How can I safely change the time I take my blood thinner?

Posted by ed32js @ed32js, Feb 15, 2022

Does anyone know how to safely change the time I take my dose of xarelto? It’s 20mg, once a day.

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@ed32js, that's a good question. It's very important to take rivaroxaban (Xarelto) as your doctor has told you. It's usual to take it once a day just after you have eaten a meal or snack. It's important to take rivaroxaban with some food to help your body absorb the whole dose. Try to take it at the same time every day. Some people may need to take it twice a day for the first few weeks. Your doctor will tell you if you need to do this. (read more here: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/rivaroxaban/)

May I ask why you are taking rivaroxaban and why you'd like to change the time you take it? Have you talked to your doctor about it?

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I’ve been taking it for over a year and the time has changed a few times due to hospital stays and ER visits. Most recently I went to the ER for an anxiety attack. I was having trouble breathing and my heart rate was very fast. I take it for DVT blood clots in my legs. I was given my dose 3 hours late while they tended to me. I remained on that schedule for about a week but then I started falling asleep and taking it late by an hour or 2. So I did end up changing my time from 8pm to 6 pm by taking it 2 hours earlier. I’ve been consistent with that. My previous time was 5pm for a long time. Thank you for replying. Any feedback and help is greatly appreciated.

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@ed32js

I’ve been taking it for over a year and the time has changed a few times due to hospital stays and ER visits. Most recently I went to the ER for an anxiety attack. I was having trouble breathing and my heart rate was very fast. I take it for DVT blood clots in my legs. I was given my dose 3 hours late while they tended to me. I remained on that schedule for about a week but then I started falling asleep and taking it late by an hour or 2. So I did end up changing my time from 8pm to 6 pm by taking it 2 hours earlier. I’ve been consistent with that. My previous time was 5pm for a long time. Thank you for replying. Any feedback and help is greatly appreciated.

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You make me feel guilty. I'd been taking it right before bed (a weird hour, owing to my schedule but at least it was fairly consistent). Only recently I learned it ought to be taken with food (why?). I swear my cardiologist never told me.

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I did not get adequate direction about taking the blood thinner either -- I asked some questions but I really did not know what to ask at the time I was in the hospital. I had to research it all myself online. I found Mayo website and the Cleveland Clinic website very helpful as well as the American Heart Association website. I take Eliquis, so I tried their website too. It is not often that I take the pill right on time -- I am on a lower dose after being on a high dose for 6 weeks so I figure it won't make much difference if I overlap times that I take it since my body has survived a higher dose already. Don't know if any of this helps, but I'm glad I could say something about it. Blessings !

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