I have been on anticoagulants since I had my stent put in last year in July. Since then I have only see the cardiologist once because of the Covid. The prescription comes to an end in October. I am very pleased with that as I hate them. The make me feel quite ill.
I am trying to get an appointment, but I wonder how long other people were on anticoagulants after their stents were put in.
I cannot wait to come off them but should I try to contact the cardiologist first. Not that I can get any more. This is the last lot.
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Surreychica_1
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I was on Ticagrelor after my heart attack and 1 stent and discontinued taking it in December 2019 after 12 months. I didn't have any issues with it except all the bruising - I looked like I'd been punching walls!
That is good to know. I look like I walked out of a horror film. Bruises and cuts all over the place and I bleed like a "stuck pig" at every little nick. Not to mention when I was taking Ticagrelor they made me feel so ill and although the cardiologist changed it to another I still do not feel right. So I am celebrating that this lot is the end. He has kept me on them for one year and three months.
Thanks for your reply. I feel better now than I have done for some time. Knowing this is the last lot.
I was on Ticagrelor 90 mg after my heart attack in February 2019. After 12 months was changed to 60 mg. was told by cardiologist that I should take them for the rest of my life. I think it depends on each person’s situation.
I was put on Ticagrelor at the time of my amputation to prevent potential clots in my remaining leg! The physios and nurses say ithe blood flow must be pretty reasonable considering my performance on the exercise bike as all rides are logged and I have apparently beaten the previous all time record by 0.1km - now to smash it! My problem is that with the Ticagrelor is that my stomach is covered on bruises from the daily Heparin injections given to all patients!
I was in the same position, had my HA + 1 stent last August, was on Ticagrelor, cardiologist appointments cancelled, phone consultations cancelled re covid.
I had to phone the heart team and my gp that 12 months was up, do I stop? do I carry on? before my gp confirmed I can stop the Ticagrelor.
That is good news. Cannot wait to stop taking them. Thanks for answering. I can now happily stop taking them even if I do not manage to see a cardiologist.
Was told to take the Ticagrelor for one year, was given a card with Cardiologists name and phone number on it and told if GP wants to take me off it he must call Cardiologist first.
I see a different cardiologist every time I go. Having said that since I have had my stent last year in July I have only seen a cardiologist once in December 2020. I have tried to get an Appt. but without success.
The only note of caution that I would add is that you should check with your GP. I’ve been on them since Nov 2018. I’m lucky that apart from usual bruising issues I can tolerate them. However when stented the surgeon discovered an aneurysm in the stented vein As a result I’m on them for life.
I saw the GP a few weeks ago. He hasnt got a clue. Told me to make a appointment with cardiologist - he cannot do it - and so far no luck. When I had the stent put in the surgeons didnt mention an aneurysm. He showed me the x-rays the before and after. I shall be very happy to stop taking them.
I'm the same as Maisie. In this situation, I suggest that you go back to your GP and ask to be re-referred to the cardiologist. With different issues, this was the only way I could find to get back to see the specialist medical doctors.
I have been to the GP and he cannot make an appt for me as I have explained above. It is hard enough trying to get an appt with the GP let alone the cardiologist. I went with lots of issues and go one appointment, however the cardiologist has set the date for my taking the anticoagulants until end of September. I am on my last lot now. I was just wondering how long people are on it and it seems that most people are on it for one year only. That is what I am hoping as they make me feel so ill and I do not want to bleeding at every little bang or knock or feel ill. I have tried different ones and they are all the same. I feel terrible.
I'm sorry I misread our question. You have my sympathy as it is not a nice position to be in. It does seem so wrong that you are unable to get to talk to a doctor. I don't know where you live, but the GP practice I belong to are organised so that I can always talk to to a doctor on the phone if I phone at 8 am. They phone me back at some point during the same day. However, I never know which doctor I will get.
I was on clopidogrel for one year. I phoned to check near the end and was told to stop.
Best wishes to you, and good luck in getting this sorted
Felt very ill. I could hardly put one foot in front of the other. The cardiologist changed it for another! Thankfully and I felt a lot better, but I was so pleased to come off of them!
I am on them for a year and it says to stop them on prescription.I haven't seen cardiologist at All fro july just the cardiac nurse said everything was good get bloods checked with gp in 6 months
I walk most days 3 miles but I feel at times worrying about getting covid and brusing with ticagrelor that I am shaking at times
I agree that is what worried me. Having an accident and bleeding. I was so relieved to come off of them. To be honest they should give you something to wear in case of an accident, fall or otherwise so that doctor/nurses know. Or write something yourself and keep it on you at all times.
