Stopping Eliquis Safely (Page 2)
(Newest replies first)

I've been taking Eliquis for a couple months after a bout of a-fib. I'm back in sinus rhythm and am in the low risk (Cat 1) group for clots. Due to the side effects and cost, I want to stop Eliquis and take aspirin daily. But the FDA black box warning makes me scared to stop Eliquis. Is tapering the dose over time a good way to get off it safely? IS there a safe way, or is it a scare tactic to have me pay for Eliquis for the rest of my life? I'm really angry - if I'd known about the FDA warning, I'd never have agreed to take it in the first place.

REPLY

REPORT

Re: eva2000 (# 11)

Hi Eva,
I really feel for you. I'm a newbie on Apixaban and trying to get over the horrors about unprovoked internal bleeds, stroke if I go off it for surgery, etc.

I'd be interested in where you got that info on "rebound hypercoagulation state lasts about 6-10 weeks", and was it for Apixaban/Eliquis or one of the others? I know each drug is different and that Rivaroxaban has a rebound, but can't find any actual research on Apixaban....

thanks,
Dianne

REPLY

Was this helpful? 4

Just had an ablation 2 weeks ago taking Eliquis 5milgrams twice a day I find now I cannot walk stand the pain in my ankle calves and hip joints are unbearable When I stop taking ELIQUIS for the ablation the pain became less and less. Can one switch back to Warfarin in one day till the 8 weeks of scarring heals?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Rick, your doctor told you to remain off Eliquis for 5 days after colonoscopy due to the blood loss you would experience if he removed phylops.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

HI. I WAS TOLD AFTER A SONAGRAM I HAD AN QUCULAIR ABNORMAL BLOOD CLOT FROM MY KNEE TO MY HIP. WOW, THEY PUT ME ON ELIQUIS TWICE A DAY FOR 6 MONTHS. MY SWELLING AN PAIN IN MY CALF WENT AWAY IN ABOUT 2 TO 6 WEEKS. I WENT OFF THIS MONTH, WENT FROM 2 A DAY TO 1 A DAY FOR 15 DAYS. I START ASPRIN 81mg NOW EVER OTHER DAY. WHY ASPRIN? IT ACTED FAST ON THINNING MY BLOOD IN THE PAST. REMEMBER, KNOW YOUR BODY IF YOU CAN... WISH ME LUCK

REPLY

Was this helpful? 3

Re: Jo (# 4)


When you stopped did u feel funny because your body was use to not getting the drug?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: John (# 13)

Still on Bayer 325 MG Aspirin instead of Eliquis. Always check with your doctor. Works/still working for money. Saving money.

Good luck.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Re: Rick (# 7)

As you probably figured out you need to stop Eliquis and/or any Aspirin medication because of massive blood loss if he were to remove a phloyp. Eliquis and Aspirin are blood thinners and reduces your body to clot. When/if he/she removes a phloyp he cuts it out inside your intestine.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Jon H. To heck with the FDA warning. What matters is that each individual case is different. Have your doctor/cardiologist make the call. If he agrees 325 Bayer Aspirin works for me. Not have nor will I ever be a spokesperson for them. I have suffered many years with a s*** load of open heart operations, drugs (Eliquis) and ablations. Once you achieve sinus rhythm; I would switch to the 325 MG Aspirin once a day after breakfast and I can only say it works for me. Talk to your doctor.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Re: Shirley (# 10)

Read your post, Hope you can reply. May I enquire what other heart medication you are taking for the a-fib, and in the over age 65. With the new chads score they have now added being a woman gives you another 1 point to add to the score, which I don't agree on.

Hope to hear from you. We are all here to learn from others.

Thanks.

Lena

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I got bilateral PE after pacemaker insertion gone wrong and wires poked through my pericardial sac so they had to redo the entire surgery. That resulted in pericardial effussion/fluid around my heart, shortness of breath and PE. Seems like my PE was not unprovoked, but still ended up in ER few weeks later. So my regimen is 3-6 months on Eliquis 5mg 2x daily. I feel awful. Developed insomnia, anxiety and panic disorder. I'm not sure if this is the Eliquis fault or the fact that my entire life did 180' turn after the botched pacemaker and I can't adjust - but I can't wait to get off this drug. And this is my dilemma - I'm afraid. I don't have any genetic factors of fast clotting, but there is a lot of info about rebound hypercoagulation after quitting these drugs and no simple way to monitor these levels. Was told that aspirin isn't really helpful as it works on platelets not on fibrins that Eliquis or Xarelto effects.

