Eliquis side effects

Hi all,
I started Eliquis one week ago and I don't like it. My eyes are puffy and I have headaches. I feel better at times and think things will even out, but woke up in the middle of the night with a bigger headache, then a short tachycardia episode when I sat up. I felt crappy and thought I'd need to get help, but over about 10 minutes things settled except for the headache. Things are better this morning, but still have some headache. Is this common, will it even out? Wondering about others' experiences?
Thanks!

In November of 2016 I requested my prescription be changed from Xeralto to Eliquis. I did not feel well on the Eliquis. I informed the NP of it and sent heart rhythm traces and was told to wait and see. By the end of Dec I had a stroke. The Eliquis was not working at all. The stroke was far worse than the worst of my AFIB (after three ablations). I would be very careful of any issues with Eliquis.

Mike E.

Oh my gosh, I am so sorry, you were taking a blood thinner to prevent a stroke and yet it happened to you. Were you taking the lower dose or the higher dose of Eliquis? How are you feeling now, I hope you are ok, I really don't know why Eliquis and xeralto came on the market at this time as there isn't an antidote for either of them. I know I will get slammed for saying what I did, but the more knowledge we have the better.

Liz

Elizabeth,
I was taking 5 mg, one in the morning and one in the evening. My brain will never be the same. The stroke was in the left side of my brain and affected my right arm and leg and the forward part which stores lots of needed functions. My memory is lacking many needed things. I'm working hard to reclaim much lost at the time. I look normal to most people but I cannot talk about what I used to know. I'm walking pretty well now but I'm not as strong as I was before the stroke. I working on it. Thanks for asking, I'm getting better all the time.

Is it a way to check the efficiency of those new blood thinners? I presume a blood test would say if it's OK, but how over time?

@ Mike E

Sorry for this. Is it the first and only blood thinner you were prescribed?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2018 01:16PM by Pompon.

This is very disturbing. I too am on Eliquis.

Mike you will get a lot better, my brother had a stroke a few years ago, it affected his left arm/side as well, his strength in his arm is ok now. He did go and did exercises, he never had AF, yet he got a stroke, we all do the best we can.

Liz

After 2 ablations, I am on a blood thinner for Life. I am currently taking 15 mg of Xarelto but I might’ve on Eliquis next year. It depends if it makes the Medicare D formulary list. I am with Silverscripts. In 2017, Eliquis was a tier 4 and Xarelto was Tier 3. This year they are currently both Tier 3 but this can change anytime.
I am currently 60 years old. I bruise and my skin tears so easy taking these blood thinners. I actually despise blood thinners but my LAA Ablation requires it and NSR is Sweet.
I am waiting on the day that the LAA watchman or whatever has been close to perfected because it is my only hope to get off this med.

The data are clear that Eliquis and the other NOACs are very effective at preventing strokes, but very effective doesn't mean 100%. Nothing offers 100% prevention, but Eliquis and the other NOACs are the best available.

Also, keep in mind that not all strokes originate in the left atrium. They can also be caused by clots that form elsewhere and by pieces of arterial plaque that break off. Mike's stroke was unfortunate but it doesn't indicate a problem with Eliquis.

Mike E - I'm so very sorry about your stroke while on Eliquis. That's a very unsettling revelation for those of us who are on Eliquis. It's certainly a drug I don't like taking and have never felt right since beginning it three years ago, but (for me) it's a whole lot better than what I experienced when warfarin was all that was available.

I'm glad you are slowly improving and send you my very best wishes for an optimal recovery, with time.
Kind regards,
Jackie

Eliquis has approximately 3% failure rate which I did not know when I requested it. I switched from Xeralto to Eliquis after nearly two years on Xeralto without talking to Dr. Natale about it. I requested the change from the NP at CPMC and I got it. I was a fool. The reason I was on it so long after an ablation of my LAA was that Dr. Natale was not allowed to install a watchman device in me and I was not aware of that being the problem. After my stroke I went to Austin,TX and had the watchman device installed there. If I had known of the problem at CPMC before I would have gone to Austin much sooner without changing my prescription. I foolishly studied Eliquis and everything about it was better except the unknown 3% failure parameter.

Does any one ever get the feeling having confusion or mental fog while taking Eliquis l.I have been taking Eliquis for about 1 year now. At some point would like to get off blood thinners. Hopefully the Watchman procedure will be approved by Insurance companies in the near future

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Mike E
I foolishly studied Eliquis and everything about it was better except the unknown 3% failure parameter.

Again, it's not Eliquis. ALL the NOACs have a similar stroke rate. It's also very likely many of those strokes are caused by ruptured plaques, something that no anticoagulant can prevent.

You're missing my point Carey. I took Warfarin in my first ablation and Xeralto in my second and third and they worked fine. Eliquis did not work. I knew nothing about the 3% failure rate of any of the NOAC's. If I had known at the point I changed to Eliquis I would not have taken the additional risk. My clot was definitely formed in my LAA, I had no heart disease other than my afib and disabled LAA.

The only way to know what caused your stroke is an autopsy and even that's not certain. It could just as well have happened had you been taking warfarin, Xarelto or anything else, and probably would have. Singling out Eliquis is unjustified and most likely wrong. People freak out enough about anticoagulants without telling them things like Eliquis doesn't work. Eliquis works as well or better than any known anticoagulant. You were simply unfortunate and became one of a very small number of people who suffer strokes while on warfarin, Xarelto, Pradaxa, and Eliquis.