Do not stop taking meds unless advised you do so by GP. If GP can’t tell you then insist he contact cardiologist. My GP contacted mine by email. Insist your GP does his job properly. Mine has been very good at keeping me informed on the telephone.
I cannot help it as I have only been prescribed them until the end of September and unless a cardiologist extends the time I should be taking them I have no other choice but stop and the farmacia cannot let me have them past the date on my records. I am going to phone next week just to make sure that I am to stop. That is if I can get to speak to one on the phone that is. I am not holding out much hope though.
Depends on your age whether you get advised to keep on taking them as the risk of strokes increases as you get older. Bear in my mind that there are other anti-coagulants available and there is still the tried and tested warfarin, which I have taken for for about 15 years.
I thought blood thinners stopped strokes. I am still in Aspirin and I will continue to take them for the rest of my life. I definitely do not want to take anticoagulants they have made me feel so ill and bleed everywhere, not to mention bruises at every little knock or bang.
Each time I have been prescribed anti-coagulants it has been for 12 months, the period set down by the cardiologist before I left hospital. It is still on my prescription even though I stopped taking the last lot at the end of 12 months..... and that was 15 months ago! I have asked my GP to remove it from the system, but it is still there - no explanation given. I could technically have 15 months supply in my cupboard!
That is intereting that you just stopped. I did wonder if I should but knowing that this is the last lot has made me happy. But still I would not have minded seeing a cardiologist first just to go over things.
Well I didn't have any issues with either anti-coagulant that I was prescribed - Prasugrel and Clopidogrel. I just stopped as per the instructions. I was told both times that it was a precautionary measure only. Clopidogrel is still on my prescription and says for 12 months only, yet 12 months came and went in June 2019. Sometimes I do find the admin side of the NHS very bizarre!
I have to take Ticagrelor for 12 months following two stents in July. It actually states this on the label on the box. So I will stop taking then in July 2021. I feel confident To do this partly because I know what the protocols are post stent and partly because I’m a pharmacist and know it will safe to stop even without seeing my cardiologist(s).
That is interesting. Thanks for that. I cannot wait to stop taking them. However when I saw the cardiologist in December of last year he said I had to take them until the end of September. He also said that I should have another appt. in July, but that didnt happen and I have not seen another one since.
Thanks for that. That has made me happy. They make me feel so bad and I bleed all over the place. I am terrified of having an accident in the car or on my bike so I do not go out on the bike in case I come off and I am loath to do anything which may cause me to trip or fall over etc. So this is my last pack.Yipee!!
I actually have an alert bracelet with aspirin and Ticagrelor just in case I fell over twice last year and broke elbows but the second time I smashed myself in the jaw and bled a lot. So I’ve started these meds since then and I’m a little wary although I’ve not given up running or any thing else - well I did give it up post stenting but I’m back now. I bruise a lot and have a bloody nose but I’m not letting myself be beaten by this or the cancer I had last year. Onwards and upwards...
Good idea. I did think of writing something on a piece of paper and putting it in my bag so that if I had an accident people would know.
I do go out walking. I walk about 4 to 5 miles a day and more if I can.
I often have a nose bleed. Not very nice. I just cannot wait to no longer be taking these horrible drugs. However the alternative is worse!! and as you have said. Onwards and upwards........!
My phone has an emergency health information facility built in. I checked with the ambulance crew on one of my ‘blue light taxi’ trips, and they confirmed they are trained to access and use this.
I was on Ticagrelor for a year after my HA/stent/ICD. I then had another stent and they put me on Cloppy Dog for 6 months, but that didn't agree with my bowels, so I switched back to Tica for the last 2 momths.
That is good that you were on it for a year which means that this really is the last lot. I think that they have gone over the year because I was originally put on Ticagrelor but that didnt agree with me so they changed it to another and that is probably why it has been extended so that I have been on Clopidogrel 75mg. It doesnt say how long you should take it as it does for Ticagrelor. It just says for as long as prescribed.
Cardiologist stopped my Ticagrelor after 12 months. He explained that ‘gold standard’ was to carry on for another two years on a lower dose, as explained on the card in was told to carry, but he was concerned at my total drug load. He said nearly all the benefit was in the first few months, it then tailed off steadily and very little difference after a year.
After 3 stents and heart failure diagnosis 7 years ago my medication on discharge from hospital in Scotland included Clopidogrel for 3 months. After referral to a cardiologist in Essex this was left at 3 months and I remember some improvement in symptoms when I stopped taking them. Since heard that 3 months is the norm in Scotland for Clopidogrel but 12 months in England. Not sure how true this is but but kept up my whisky intake just in case. No ill effects from either past actions.
I was on Ticegralor after my heart attack and one stent fitted. My prescription said from day one to stop taking them after one year which I did. That was almost one year ago and I feel fine.
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