I'm planning to go to my haematologist to have blood work done 2 days after quitting Eliquis...but I feel these diagnostics should be done at least every other day - to make sure, and obviously no one will be doing that. The rebound hypercoagulation state lasts about 6-10 weeks and that's when most strokes happen to people who discontinue blood thinners. What did you do after you discontinued Eliquis? I tried to quit already, stopped for 3 days but got scared and restarted after a panic attack.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 6

As an A-Fib patient I have been on and off Eliquis several times over the last few years. My doctors always have stopped me cold turkey and I had no ill effects from doing so. I am an over 65 year-old woman and the past month of taking Eliquis, I noticed major hair loss and extreme skin sensitivity. Not sure I will want to take it in the future.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 10

Right. My partner was on it for 60 days for a clot in his heart. After the 60 days and he was checked the doctor said stop..and he did. Honestly..I was scared. I thought a tapering off was the normal thing to do,evidently not. It's a year later he's fine and no recurrence of the clot, and he's checked every three months. Best of luck.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 4

I had cryo ablation and had been on Elequis since Feb 2 2017 and electrophysiologist stopped Friday. Still on baby aspirin and a lower dose of sotalol.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Doctor has instructed me to go off eliqus for 5 days before colonoscopy.
What is the risk?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I have been off Elequis for 2 months. Went off cold turkey. That is what my doctor said. I was on it for 2 years.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 8

hey jo

I have just gone coldturk yest. Did you feel anything odd/different? I feel changed suddenly this morning.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 3

Have been off almost 2 months now. Doctor said to just stop taking it. I did.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 9

My husband was prescribed the med just in case he had PE after a visit to the emergency room. My husbands primary doctor reviewed the test results from the ER 2 weeks after and he tells us that he was given the med as a precaution and cannot just stop taking the med. He wants to go cold turkey. But of course there's a little fear. We are looking for feedback from others who have gone cold turkey.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 3

In reality, this medication is usually just stopped, cold turkey, as Jo has said. Thus, I have to say that I don't quite understand that black box warning, other than to think that the FDA wants to scare people out of stopping it early, without their doctor's approval, which I do understand to a point. But, it could also create unwarranted fears, in some people.

However Jon, given that you still have some risk, it would be safest for you to consult your doctor first. Aspirin may not be enough to help lower your risk. If needed, there are other medications you can try, such as Coumadin, though it requires frequent INR testing.

The FDA lists its typical side effects as including nausea, dizziness, headache, and easy bruising.

Is there anything else I can help with?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 9

I was on Elequis for 2 years. I needed to go off of it. My doctor said to just go off of it cold turkey. I did. Have been off of it for a month.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 15

I have been taking eliquis for 4 mos, because of a clot in my leg. I have recently been diagnosed as having heterzygous,...

5 REPLIES

I have been taking Eliquist since October 2015. Three weeks ago, I developed a severe rash on my right calf and hive lik...

1 REPLY

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this. My m was on blood thinner eliquis for several years and do...

14 REPLIES

Anyone know how to safely get off eliquis and back on just aspirin? ## Hi cynthia, Depending on how long you've been...

188 REPLIES

A very large blood clot behind my left knee resulted in several blood clots in each lung. My vascular clinic rolled me d...

3 REPLIES

I was on Eliquis for 4 PEs and 1 DVT for roughly 6 months. I had a CT scan and ultrasound that verified they were gone a...

1 REPLY

I had a pace maker put in and stopped taking Eliquis for 6 weeks. When I started taking it again I am not bruising. When...

1 REPLY

My son had SEVERE ADHD to the point of hitting teachers when he was 4 in preschool, so he was tried on many meds and fin...

1 REPLY

I have been of Endcot for over a year. How do I get off of these? ## How much have you been taking and how often do you ...

1 REPLY

I have been taking 10 mg/day of Lisinopril for 3 months and have developed a tightening in the chest and flu like sympto...

127 REPLIES