Eliquis and AFIB

You are not eligible if you have a Prescription insurance coverage through a state or federal healthcare program, including but not limited to Medicare Part D, Medicaid, Medigap, Veterans Affairs (VA) or Department of Defense (DOD) programs.
You are not eligible if you are not covered by prescription drug insurance.
You are only eligible if you have Commercial prescription drug insurance through an employer-sponsored or private health plan or the Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan.

True, and I mentioned that in my post. But if you are eligible by virtue of having a commercial drug insurance, a private health plan, or the FEHB plan ( unless it's been switched to a Medicare Part D plan, as the federal Blue Cross insurance covering retirees who have Medicare did effective Jan 1 of this year, we opted out), it's a substantial savings. I figure there are any number of people who may fall into the eligible category if they're not retired yet, working with employer covered insurance, or retired with drug coverage in an employer-based commercial insurance plan ( similar to the FEHB but private sector employers).

I saw a new cardiologis today who said, despite my CHADS score of 1-2 (depending on whether gender is included), suggests anticoagulation. She sent me to an electrophysiologist for discussion of ablation.

This was depressing. I need a rogue cardiologist. I have had afib once a year or once every two years for 10 years now. For reasons I can easily explain, I had a few more this year, mainly traced to moving (lifting, stress).

She also did not seem to think short term anticoagulation was a possibility but I know some people are doing this. My afib converts on its own in a few hours so that may be why.

I didn't get any protocol for steroid use. That was the trigger for this last one. Just 4mg.

I understand that having afib makes us prone to stroke, and not just from episodes but because of the dysfunction of that part of the heart. But my stroke risk is low too.

Unhappy.

sherryzitter, this was my original post. I just want to clarify that this $70 price was for 180 capsules-3 month supply, not for one month. So that works out to $25 or less for one month, which is a great relief, financially, especially since both my husband and I need this medication!

The last refill ordered earlier this week was $73.11 which includes shipping. We order through the Canadian site LifeRx and choose their pharmacy located in India. They also offer ordering from the UK, Canada, Mauritus...but the Indian supplier is the least expensive and it's the same generic (Apixaban) which will eventually be available in the US, hopefully in 2026. We are very satisfied with this company which operates under strict regulations, equal to those the US pharmaceutical manufacturers follow. We are thankful that our primary care physician provided us with this option in order to continue taking this medication.

Wow, that’s great news! 🙏🏻👍🙏🏻

@bill0996 - I am a bit confused with your answer - are you saying you had to get a pacemaker because you went off Eloquis? Or, are you saying you ended up with Bradycardia because of the Eloquis and then had to get a pacemaker?

LBBB diagnosed in 05. LBBB causes Bradycardia. Afib episode in 08/19, ablation in 02/20. First EP big believer in Eloquis which I had been on since 09/19. I wore monitor after surgery and then about 24 mos later. Neither time recorded any evidence of Afib. In Fall of 22 assigned to a new EP. 2nd EP implanted pacemaker in 08/23 due to “chronotropic incompetence” or a HR that did not respond as desired during a stress EKG. My minimum HR now is set at 60. While my HR was never below 46 while I was awake, the pacemaker is there due to sick sinus syndrome, or the heart’s internal pacemaker. As I understand, the pacemaker makes certain that my heart properly responds to a load placed on it. During my initial three visits with the new EP, without trying, I convinced him that I constantly monitor my HR via my Fitbit. With the 11/23 visit hospital visit to “adjust” pacemaker, he decided that I would be ok to go off Eloquis. While I was a little apprehensive, I was also relieved to get off the med. I do have a small pocket pill carrier that I always travel with some left over Eloquis. In 08/23, the RN tech conducting the stress EKG stopped the test 12 minutes while I thought that I was a “beast” with everything that she threw at me, she said that the test was stopped early as my heart was not responding properly to the load. I hope that this explains how I got here. I really believe that my first EP would still have me on Eloquis. I really trust my cardiologist who I will see in July to give the most “down to earth” explanation.

People develop bradycardia due to a number of problems, chiefly a defective SA node, but also in response to rate control drugs such as beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers. Metoprolol is a beta-blocker which clips the heart's intensity from beat to beat. This keeps tachycardia arrhythmias like SVT and AF at lower rates, but it also has the effect of keeping blood pressure somewhat lower. This helps those with borderline hypertension to fall back down into the 'good' range, at least for a while. But, for those with some combinations of anti-arrhythmic drugs AND metoprolol, it can cause bradycardia when the heart reverts back to sinus rhythm.

Some people with advanced heart disorders who can't maintain normal sinus with or without drugs have to be placed on a pacemaker. It's simply too dangerous and too hard on the heart to just leave it in an elevated HR and beating erratically for long because of myocyte damage, valve damage, fibrosis due to enlargement of the left atrium in those with AF, and so on. At some point, the EP will ask you if you want a pacemaker. This means living much more normally, but it also means, as far as I have heard, destroying the SA node and the AV node. This is a big deal, but the pacemaker will be confounded by signals continuing to come from a disordered SA node, or from an AV node if the SA node is dead and no longer functioning. You'll just get out-of-sync beats again, meaning more arrythmia, meaning you're no further ahead! So, the two nodes must be neutralized, and the new device does all the electrical signaling from then on.

Thanks for. your comments I too have paroxysmal AFIB.. Infrequent attacks..You mentioned generic Apixaban.. Is this widely distributed.?.My local Pharmacy Walgreens does not have it.
any info would be welcome..
Thanks

Sounds like my story & I am lucky to be able to afford the meds with no major side effects. Thanks for your input.