Taking blood thinners. Have headache every day.

Hi, thanks for the response. Like you I am on 20 mg dosage of Xarelto. I have experienced no other side-effects other than the headaches which gradually dissipate as the day progresses until I barely notice them. Let me know what your new dosage is. Will be interested in how you react to it.

New to the group and have been on Eliquis for about 18 months. I also experience almost daily headaches some days more severe than others and am headed to another iron infusion next week.

met with another cardiologist for a second opinion last week and he recommended I get the watchman and leave blood thinners behind.

Not sure what I’m going to do next but I would love to leave the headache and fatigue behind.

Welcome @julesw, It must be difficult dealing with daily headaches and fatigue. You might find the following discussion helpful for reading what others have posted about the Watchman.

-- Watchman Procedure: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/watchman-procedure-3/

Have you looked into the Watchman Procedure treatment?

Jules, what is "the watchman?" Also, were you prescribed blood thinners for AFIB?

I was prescribed blood thinners for Afib and have had an ablation.

I will quote from the brochure they gave me last week since I am very much in the investigation phase of whether this is how I should go.

“the watchman implant is a small flexible implant about the size of a quarter. It is made from very light compact materials commonly used in many other medical implants

It is placed in your heart during a short minimally invasive procedure censure. It does not require open heart surgery and never needs to be replaced”

My understanding is it is guided through an incision in your upper leg

Will be interested in hearing from others who either have a watchman or are considering one like me. Headaches and anemia are driving my decision to research this option

Yeah, should be interesting to hear from others. Watchman does sound like a viable alternative to blood thinners.

Thanks John.
I really just want to get my life back - the headaches and fatigue, coupled with fear of traveling or bleeds is really driving my desire to do something other than status quo.

I also belong to the patient group StopAFub and find it invaluable to hear others experiences. I live in Peoria so am very interested in Arizona patients

Tuve cuando estaba desarrollando covid ,pero no lo sabía ,un episodio de FA que no me dio ningún dolor concreto,pero me sentí morir. Es lo único que puede explicar al médico cuando llegue al sanatorio con 180 pulsaciones Me internaron durante 24 horas haciéndome estudios y medicada con rixobaran 20 mg. Nunca más sentí nada ,pero debo tomarlo permanentemente junto con flecainida y bisoprolol,2,5.Fue un episodio provocado por el covid? No lo sabremos,pero me controlan con estudios y todo es perfecto. Ninguno de los medicamentos en estos años me provocó NINGUN síntoma. Ni estomacal ni dolores de cabeza o mareos. Esa es mí experiencia. En un momento el electro cardiólogo para facilitarme las tomas de medicamento me cambio la flecainida por un " modelo" de efecto lento o retardado,más práctico por qué era en una sola toma. Pero solo tome ese modo durante dos meses,por qué tengo neuropatía periférica que me provoca cierta espasticidad al caminar,y este método nuevo acentuaba mucho mucho mí neuropatía.

Which blood thinners are you referring to?

I am age 68 and started Eliquis (twice daily) in March of this year, for newly diagnosed AFib. At the same time, I started taking Metropolol, also twice daily. It took me a while to determine my ongoing headaches & migraines were from Eliquis. I frequently wake up in the middle of the night with a migraine, which I assume is because I take an evening dose of Eliquis. I also get headaches mid-morning..assume from my morning dose. (I take Fioricet apx 4 times a week to stop the migraine headache…compared to twice a month, before I started Eliquis.)

I am seeing a consultant at Mayo Clinic Cardiology in early August to discuss having the Watchman procedure. I am tired on ongoing headaches, bruises, and fear of bleeding (also a bit frightened because my husband and I travel internationally frequently). I would also like to leave blood thinners, and headaches, behind!