My cardio was gung ho Eliquis. After my 3rd or 4th TEE, the sludge in my Atrium hadn't changed much, so they couldn't do a cardioversion. We switched to warfarin, and it was cleared out in a few weeks so we could do the procedure. Have been on it for a few years, without any problems. I can easily manipulate the INR with a healthy diet.

Mike:

When you stopped Xarelto, did you right away take Eliquis or did you wait a period of days? I have told this before but I was given Coumadin years ago, I had problems with it and was told to stop it, I coughed up some blood clots a few weeks later, I was lucky that nothing happened to me. It does seem strange that you stopped one anticoagulant for another and got a stroke. I don't agree to just forget about this, perhaps the makers of Eliquis should be informed,, the more that is known the better for all of us and how do we know that you are only one of a small number of people who suffer strokes while on these meds, has there been any studies?

Liz

Liz,
I took Eliquis the same day and on going per the instructions. I don't know if there are any long studies on this but the people at the stroke hospital I was in gathered the information and sent it to the manufacturer. Sorry I don't remember the names but the stroke damaged my ability to remember stuff. I think in a year or two it will come back. I'm going on vacation in the morning and won't be back for a week, I'll check in then.

Mike:

Ok, have a good time and relax. I used to have a really good memory but the older I get my memory isn't as good, I remember things from a long time ago but short term memory isn't the same, just getting older. Let us know how you are doing when you get back.

Liz

Thanks everyone!! I in finals week at school and forgot about my post. You guys are a wealth of information. I love hearing everyone's experience and that you can debate issues. Great conversations. Sorry to hear about your stroke, Mike! It sounds like a hard experience. I'm glad you're making progress and hope it continues. It's all scary. My headaches are better today, but I had times today that I felt weak and I feel like I have reflux tonight. I sure hate taking meds! My ablation is in 3 weeks in Texas. Keep your fingers crossed. Is there a blood test to tell if Eliquis is working correctly?

I'm taking eliquis too and want to get off of it. Has anyone heard of nattokinase- a natural blood thinner? Haven't done much research on it.\

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libby
Is there a blood test to tell if Eliquis is working correctly?

In short, no. A hematologist could certainly administer one (prothrombin time) but it typically isn't done, and unlikely any insurance would pay for it in the context of AF ablation.

On the morning of your ablation, you will take your last Eliquis (or somewhere thereabouts, do whatever the docs tell you). During the ablation, they will switch you to heparin, which is an injected blood thinner, and use that to actively adjust the ACT (activated clotting time) about every 15 minutes. After the procedure, once they are satisfied that the catheter insertion points in your groin have sufficiently sealed up you will restart the Eliquis for the remainder of the 3-month "blanking period".

If you didn't do the Eliquis prior to the procedure, or it somehow didn't work (unlikely) then there's a possibility that a clot exists in the left atrium. If they saw a clot either on delayed-enhancement cardiac MRI (typically one day before procedure, if done at all) or TEE (trans-esophageal echogram) at the very start of the procedure, then the procedure would be aborted and the clot dealt with before attempting another ablation.

I would add that Eliquis simply isn't known to not work correctly.

Mickey - Nattokinase is a great way to reduce clot risk as long as you are cleared to go off the Eliquis. You can read about nattokinase in the archived posts at this link...[www.afibbers.org]
Scroll down to Sessions 39 and 40.

You should also check the current details offered by Ralph O. Holsworth, DO, who introduced Nattokinase to the US....
The Cardiokinase brand is the one currently recommended as most efficacious.
[www.cardiokinase.com] In the LH column, click on the various topics for more detail.

Jackie

I was looking into Eliquis but instead of checking out the PDR or what is written about it I looked into what those who were taking it thought about it. I must say, what I found wasn't very encouraging. Few thought it was worthwhile. Most were disappointed, didn't like how it made them feel and wanted off of it. There were even reported deaths with Eliquis. So, the guy riding the bicycle in the desert with a smile is all hype.

Alxn


Are you on any blood thinners? My EP is bound and determined to get me on Eliquis, I am concerned about it, I have had episodes of AF for almost 20 years, I didn't get that many episodes for many of those years but I am getting more episodes lately so I getting more anxious about it. I too have read things about Eliquis, I read that there is about 20,000 people in the U.S. that have been hospitalized because of it and some have died, many have had problems with it.

Liz

Liz - check the post on the Nattokinase alternative...Lumbrokinase. You may be able to use that and if so you may be able to convince your EP you are more comfortable with that option... although it's not an Rx.

Jackie

Jackie:

I have read your article on Lumbrokinase, I am interested, the prices vary on this supplement which one do you buy?. Is it all made in China? It also is made from earthworm protein, sounds kind of gross. I would like to run his by doc. B.

Thanks Jackie

Liz - The product name is Boluoke(r) and is made/marketed by Canada RNA. I no longer use because I'm on the Eliquis.

Go to their website here: [www.canadarna.com]
You can contact them to ask about the sourcing.

As I mentioned in that post.... for the many years, I followed Dr. Gordon's FACT forum, he always commented about both the safety and efficacy of Bolouke.... I would not want to trust any other brand. It may be pricey, but nothing compared to Eliquis or similar...Rx.

Jackie