Pain in leg muscles, tendons, and knees after Bilateral PE on Eliquis

I stopped taking the cholesterol med but not for every other day as doctor suggested, I only took it every 3rd day….did that for a couple of weeks but didn’t see any difference in pain in leg. But now I’ve started getting low BP more often (88-96) And feeling lightheaded.. I mentioned it to the doctor and she suggested that I stop taking the spironolactone 12.5 mg, It’s now the third day that I haven’t taken it and I’m feeling lightheaded and my blood pressure this morning was 96.
Since my heart attack in December, I’ve also been on metoprolol 12.5 mg… I was told this me makes my heart pump blood easier, but when I looked it up, this medication is also for high blood pressure, which I’ve never had. Right after the heart attack, they tested
My LVEF Level, which was around 35%. I had an MRI test on my heart, which is more accurate and the level now is up at 44%. I’m wondering if I might not need to take the metoprolol Now that my heart is a little stronger and that’s why my blood pressure is showing low… Anybody have this issue?

I’m right there with you. Same situation same process with hematologist. Feel knee pain joint pain

Hi, @joebananas. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect!

I cannot tell who you are addressing your comment to, perhaps @smasneri who created this discussion. From checking their profile it looks like it has been a while since they’ve been here so I am hoping this tag will alert them.

If you are comfortable, do you mind sharing more about your experience with side effects from Eliquis? This way others will learn more about you and be able to provide relevant comments.

@timheart1
This may be a little late in responding to your message about replacing Eliquis with Garligin but I was wondering when you stopped taking Eliquis did you let your doctor know and what was your doctors response for you taking the Garligin?

I'm experiencing everything that you described. Have been to emergency 3 times in the last 2 months. Doctors saying it's just my arthritis but the symptoms are gradually worsening with every day. I have to use crutches now to get around. I see my Vascular surgeon on Monday and will insist on another blood thinner. At the rate I'm going, I will soon be in a wheel chair. I can hardly lift up my legs to put my pants on because of the excruciating knee pain. I almost want to stop the Eliquis on my own as I see my own rapid determination. I'm willing to take my chances.

@michaelalexander

Having been on Eliquis for a Saddle Pulmonary Embolism (which was removed,}
but still had clots in my arm and left leg) and now off for four months I was told the reactions would stop after three or four days. They got worse and especially affected my joints with pain I'd rate as a 10. It felt like I'd lost all muscle or soft tissue in my joints and as if my feet were wooden, It was worse than when I was on it. The good news is the pain has immensely diminished. After sitting I have pain for a bit, but then it is gone. I don't do well on surfaces like grass or thick rugs, somehow my feet bottoms feel spongy, and think part of it is feeling as if I cannot really depend on my body to behave. I found all reactions were sudden: an hour before I could get in and out of a car. Suddenly could not lift my leg and had a few days of having to back up bottom first to get in the vehicle, then suddenly, after a few days, I could again sit. I still have digestion problems, vertigo is now rare. Eliquis seems to affect soft tissue, while on it almost immediately one side of my teeth shifted. I am able to feel the area above my soft palate with my tongue and until I tried to describe to you what area went from ridged to smooth I didn't know, it is the palatine rugae (?) ridges that evidently help with swallowing, It makes sense to me, if a medication can remove a clot, it certainly effects other tissue with part of the same makeup. For me I'm still celebrating being alive, but feel it is really helpful to understand some of the consequences. And most helpful to know that with time they will go away. At least at this point they are. I'm seeing an integrative PT (just started) and staying active. It seems the more I active (if it's just cleaning cupboards) the better I feel. Hope it happens to you soon. Do talk to your doctor to see if he/she can suggest anything else.

@michaelalexander
I experienced repeated nausea, fever, weight loss, shakes and hideous joint pain! I went to 2 Urgent cares & 2 ERs when I hardly could get out of bed. They would throw more pills at me. I finally took myself off of Eliquest after losing 13 lbs. in one month! I have returned to near normal except for swelling in my right knee that I didnt have previously! My CRP was at 85, while less than 5 is normal so I wonder if its done permanently damage to my knee! You know what you feel like, while doctors are trained to add more drugs rather than go after root causes!

Thank you all for your responses! I was getting pretty scared with all these side effects and new ones seeming to creep in every day. I see my Vascular surgeon today and will ask him to take me off Eliquis and give me another blood thinner, possibly Coumadin, an old school blood thinner, Warfarin. 🙂🙏

@michaelalexander Interesting. I take Eliquis without problem so far, but I only take 2.5 mg for 130 lb body weight, twice daily and I am moderately active. I have a friend who is an MD in his 70s, overweight imo and who decided to take a microdose of a blood thinner, and then he had a stroke. Not sure what that was about. I guess we are all different. Wouldn’t it be boring if we were not?

❤️