Bloody thinners question

[Stevegee100]

6 months ago i had a double bypass so Im taking clopidigrel but do i really still need to take asprin as well

[Lowerfield_no_more]

No-one in here can answer that for you. It's a question to put to your cardiologist or GP who will have access to your medical records. However if you have had a heart related event such as a heart attack it seems common practice to prescribe two anti platelets such as aspirin and clopidogrel and then drop one after 12 months with the other taken indefinitely. So I take aspirin for life and dropped clopidogrel after 12 months. Others may be different according to clinical needs.

[PadThaiNoodles]

Indeed, it depends on a lot of factors. I'm on warfarin and aspirin because I have a mechanical heart valve and a high stroke risk. I know the warfarin is for ever, and I think the aspirin is as well in my case.

[BobbyCollins]

Hi Steve geeHope you are keeping well. I have never had a heart attack or stroke but have high blood pressure (now under control) and mild CAD. I was prescribed aspirin by cardiologist but couldn't tolerate them due to acid reflux. The GP prescribed Clopidigrel instead. I asked her recently if I could come off them (mainly because I wanted to take Lions Mane mushroom which makes me feel fantastic but can't be taken with anti platelets) she very emphatically said I can never come off them. I find this very strange as people who have had events seem to come off them eventually. Don't know if that helps you at all and would be interested in any other people's experiences.

Take care

[Seal59]

My husband was prescribed both after his bypass. He had to take clopidogrel for a year and then continued with just the aspirin after that. I think there is a standard cocktail of drugs they issue after heart surgery.

[MoretonCross in reply to Seal59]

Not really, I had OHS last October and I wasn't prescribed clopidogrel. Just one aspirin daily plus other stuff. I had a tissue aortic valve replacement and two x CABG. No clopidogrel.

[Survivor1952]

We are all different, no one here is qualified to comment on your medication, all we can do is comment on our own.

After my surgery I was on Ticagrelor for a year, I was also on aspirin daily which was started when I was in hospital. In my case the low dose aspirin is for the rest of my days on this Earth.

[DWizza]

Usually prescribed for 12 months , should say on your discharge notes if your prescribed it for 12 months 👍🏻.

[Ron0325]

Steve I am on Clopidegrel also , I was on aspirin as well to start with , but we found out I am allergic to Aspirin !! Anyway cardiology took me off aspirin and they are happy with me just being on the one anti platelet , been on the one only for 3 year after triple BP

[Jedi14]

What did the hospital say?

[Digger0]

When I had my titanium patches for my atrial septal defect I was on both asprin and Clopidogrel afterwards. The asprin was for 3 months (if I remember correctly) and the clopidogrel for 6

[HamishBoxer]

I would ask the consultant, I am on Apixaban and not to take Asprin at all. Not for any of us to say what is right for yourself though.

[Steve_G]

Both drugs are anti-platelet agents, that is they prevent platelets from forming a clot. Having said that, they act through very different mechanisms of action so the effect of the two together is greater than either alone. This shows as a strong tendency to bruising which I had whilst on aspirin and ticagralor following CABG. The practice of medicine is evidence based which means that there has to be strong statistical evidence for the clinical benefits for dual anti platelet over single agent therapy before it’s prescribed.

[cabgpatch]

I am apparently on Aspirin for life, but will drop Clopidogrel after a year. I think that is pretty common. To quote my release notes, 'Clopidogrel for secondary prevention post-CABG. For DAPT (dual antiplatelet therapy) for 1 year then clopidogrel to stop and aspirin to continue lifelong'.

[Carsry]

Haia

I had a double bypass Jan 24, was on both tablets for 12 months - then Jan this year I was taken off Copidogrel. I've been told I'll need to be on Aspirin for life.