I had AFIB during three of my operations otherwise no sign of it. I wore a Holte. for a month after two operations, My cardiologist wants me to stay on Eloquis/Apixaban. I'm 82.
I get it from Canada. It's a lot cheaper.
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.
Have/had AFib for several years (hoping my PF ablation in Feb 2025 has taken care of it). I just got on Eliquis for the procedure. I had avoided it for the years I had AFib. 72M but my rationale was that I was a "young" 72. My CHADS did say I should have been on it and every doctor I talked to (4 of them) said I should be on it. I am now. No side effects. Every health care pro I talk to says that I should stay on it for the rest of my life. If I do develop side effects, the Watchman might be an option, though it apparently is not quite as effective as Eliquis.
I Just received my 1st shipment of Apixaban (Eliquis) from Discount Canada Drugs, discountcanadadrugs .com. Phone 833.200-5343. Previously, I had been
using another Canadian pharmacy. I changed to this one as it is much less expensive.
I was surprised it arrived very timely. If you use referral code "BER-LEO-540
they will give you $20 off your first order.
Just to clarify @kevkat73 your afib is continuous. I have two hours once a year. The original poster has paroxysmal afib, which occurs at times rather than continuously. It is not clear how often or for how long @lenmayo has afib. I just wanted to offer a different view point, which both my cardiologists have signed off on.
I don't know what you mean by "mild afib." Either it is afib or not afib and the stroke risk comes from afib.
The fact that I end up in the hospital or even the ICU is because of low blood pressure and the way treatment of afib further lowers it. But my risk isn't any greater because of the apparent seriousness of the episodes. They are very infrequent and short in duration.
I am seeking short term anticoagulation from my next appointment, and guidelines on how long an episode has to be to require anti-coagulation. There are huge discrepancies on what duration is said to be dangerous for stroke; a few minutes to 48 hours.
Some say people can't tell when in afib. I can , bought a 6 leed kardia that is a quick analysis of bpm and will tell you ,normal, afib,taki,and other issues
I have constant Very mild afib w normal heartrate & they put me on Eliquis bcuz of stroke risk. I chose to take it Rather than possibly Have a Stroke....its your choice. Do what feels right for you!
What is the definition of "mild" AFib? Do they have a grading system assigned to aFib? When I talk with my cardiologist he mentions that you either have it or don't.
What is the definition of "mild" AFib? Do they have a grading system assigned to aFib? When I talk with my cardiologist he mentions that you either have it or don't.
There is no such designation. Instead, the convention is:
Paroxysmal AF - it comes and goes on its own and never lasts more than a full week.....!
Persistent - It may come and go, but it does much more often and may last more than a full week;
Long-standing persistent - just what you'd think it means....you've largely been in AF, with breaks here and there, for a year or more; and
Permanent - same thing....what you'd imagine it means.
There is no such designation. Instead, the convention is:
Paroxysmal AF - it comes and goes on its own and never lasts more than a full week.....!
Persistent - It may come and go, but it does much more often and may last more than a full week;
Long-standing persistent - just what you'd think it means....you've largely been in AF, with breaks here and there, for a year or more; and
Permanent - same thing....what you'd imagine it means.
What is the definition of "mild" AFib? Do they have a grading system assigned to aFib? When I talk with my cardiologist he mentions that you either have it or don't.
There are lots of variations of Afib that I am learning and experiencing! An Afib episode might only last a few seconds, a few minutes, a few hours, days or nonstop. I've learned via my Pacemaker recorder that I have various lengths of episodes. Not only that but varying rates of heart beats. The aorta sends out an electrical signal for a heartbeat. If the signals are produced too rapidly, they become chaotic bc the aorta becomes a vibration, rather than efficiently pumping blood into the ventricular chamber. My atrial rate has been recorded as high as 640 beats per minute and my ventricular rate high of 240. Obviously, blood doesn't circulate very well at all when it goes way higher. My pacemaker is set at 60 beats per minute but my max healthy heart rate is ONLY 150. Therefore, I am going for an ablation SOON and I am not a medical professional.
Connect
Connect
Like
Helpful
Hug
How do you get Eliquis from Canada? I'm over the ridiculous pricing here.
I was td by my heart doctor it does affect cognitive ability
Have/had AFib for several years (hoping my PF ablation in Feb 2025 has taken care of it). I just got on Eliquis for the procedure. I had avoided it for the years I had AFib. 72M but my rationale was that I was a "young" 72. My CHADS did say I should have been on it and every doctor I talked to (4 of them) said I should be on it. I am now. No side effects. Every health care pro I talk to says that I should stay on it for the rest of my life. If I do develop side effects, the Watchman might be an option, though it apparently is not quite as effective as Eliquis.
I Just received my 1st shipment of Apixaban (Eliquis) from Discount Canada Drugs, discountcanadadrugs .com. Phone 833.200-5343. Previously, I had been
using another Canadian pharmacy. I changed to this one as it is much less expensive.
I was surprised it arrived very timely. If you use referral code "BER-LEO-540
they will give you $20 off your first order.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsSome say people can't tell when in afib. I can , bought a 6 leed kardia that is a quick analysis of bpm and will tell you ,normal, afib,taki,and other issues
What is the definition of "mild" AFib? Do they have a grading system assigned to aFib? When I talk with my cardiologist he mentions that you either have it or don't.
There is no such designation. Instead, the convention is:
Paroxysmal AF - it comes and goes on its own and never lasts more than a full week.....!
Persistent - It may come and go, but it does much more often and may last more than a full week;
Long-standing persistent - just what you'd think it means....you've largely been in AF, with breaks here and there, for a year or more; and
Permanent - same thing....what you'd imagine it means.
I totally understand the various levels. Was just curious where someone got a "mild" version from.👍🏼
Gotcha. Thought maybe you were unaware...
There are lots of variations of Afib that I am learning and experiencing! An Afib episode might only last a few seconds, a few minutes, a few hours, days or nonstop. I've learned via my Pacemaker recorder that I have various lengths of episodes. Not only that but varying rates of heart beats. The aorta sends out an electrical signal for a heartbeat. If the signals are produced too rapidly, they become chaotic bc the aorta becomes a vibration, rather than efficiently pumping blood into the ventricular chamber. My atrial rate has been recorded as high as 640 beats per minute and my ventricular rate high of 240. Obviously, blood doesn't circulate very well at all when it goes way higher. My pacemaker is set at 60 beats per minute but my max healthy heart rate is ONLY 150. Therefore, I am going for an ablation SOON and I am not a medical professional.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction