blood thinners risks

hi I’ve just been diagnosed with AF and been prescribed Edoxaban - I’m low risk of a stroke scoring only 1/9 on risk tool, so am wondering, does my risk of stroke on that score outweigh the cerebral bleed risk of the medication? Really not sure what to do

[BeKind28-]

Hello

I do not have the answer however your Doctor or Consultant has put you on these and I am sure are aware of this and the risk of giving you this medication to the benefits of giving it you

If you are not sure though speak with them again and put it to them even though I can imagine been a low risk it is why they think you will be ok if you were a higher risk they may have not they weigh it all up before they prescribe

Others might be able to share their experiences with you but it has to be between you and your Doctors as they are medically trained

I hope you will get more replies and let us know how you get on x

[Happyrosie]

it might be of benefit to you to speak to a pharmacist-:either your dispensing pharmacist or the one employed by your doctor’s group of surgeries.

Pharmacists are the experts on medication and their effects on the human body.

[Murderfan58]

Are you under the AF clinic if so they will give you all the information you need ? I can't praise my AF clinic enough they where brilliant and put my mind at rest on Flecainide for my heart and Apixaban blood thinner. Cardiologist brilliant if it wasn't for him sending me for echo and follow up bubble echo I would never had known I was born with a hole in the side of my heart but it's small and safer to leave unless I get chest pain which I don't do get breathless at times especially if it's very hot or cold. Have heart flutters and palpitations occasionally but just relax on its over in a few minutes. Been missing heart beats since 2017 after having jaundice which left me hearing my heart beat in my left ear. I know that weird but that's me.

Like others have said ask professionals they will put your mind at rest.

[Jetcat]

did your cardiologist or EP prescribe them.?

[Deejay62]

Hi I was diagnosed with AF 5 yrs ago and put on warfarin. End of last year I was changed to Edoxaban and to be honest for me it’s been a lot better because I don’t have to endure the constant testing I had with warfarin because my INR level was always too high.

I forget I’m even on anticoagulation, but I do watch what I do, cutting myself etc. I find I have a lot less bruising than I did on warfarin.

I take 30mg. They tried me on 60 but it was too much for my kidneys. I hope after a while you will be able not to worry too much about it. I had a bad fall on warfarin but internally I was fine. Speak to your pharmacist if you have any worries.

All the best.

[scentedgardener]

Best advice is to talk to your doctor, but it was my experience that they don't explain very well. I can understand your concern, my father died from a cerebral haemorrage, he wasn't on this medication. I was always a problem as I bled so much, having a tooth extraction, an operation, or even with a minor cut. I didn't even know that I bled too freely until I was in hospital for an operation and they told me as it was in my notes. I had AF explained to me, but because of the way it was explained I didn't grasp that it would change the consistency of my blood, and that it would be thicker and more likely to clot. Add to that the apparent result of Rivaroxaban, which appeared to be making me bleed and bruise less, and I was in a morass of confusion.By all means check with your doctor, to see if they can set your mind at rest.

[Chinkoflight]

Hi, if it's been prescribed by an expert they understand fully the risks you face and have made a determination.I am prescribed Edoxaban (previously antiplatelet Clopidogrel) bisoprolol and atorvastatin.

I had two co-morbidities, age and overweight. No blood pressure issues, low and healthy cholesterol levels.

BUT all these medications were prescribed post -hoc, that is after an event.

My stroke was severe, out of the blue, and I had for me what seemed miracle treatment. To lose everything, feel life draining away until the tiniest of light is left on somewhere in the top of your brain, enough to say stay alive is frightening in the extreme.

To subsequently have paroxysmal AFib detected a year later when you have absolutely no awareness of a problem is unnerving.

To then have a syncope event another year on while running with less than 2 seconds of warning and then lights out wasn't worrying at all whilst it happened. Sudden cardiac arrest from a left ventricular tachycardia.

Throughout all of this my co-morbidities remained the same and no explanation could be offered.

I wish I'd had more pre-emptive preventative medication!

The last event put me in CCU for a long time with constantly worried faces around me explaining how lucky I was!

I have a few more co-morbidities now! Including heart scarring, (from a silent heart attack!!! Passed me by!) severe heart thinning, but in spite of this my heart works well and my pipes are clear still in echocardiogram, angiogram, Cardiac MRI and specialist PETscan observations.

Mine is just one story and I am an outlier, so not your average body. The Doctors are well qualified but matters of the heart and circulation are unbelievably complex and more is unknown than known.

I've just spent a day cutting by shears a very thorny rural hedge. I've cuts and scratches all over my arms.

On Edoxaban I've had several surgical procedures without problems in recent months.

Male aged 72 keeping my eyes open for #chinksoflight

[readyabout]

Gosh, when I was put on Edoxaban by GP due to AF, and taken off by Cardiologist, nobody told me about cerebral bleed risk, I now check things out for myself, rather a drop in trust in GPs and medical lot.

[Sixtychick]

I was worried about going on anti- coagulants, especially as my Dad was on Warfarin for a DVT in his leg, many years ago and he had a brain haemorrhage, which killed him 38 years ago. I was assured that Edoxaban was safer than Warfarin. Unfortunately, these drugs were not available for him then.

I take the lower dose of 30 mg, as I weigh under 60 KG and don’t have problems with it, even having blood tests or teeth out etc. As there is a history of strokes and heart attacks in both sides of my family, I feel safer taking it, if it would help prevent these.

[RoyMacDonald]

My personal preference would not to risk having another stroke as you lose so much when you lose a piece of brain like I did, being completely paralyzed down my right side. The risk of a bleed is very low on Apixaban.

I did not take the Apixaban I was prescribed when I was first diagnosed with AF as I was also worried about a bleed, and 18 months later had a major stroke .

I worry about dying from a bleed far less. I'm 80 though. I've been on Apixaban for 6 years since my stroke. It's your choice though.

All the best.

Roy

[sandandkev]

You don't say how old you areI was in A F last year so put on edoxaban,now have been diagnosed with hole in heart and mild heart disease,but edoxaban will help prevent a strokeIn AF your blood doesn't circulate efficiently and can clot in heart which is why put on blood thinners as a clot will then travel to head and cause stroke

[Warm-heart]

I have been taking Edoxaban for a few years and have no side effects from it whatsoever, and I am super senstive to medications. You should have your clotting time done when taking this, then you will know it is not an excessive dose. But you can usually tell if it is as you will bruise very easily. I would rather take it and know I am covered from the risk of clots/ clots travelling to the brain and causing a stroke.

[DinoCat]

This sounds like a 1to 9 risk score on the “ChadsVasc” scale? If so I was also scored at 1 (based on age) following 3 brief AF episodes. The Cardiologist advice I was given was that at 1 out of 9 it was a marginal call on whether to go onto anticoagulants, or not - ie the quite small risk of a stroke would be approx balanced by the (bleed etc) risks associated with taking anticoagulants. However, additional risk factors increase the score & at a score of 2 or greater, the stroke risks start to outweigh risks from anticoagulants. In my case, I was advised that I would automatically add a further risk score of 1 once reaching 75 (ie 2 out of 9) - hence would then be advised to start anticoagulants.

Please do professionally check your personal situation & calculations, however, as there could be other factors influencing your individual risks.