Take eliquis have no idea if I really needed the doctor recommended it after having a fib and an ablation. I wonder if it’s really necessary has cognitive side effects you lose your brain I guess.
No, it does not affect your cognition, but a stroke will! (;)
The purpose of the DOACs (Direct Oral Anti-Coagulants) is to retard the clotting mechanism. NOT stop it altogether...just slow it down. Why? Because the single great risk of AF is stroke....................period. Why? Because when the heart is fibrillating, or in flutter, it doesn't flush itself out continuously by heavy throughput of blood into and out of its four chambers. Specifically, AF involves an improper function in the left atrium. The left atrium has an appendage at upper right. That appendage, more like a shallow 'grotto', is where stale blood can pool due to poor flow in the atrium. Stale blood begins to congeal or to clot. You don't want that!! So, the apixaban and other similar drugs retard that process by about 3 minutes or less, but enough that most of the stale blood will get moved along and join the rest of the flow. That's the idea.
My advice is to just accept that you have a newly disordered heart and that you'll reduce the risk of stroke by taking the DOAC.
Diagnosed 2015 with AFib. the doctor had the same condition but was more extreme in that the condition severely impacted his life and practice until ablation. After ablation, his condition remained normal. So, he knew virtually all the metrics of Afib. I underwent a host of examinations to include an echocardiogram and others. My condition was "minor". I did just recently have another echocardiogram and the results were about the same. The left atrium is slightly enlarged, but hat could be because of active lifestyle 210 lb at 6 ft. I take Pradaxa and a beta blocker. As a testament to having this situation and the "impact" of taking these preventive blood thinner and beta blocker, I walked The Camino in Spain in 2018..or about 528 miles. The point: Obtain second opinions on all medication; stay informed as to your condition. And, try and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
No, it does not affect your cognition, but a stroke will! (;)
The purpose of the DOACs (Direct Oral Anti-Coagulants) is to retard the clotting mechanism. NOT stop it altogether...just slow it down. Why? Because the single great risk of AF is stroke....................period. Why? Because when the heart is fibrillating, or in flutter, it doesn't flush itself out continuously by heavy throughput of blood into and out of its four chambers. Specifically, AF involves an improper function in the left atrium. The left atrium has an appendage at upper right. That appendage, more like a shallow 'grotto', is where stale blood can pool due to poor flow in the atrium. Stale blood begins to congeal or to clot. You don't want that!! So, the apixaban and other similar drugs retard that process by about 3 minutes or less, but enough that most of the stale blood will get moved along and join the rest of the flow. That's the idea.
My advice is to just accept that you have a newly disordered heart and that you'll reduce the risk of stroke by taking the DOAC.
Your explanation is excellent, gloaming! I’m having the Watchman procedure next week & will be glad to get it over with. People need to be aware of how serious A-Fib is, get a 2nd or even 3rd opinion if necessary, but get treatment! It’s difficult to accept the diagnosis, but we just have to adjust. I was doing everything “right”, but in my case it was just hereditary. So, I’ll continue doing what I was with diet & get back to the gym after the Watchman recovery! Oh - - I’m the 76 year old with cerebral palsy from a birth injury, using a walker the last 12 years, going to the gym, have 1 son/10 grandkids & very independent except when my sweet husband gets “that look”. So, when I say we adjust? I mean we pray first, get over ourselves, pull our big girl panties up & get on with living! I’ll get off my soapbox now 🤣
Your explanation is excellent, gloaming! I’m having the Watchman procedure next week & will be glad to get it over with. People need to be aware of how serious A-Fib is, get a 2nd or even 3rd opinion if necessary, but get treatment! It’s difficult to accept the diagnosis, but we just have to adjust. I was doing everything “right”, but in my case it was just hereditary. So, I’ll continue doing what I was with diet & get back to the gym after the Watchman recovery! Oh - - I’m the 76 year old with cerebral palsy from a birth injury, using a walker the last 12 years, going to the gym, have 1 son/10 grandkids & very independent except when my sweet husband gets “that look”. So, when I say we adjust? I mean we pray first, get over ourselves, pull our big girl panties up & get on with living! I’ll get off my soapbox now 🤣
Ginny, it's true...we have to adapt, even to finalities over which we cannot have any input or control, and with which we cannot negotiate a better outcome for ourselves. A stroke can be life-altering, let alone end life. If we can halve our risk, that's HUGE!! The risk may be small, but for some it is substantial. Each patient is unique because we respond to stressors of all kinds, including new prescriptions, differently. Stroke ain't a prescription...it's a sentence.
Windyshores you are correct. Frequency, duration and I would add HR. When you get over a 100 BPM it becomes more dangerous. I alway carry with me Eliquis whenever I leave the house. I am one of those lucky ones that always feels when I go into Afib. The deal I have with my EP is anything shorter than 12 hours I take a 24 hour eliquis. Anything longer than that I take it for 30 days. I usually self-convert. I also have a blood clotting disorder called Factor V Leiden which increases the chance of a clot about the same amount as taking an oral contraceptive. The past 9 months have been rougher and I have had more frequent Afibs. (Ablation in 2019). They have been coming about every 3-5 weeks with duration of 1 hour to 3 days. My HR never goes above 80 BPM. I decided to take eliquis daily due to frequency of events. So far all my events have started when I was awake. But there is always the chance of of starting at night without me knowing when. My EP feels that anything longer that an hour risks the start of a clot formation. My brother ignored his butterflies for 9 days and ended up all but dead. He had multiple PEs in both lungs. The docs said it was a miracle he lived. I think majority of people are clueless about their medical care. They are not proactive about their medical care and expect the white coat to tell them what to do and they do it. That is why cardios got 100% all in on all people. Unless of course you can prove you are smarter than the average patient.
I had the watchman procedure, on July 13th, 2024. The procedure went great. There was a mess up with my BP med. I was taken off of my metropole for 2 1/2 weeks. I almost died! Big mistake by the hospital.
My arms and legs had too much bleeding. That's why Watchman was suggested. I would recommend the procedure.
I had the watchman procedure, on July 13th, 2024. The procedure went great. There was a mess up with my BP med. I was taken off of my metropole for 2 1/2 weeks. I almost died! Big mistake by the hospital.
My arms and legs had too much bleeding. That's why Watchman was suggested. I would recommend the procedure.
@sherrybeethoven my arms look like that! It has been a concern for me as well with blood thinners. This bleeding is called "senile purpura." They sell arm protectors on Amazon!
Connect
Connect
Like
Helpful
Hug
Take eliquis have no idea if I really needed the doctor recommended it after having a fib and an ablation. I wonder if it’s really necessary has cognitive side effects you lose your brain I guess.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionNo, it does not affect your cognition, but a stroke will! (;)
The purpose of the DOACs (Direct Oral Anti-Coagulants) is to retard the clotting mechanism. NOT stop it altogether...just slow it down. Why? Because the single great risk of AF is stroke....................period. Why? Because when the heart is fibrillating, or in flutter, it doesn't flush itself out continuously by heavy throughput of blood into and out of its four chambers. Specifically, AF involves an improper function in the left atrium. The left atrium has an appendage at upper right. That appendage, more like a shallow 'grotto', is where stale blood can pool due to poor flow in the atrium. Stale blood begins to congeal or to clot. You don't want that!! So, the apixaban and other similar drugs retard that process by about 3 minutes or less, but enough that most of the stale blood will get moved along and join the rest of the flow. That's the idea.
My advice is to just accept that you have a newly disordered heart and that you'll reduce the risk of stroke by taking the DOAC.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
5 ReactionsDiagnosed 2015 with AFib. the doctor had the same condition but was more extreme in that the condition severely impacted his life and practice until ablation. After ablation, his condition remained normal. So, he knew virtually all the metrics of Afib. I underwent a host of examinations to include an echocardiogram and others. My condition was "minor". I did just recently have another echocardiogram and the results were about the same. The left atrium is slightly enlarged, but hat could be because of active lifestyle 210 lb at 6 ft. I take Pradaxa and a beta blocker. As a testament to having this situation and the "impact" of taking these preventive blood thinner and beta blocker, I walked The Camino in Spain in 2018..or about 528 miles. The point: Obtain second opinions on all medication; stay informed as to your condition. And, try and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsYour explanation is excellent, gloaming! I’m having the Watchman procedure next week & will be glad to get it over with. People need to be aware of how serious A-Fib is, get a 2nd or even 3rd opinion if necessary, but get treatment! It’s difficult to accept the diagnosis, but we just have to adjust. I was doing everything “right”, but in my case it was just hereditary. So, I’ll continue doing what I was with diet & get back to the gym after the Watchman recovery! Oh - - I’m the 76 year old with cerebral palsy from a birth injury, using a walker the last 12 years, going to the gym, have 1 son/10 grandkids & very independent except when my sweet husband gets “that look”. So, when I say we adjust? I mean we pray first, get over ourselves, pull our big girl panties up & get on with living! I’ll get off my soapbox now 🤣
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
6 ReactionsGinny, it's true...we have to adapt, even to finalities over which we cannot have any input or control, and with which we cannot negotiate a better outcome for ourselves. A stroke can be life-altering, let alone end life. If we can halve our risk, that's HUGE!! The risk may be small, but for some it is substantial. Each patient is unique because we respond to stressors of all kinds, including new prescriptions, differently. Stroke ain't a prescription...it's a sentence.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsI had the watchman procedure, on July 13th, 2024. The procedure went great. There was a mess up with my BP med. I was taken off of my metropole for 2 1/2 weeks. I almost died! Big mistake by the hospital.
My arms and legs had too much bleeding. That's why Watchman was suggested. I would recommend the procedure.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactions@sherrybeethoven my arms look like that! It has been a concern for me as well with blood thinners. This bleeding is called "senile purpura." They sell arm protectors on Amazon!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactions