Autoimmune hepatitis and xarelto

Posted by etnocaha @etnocaha, Jan 22, 2017

I started taking Xarelto in August 2015 for a DVT. The doctor told me there was no need for follow ups unless I noticed obvious symptoms. In October of 2016, just on a whim, I asked my doctor for a blood test on my liver and kidneys. I never felt comfortable not having a follow up being on this drug. The results came back with my liver enzymes HIGHLY elevated, and after a liver biopsy, I was told I had a fatty liver and auto immune hepatitis. I asked the doctor if that could have anything to do with the Xarelto, and was assured it was not related. After doing research on my own, though, I have read it could, though rare, be related. Anyone else out there come across this situation after taking Xarelto?

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Welcome to Connect, @etnocaha
I'd like to introduce you to the members talking about Xarelto in this discussion http://mayocl.in/2je7vEi Please meet @trish602 @predictable @grandmajan @zenk @yoanne and @mlemieux all who have taken or take the drug for different reasons.

@etnocaha, did you return with the results of your research to your doctor?

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<br><br><br><br><br>Don't trust these doctors.  I always refused to take statin drugs, I <br>always refused to take a flu shot and I am fine.  I tried to convince my <br>sister to stop the statin drugs and stop flu shots but she refused.  She <br>now has dementia. I was told if you take five flu shots in a row (1 each year) <br>that the mercury accumulates and one can loose their memory.<br> <br>I am 80 yrs old and the only medicine I take is a blood pressure <br>pill.  I have RA but do not take anything for that. I suffer with it <br>but the medication is worse than the disease.<br> <br>fkay10

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Hi Etnocaha, I have been taking Xarelto 15 mg per day for several years now for Lividoid Vasculopathy. My doctor monitors my blood tests not so much for Xarelto but because I take other meds too. I have never had an elevation of my liver or kidney enzymes in all this time. Has your clot dissolved? How much Xarelto were you on and for how long? I am always interested in Xarelto because I need to take it for my chronic condition long term. Did you attempt to discontinue Xarelto after the unfortunate findings? Thanks for sharing. Zenk

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@colleenyoung

Welcome to Connect, @etnocaha
I'd like to introduce you to the members talking about Xarelto in this discussion http://mayocl.in/2je7vEi Please meet @trish602 @predictable @grandmajan @zenk @yoanne and @mlemieux all who have taken or take the drug for different reasons.

@etnocaha, did you return with the results of your research to your doctor?

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@etnacoha
I have never heard of this complication. It is well known that liver enzymes can be enhanced, this is mentioned in the list of side effects. I found a case report about acute liver failure ,presumably initiated by the treatment with Xarelto. Is there an interaction ???you are suffering from an auto immune hepatitis, so you and the medical doctor should be careful and discuss a discontinuation.
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4630734/

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@fkay10

<br><br><br><br><br>Don't trust these doctors.  I always refused to take statin drugs, I <br>always refused to take a flu shot and I am fine.  I tried to convince my <br>sister to stop the statin drugs and stop flu shots but she refused.  She <br>now has dementia. I was told if you take five flu shots in a row (1 each year) <br>that the mercury accumulates and one can loose their memory.<br> <br>I am 80 yrs old and the only medicine I take is a blood pressure <br>pill.  I have RA but do not take anything for that. I suffer with it <br>but the medication is worse than the disease.<br> <br>fkay10

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Hi fkay10, I thought I was the only one refusing flu shots, I had one in my life and got sick, since then never get them and
I don't even get a cold, thanks for that. I also take a blood pressure pill. Also the osteoporosis drugs are dangerous. I'll take my chances and just drink and eat my calcium and take Vit. D

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@etnocaha, I would like to join Colleen in saying, "Welcome". I do not know anything about the drug that you are taking, but I do know that there are some drugs, over the counter and prescribed which can cause elevated liver enzymes. Thus, routine monitoring is encouraged. In many cases, lowering dosage or finding a replacement drug can result in a return to normal liver enzymes. In your case, since you mention auto immune hepatitis and fatty liver, I encourage you to get a referral to a GI (gastroenterologist). Often the liver will heal itself, but you need to know what is going on and what treatment might be necessary.
If you do indeed have a continuing liver condition, the GI will become your best friend!
I invite you to keep in touch. Let us know what you find out.
Rosemary

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If this thread is still active, i also had almost the same situation. Mine is a bit different because my liver enzymes were just over the normal range for a couple years before I took xarelto. When I started xarelto, my liver enzymes went to 3x normal. I only got them checked due to itchiness after having covid. SinceI wasn’t aware of any liver involvement with xarelto, I continued taking it until my cardiac ablation, 3 months later. My liver enzymes are slowly normalizing but my liver now shows fibrosis in MRI and biopsy results. My case is different in that my liver was already stressed pre-xarelto. Xarelto and covid were the only things that occurred at the time. My doctor says my liver is fully functional. My MRI showed scarring and stiffness but low fat, etc. The biopsy shows fat. My doctor offers no treatment for my condition but I am trying intermittent fasting.

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@rosemarya

@etnocaha, I would like to join Colleen in saying, "Welcome". I do not know anything about the drug that you are taking, but I do know that there are some drugs, over the counter and prescribed which can cause elevated liver enzymes. Thus, routine monitoring is encouraged. In many cases, lowering dosage or finding a replacement drug can result in a return to normal liver enzymes. In your case, since you mention auto immune hepatitis and fatty liver, I encourage you to get a referral to a GI (gastroenterologist). Often the liver will heal itself, but you need to know what is going on and what treatment might be necessary.
If you do indeed have a continuing liver condition, the GI will become your best friend!
I invite you to keep in touch. Let us know what you find out.
Rosemary

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I disagree that "the GI will become your best friend".
Not always.
I am a 69 year old male and in 2017 I became seriously ill.
After 8 days in intensive care, I was sent home with the diagnosis of AIH.
This diagnosis was assigned to me by a student.
I do not fit the demographics for this diagnosis.
Shortly after the diagnosis, this student took off to Africa for several months to do work there.
I was left without a doctor for this period of time.
My health situation was caused by a home remedy and I was unknowingly poisoning myself.
I have protested this diagnosis from day one, but the doctor refuses to change it.
No follow-up or referrals were ever done.
Shortly after returning from Africa and due to my extreme protests my case was turned back over to her instructor. She has been neither helpful nor co-operative.
AIH is a rare disease and difficult to diagnose and yet a student was able to make this diagnosis in a matter of 8 days and after I had been told for the entire hospital stay that "it was a mystery" and that they didn't know what the problem was.
I am now in the process of gradually withdrawing from more than 5 years of 5mg Prednisone with the monitoring by my PCP.
My new Gastro guy refuses to overturn the diagnosis and is only interested in protecting the previous doctor.
AIH should only be diagnosed and managed by a Hepatologist.
"Mike"

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