - I can do without that and my digestion is fine, though I did have a colonoscopy just before lockdown and get flare up with IBS occasionally.

Stay healthy!

[hearty1]

Hi Stuart. I was on Clopidogrel along with other meds for af. Consultant changed it to Apixaban. He said that would be better for me. Hope you're feeling fine.