Eliquis, Pradaxa Or Xarelto - Which Is The Best? (Top voted first)

My hematologist wants to switch me off warfarin for one of these three medications - Eliquis, Pradaxa, or Xarelto. I have a history of CVT and a chronic blood condition. Bottom line, whatever he switches me to, I'm likely on it for a long time unless I have complications. But that's the thing. I seem to always be the person who has the ultra-rare side effect that no one ever reads on the fact sheet. So I'm asking, which of these three is tolerated the best? While I've been on warfarin I've gained nearly 60 lbs. I'm vegan. I ride centuries (100mi bike rides). As a result of all the weight gain, other health issues are becoming more pressing. Arthritis, muscle aches, the threat of diabetes, not to mention what it's done to my self-esteem and marriage. I have absolutely zero doubt in my mind that the warfarin caused my weight gain and inability to lose a single pound of it. What I don't want is to switch to one of these newer drugs and find the weight continuing to creep up and my energy level sinking to non-existent. Before my next appointment this fall when my doc will just throw clinical research at me, I want to find out which is the best, according to those who have actually taken them. Thank you for your time and any response.

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Hello, Rye! I am very sorry about the issues you're having from the meds, your marriage, and the weight gain.

However, there is no way anyone can give you a definitive answer on this, we are all different, so it depends on you.

According to FDA reports, most of these, including Warfarin, do not cause weight gain.

Are you on any other medications? Which one does your doctor think you should try? They are not all the same, some are used to treat different conditions.

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Re: Verwon (# 1)

I have been taking Pradaxa since it first came on the market. My cardiologist was part of the trial process. I have had no events or problems due to the Pradaxa. I have never heard of any of these meds, including warfarin (my mother took this for several years) causing weight gain. I have gained about 30 pounds over the last 4 years, but not due to medications. Rather due to becoming less active. I have atrial fib that comes and goes. My husband also took it for a year or so, but he had nose bleed problems, and this Pradaxa aggravated the bleeding problem, so he chose to stop taking it.

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Hi, Sorry for your difficulties. I was on Xarelto and gained weight and there are several entries on different sites remarking on weight gain. It's awful. Furthermore, there are many legal cases against the makers of Xarelto for fatalities or extreme problems of internal bleeding caused by Xarelto. When I learned this I was sent to my cardiologist and told her I was angry about putting me on this drug. Keep doing your research. Good luck!

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Man I feel for you.... However if a specialist of that caliber wants to switch you to something different I'd be inklined to listen.

As far as weight gain warfarin shouldn't be the cause of gaining weight not normally anyway. You did mention you are Atypical when it comes to off book reactions. Could you tell us what form of blood disease are you suffering from? Have you had your spleen out? Injured, diseases?

I'm not selling you anything but there is a natural weight gain extract I used myself that caused me to lose 72 lbs. it's called Garcinia Cambogia it's supposed to increase metabolism to burn fat. I live in a wheel chair so I don't go running I live a sedentary lifestyle unfortunately. Yet I took them from my pharmacy don't buy on the net as you don't know what your getting. It acts on the pituitary gland at least it's supposed to. Run this by your doc just to be on the safe side. I would and give it a try for a good three months and it's not expensive.

The drugs you mentioned also all have a diuretic side effect and as crazy as it sounds make sure you're hydrated and let your kidneys function. Drink water and stay away from large amounts of milk. A glass a day if you have to. You may not be expelling your meds quickly enough, then when you dose again you may have too much in your body. Try simple water to get and stay hydrated.

Good luck,
W

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Re: Verwon (# 1)

My doctor seems to be leaning toward Xarelto since I'd be on it for a clotting condition--not A fib. From what I can tell, you can find a message board for just about any drug with people who believe it caused weight gain. I have been one of those people myself--I have little doubt in my mind that Warfarin is a factor in my weight gain. It is the single factor in my life that changed pre- vs. post-weight gain. In fact, during both of my pregnancies, when I had to be off Warfarin, I lost weight. Yup, the one woman who loses weight during a pregnancy. Since the pregnancy, and the return to Warfarin, the weight is creeping back up. I ride my bicycle over 200 miles a week. My diet is essentially vegan. I can't get much more healthy--and I now weigh nearly 225lbs. Something is wrong here. They've evaluated me for endocrine/metabolic issues. There's just no explanation. So I've been hoping that the switch off of Warfarin would mean I would finally have a chance to lose the weight. But, like I said, a basic search leads to message boards talking about weight gain tied to all these drugs--which of course goes against what the FDA says. Just trying to get a straight answer.

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The company I get my mail order drugs from tried a similar thing with me. I have an *EXCELLENT* doctor. He took the list from me and did some quick research. He said I was to *REMAIN* with PRADAXA as I am on other drugs that interact with the substitutions. They said "NO, you have to choose". I was talking with my employer's HR department and he passed me over to his expert in these matters. He laughed and said the company was not looking at the issue the right way. The only way to get them to pay attention to drug interactions is for the Doctor to write a note saying that Pradaxa was a medical necessity. That clicked with the mail order (CVS) company and they sent out the PRADAXA. It was very close as I received the medications that day I ran out.

Make sure your doctor knows *ALL* the medications you are taking and then for him to do a lookup of contraindicated drugs with the different medications. There are one or two of the drugs they are pushing you into taking, be careful. These are BLOOD THINNING drugs and *SOME* ER rooms do not carry the drug that stops the bleeding. Each drug (I think) has a unique medication that is needed to stop the bleeding, so take that into account as well. If you live outside of a metropolitan area the ER may *NOT* have the drug, I don't know how each ER decides on what drug to carry. Remember two things. Some hospitalization plans have a limit on the number of pints you can receive before it's out of your pocket (100 percent), so it's important when you are receiving blood thinners to know that the hospital has the right drugs.

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Rye - I know one thing for sure and that is ONLY ABOUT ELIQUIS - there is NO DRUG TO STOP BLEEDING IF YOU ARE ON ELIQUIS - HOW THE BLEEDING STOPS IS PROBABLY HOPEFULLY NATURALLY. I have Afib and my Cardiologist told me to take Eliquis every day for the rest of my life or I would be prone to getting a heart attack or a stroke - that was Sept 1, 2016, I did what you are doing finding out for my 85 yr old self what side effects this drug Eliquis brought to bare. After reading dozens of reviews that people who experienced this drug had to say, I JUST SAID NO TO ELIQUIS -and said YES TO 81mg of ASPIRIN plus many dietary supplements AND NATURAL BLOOD THINNERS. Hops this helps

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Re: JAZZY (# 8)

Be very careful with the aspirin. I have not had any bleeding problem with Pradaxa, but I was taking one coated 81mg aspirin daily and twice within 6 weeks I was in the hospital for a blood transfusion, due to a hole burned in my stomach from the aspirin. This is now on my list of allergies, and I have not had another problem in 5 years.

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Re: Rye (# 6)

I have been taking baby aspirin for 18 years and have not seen the side effect you are talking about. I have had severe ACID issues but they are not related to aspirin. I have been on Pradaxa for as long as it has been out (16 years?). I was really tired of going to get my INR tested weekly and having to change the dosage of WARFARIN. I finally asked my cardiologist if I could get off of warfarin and on to something else. I had seen ads for Pradaxa but never paid any attention to them. He put me on Pradaxa and like I said I have been a happy camper no more weekly trips to the doctor.

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I posted a few weeks ago regarding Eliquis and my reactions. It took my body about a week to adjust to Xarelto as well as it is going to. Such a relief to be off Eliquis. My congestion was awful and the amount of mucus produced was what I considered dangerous. I had a productive cough every few minutes despite the allergy meds I am taking. My urine odor was terrible and both kidneys began to hurt. Trouble holding urine to reach the toilet. Unbelievable bloating and general malaise all day. Xarelto is better but I've certainly not returned to normal. Less congestion; no kidney pain yet; milder but still awful smell to urine; some unusual nasal and chest congestion and gas no matter what is eaten.

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What you describe is more than a selection of meds. It is in fact, a basic fault of the medical establishment in that many/most medical practitioners presume to find black and white answers to problems involving the human body, that is 'made up of many facets' that interrelate with each other multiple times. What it really gets down to is that despite excellent research, and lab technology, many/most practioners (?) simply can't think outside the box, but depend 'literally' on lab reports with the diagnosis ending there. They, then, chalk it up to "ultra-rare" circumstance. Sorry! Didn't mean for this to be a controversial harangue, but I've been through the medical maze so many times I can't resist saying what I think. You are doing the right thing by checking what others have learned (?) and then making a decision on your own research, with your medic's input.

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