Clopidogrel.

[pet131]

Hi all,just a quick question,was having palpitations and erratic heartbeat and been on Clopidogrel since heart attack and stent fitted last May,my doctor stopped Clopidogrel a week a go and 3 days later the palpitations and erratic heartbeat stopped and went back to normal,can not find anything saying this is a side effect of Clopidogrel,not complaining just wondering if anybody on here had the same?or saw a post about it.Thanks.

[Hidden]

I had a multitude of problems on clopidogrel (possibly driven by other underlying conditions). My biggest problems were chest pain (confirmed non-heart related), sometimes accompanied by palpitations, gastrointestinal issues and peripheral neuropathy. I was tried on ticagrelor as an alternative but that made things worse. I did see significant improvements when I came off the clopidogrel, but from memory the return to some normality took place over about 6 weeks.

[pet131 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the reply,hopefully as the days and weeks go by being off clopidogrel I will stop worrying about palpitations and erratic heartbeat returning,hope your doing well,take care.

[Heyjude31 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Supafil, if you don’t mind my asking are you back on Clopidogrel or an alternative. I am interested to know as I am on Clopidogrel too and it does cause me problems. Many thanks, Judi

[Hidden in reply to Heyjude31]

I was placed on a cocktail of drugs following my stent. I stopped most of them after two weeks due to problems. At 6 months I was taking just clopidogrel and aspirin. I took myself off the clopidogrel over the next month, remaining just on the aspirin.

Over the last 6 months I have been reducing my aspirin dose (against the advice I have been given). This is the only drug I'm on and plan to come off it completely. I wouldn't recommend this approach for others and it is only because of underlying problems I have that has led me to believe I'd be better off without it.

[Hidden in reply to Heyjude31]

Sorry, just to add to my other answer. There are a few alternative medications to clopidogrel. It might be worth a chat with your GP to see if you could try an alternative that might have less side effects.

[Heyjude31 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks ever so much, take care, Judi

[Heyjude31]

Thanks ever so much, I hope all goes very well for you. Take care, Judi

[Heather1957]

I'll be glad to go back on Clopidogrel in October, I am currently on Ticagrelor and aspirin and TBH I am finding the side effects hard to manage. I am having breathlessness for no reason and often at night which wakes me up as I am panting! The Cardiac nurse said it would probably get better but after nearly 6 months I doubt that. I am going away next month so I'll give it a little longer then ask for an alternative, I never had any issues with Clopidogrel.

[ChoochSiesta in reply to Heather1957]

How do you know your problems are caused by Aspirin /Ticagrelor?

[Heather1957 in reply to ChoochSiesta]

I didn't have and side effects until I was put on that combination and the breathlessness (and lack of sleep) started when my medication changed. I was on Clopidogrel for over 4 years.

[pet131 in reply to ChoochSiesta]

I was having problems with aspirin when I first started taking it so doctor change me to Dabigatran 110mg twice a day and been good on it since,only side effect would say is a little tiredness.Thanks for reply.

[Green1964 in reply to Heather1957]

hi when I had my stent fitted I was put on aspirin and clopidogrel but because I was getting side effects from aspirin he triad me just in tricogrelor but made me very breathless I went back to cardiac specialist and he switched me to presagrul I had no problems on that

[Heather1957 in reply to Green1964]

I actually only managed until June with the Ticagrelor, I was wearing a mask while in Boots, bent down to get something on a lower shelf and ended up gasping for air, luckily no one saw me as I would have been so embarrassed. I immediately went back to Clopidogrel while I was waiting for a phone consultation with the GP. The breathlessness stopped practically immediately and my GP felt 6 months was fine on Ticagrelor so was happy for me to go back to Clopidogrel.

I am glad you found an alternative, breathlessness is a recognised side effect of Ticagrelor and the fact the dry mouth at night and the breathlessness stopped when I stopped taking it IMHO shows it was the cause.

There are other options thankfully.

[Green1964 in reply to Heather1957]

After a 15 months the cardiologist said I had to go on to clopidogrel and getting shortness of breath again but doctor says no other alternative to take

[Green1964]

I have been in them for a couple of months I also have started with ectopic heart beats that ease if I don’t take them for a couple of days but I find about a couple of hours after taking clopidogrel I get a breathless feeling and also burning in my throat like it’s causing acid reflux I told my cardiologist about the ectopics and breathless feeling and he said he had never heard of it I do t take aspirin because of the intolerance to it and he as said there is no other low risk safe alternative that he can give me