it’s a year since bypass surgery and my repeat prescription has Ticagrelor missing. I talked a receptionist (can’t get even a doctors consult phone call until 9 August!)
Has anyone else had the same … receptionist told me that Ticagrelor was only to taken for 12 months but you would have thought a doc would have invited you in for a review of meds before 12 months and not after
If you still have a copy of your discharge letter from the hospital you might find that the GP instruction within it is to stop prescribing Ticagrelor after 12 months. Certainly my understanding is that antiplatelet meds are usually reduced 12 months after heart surgery or a heart attack, since the risk is reduced. However what you haven't told us is whether you have been or are now taking low dose aspirin, which is usually a for-life anti-platelet medication for heart disease patients.
I’m almost 12 months after a heart attack. The cardiologist has said that dual therapy with ant platelets and blood thinners is for 12 months. He’s said my clopidogrel will stop but the blood thinners riveroxaban will increase from 15mg to 20mg. I also have PAF and another cardiac arrhythmia.
I was told mine would stop after 12 months by the rehabilitation cardiac nurse who rang me 2weeks after I came out of hospital.Lily
I was on Clopidigrel for 12 months to the day after surgery. It was clearly written on my discharge letter. Your chemist will be a good person to refer to if you can't get hold of your doctor.
Ticalgralor is dropped after 12 months. Docs say it is only intended for 6 to help the stent settle into the system. I also raised these concerns and after a blood test and med check my worries were explained to me and reasons why not to worry. It's perfectly normal and it doesn't change anything apart from dropping 2 tablets a day.
My Clopidigril has the same thing on it 12 months so I expect it to stop in December. I'm not expecting a consultation as it's anti platelet meds.
Agree with others here. There’s no need for a review for a discontinuation of a med that was decided upon 12 months earlier. It’s completely standard procedure to put the discontinuation date on inception for meds like Ticagrelor. As a pharmacist we sometimes have to remind surgeries to stop repeating after 12 months as sometimes it gets missed. I was so glad to get to the end of my 12 months of Ticagrelor. One more drug NOT to take. And I don’t bruise so badly now.
Ticagralor is usually stopped after 12 months. This was stated on my discharge and also on every box of ticagralor i got eg. take one twice a day until 23rd April 2023.I agree with Jennyrx that it was nice not to bruise so easily lol
Best wishes. Julie x
Yes I was told the antiplatelet Med would be stopped after twelve months post stent.
Mine had to be stopped after six months as the antiplatelet and aspirin resulted in me becoming anaemic and the cardiologist said I was at more risk of heart issues from the anaemia than I was otherwise so mine was discontinued for that reason.
Otherwise I was aware it was going to be stopped anyway twelve months post stent.
Hi NyMets,
When I had my medication set by the team at Papworth after my bypass op, the ward sister took time to tell me about every medication that I was being prescribed, including when some would be stopped (Clopidogrel 12 months, Diltiazem 6 weeks). I had had a similar discussion at Kettering 11 months earlier after my HA, which was particularly important as I had not been used to taking anything more than a blood pressure medication. In my opjnion two hospitals that got it right by not relying upon paperwork to do the explaining. 😀
Incidentally, my prescription for Clopidogrel continued after 12 months (though I didn't order it) and I had to explain to my GP that it should have been stopped. It wasn't taken off the list for another 6 months. It seems your GP is far more on the case than mine was.
All the best,
Gerald
Ticagrelor is normally stopped after 12 months. It’ll say on your discharge letter.
Hi NyMets - after a triple by-pass in February this year I was prescribed daily Bisoprolol (1.25mg - later upped to 2.5mg), Aspirin (75mg), Furosemide (20mg - to be stopped after two weeks), Clopidogrel (75mg) and Lansoprazole (30mg). I can't take statins so was prescribed Ezetimibe in April.
It states on my 'Medication Record' discharge notes that the Clopidogrel and Lansoprazole are to be taken for one year only but my GP tells me that the other meds will be 'for life'. I was never prescribed Ticagrelor but Clopidogrel is also an anti-platelet. Carol
Hi Nymets, I too take Ticagrelor and I am due to stop taking it at the end of August, initially I was taking 90 mgs twice a day from May 2019, following two heart attacks and a stent fitted. After a little research on my part, I asked my Cardiologist if I could stay on it for a further two years at 60 mgs twice a day because of the benefits to my heart and arteries. He was in full agreement with my request and I am due to stop shortly. However , I have been researching again and have found an article that suggests taking Ticagrelor for a total of five years which I would like to do but the NICE guidelines say no, I don't know if it is the cost of the drug. I am feeling a bit apprehensive and anxious about stopping the drug, I don't want another heart attack! Good luck to you.
I've been wondering the same. My Ticagrelor (90mg) was due to stop 12 months after my MI (and two stents). Having looked into my family history I've noticed a history of clotting issues so have been undergoing tests for hereditary clotting disorders. These tests have shown that I do have a Prothrombin 20210 Mutation, also called Factor II Mutation which is a genetic condition that causes an increase in the likelihood of your blood forming dangerous blood clots. I'm now therefore trying to find out if I shold stay on the Ticagrelor to 'balance out' the increased likelihood of clotting caused by the gene mutation. That kind of makes sense to me but I haven't been able to get a straight answer from a medical professional yet.
I do bruise a little easier than I used to (presumably a side effect of the medication) but I do lots of extreme sports and even doing them I'm not covered in bruises so I don't think I'm bleeding excessively. I kniod of think a longer term on a lower dose of Ticagrelor would be the best balance for me. The doctors seem t follow a 'one-size-fits-all' program though without looking at the whole picture for each individual.
Have you been given an alternative? After my stents were fitted in Oct 21 I was put onTicagrelor and taken off Clopidogrel and it said on my prescription this was for 12 months and then I was to revert to Clopidogrel. I only lasted 6 months on Ticagrelor before going back to Clopidogrel. My doctors has a pharmacist who does medication reviews, if yours does ask to speak to him/her about this.
Dental surgery post heart attack
Consultant
Am I being stopped medication for monetary reasons.
Coming Off Ticagrelor 
