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My cardiologist pressured me to take anticoagulants over a 5 year period for afib that occurred once a year (or recently, two years). My CHADS score indicated a need and he went by the protocol. Then the 1 point score for female gender was removed and I no longer met the CHADS criteria for meds! The MD told me I was probably right, that they were overmedicating people.
A hospital doc once told me to "go home and forget this happened"!
For those of us with infrequent episodes, it is important to recognize the risks of anticoagulants and balance benefit and risk.
For most people w/afib that is more frequent, anticoagulants are needed of course. I request short term anticoagulants (one month) when I have a longer episode (7 hours is my longest) and have seen studies on this, but it is not in practice yet. They give me Lovenox and an echo to check for clots and release me the next day.
The first time, in 2015, I was told to take a full dose aspirin for a month. Now they don't recommend that so I don't take anything.
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Windyshores - Thank you for your post!!! I so appreciate reading this experience. I know we are all different, but my situation is very similar and I don't feel so 'crazy' after reading your note.
I was diagnosed with Paroxysmal Afib about 5-6 years ago with a ChadsVasc score of 7; I am female, 83 years old, with pacemaker, hx of heart attack x2 both years ago, high BP, cholesterol and all controlled very well with meds.
My electrophysiologist of 11 years, retired at end of 2022. I don't see the new doc until Jan 2024 due to packed schedules. My Afib episodes (paroxysmal) were never recorded at more than 30seconds each per the Pacemaker interrogations which are done every three months or so and my long time arrhythmia specialist said there was not a need for anticoagulants, but take 81mg timed release aspirin and other medications. Everything was fine until 2023 when the February interrogation showed that I had a 2-hour episode of Afib and all of a sudden they were talking Eliquis (this was after my doctor was retired and 'others' were making the recommendation.
I tried Eliquis but I had a reaction with severe gas, abdominal pain, passing gas was very painful; aches in my elbows, shoulders and upper arms - very much a flu like feeling. I even did a Covid home test because I though that could be a possibility, and it wasn't.
I then found this group, read about the various weakness in legs and pretty serious side effects and I explained to my Internist that I was not going to continue the med; I'd only used 4 tablets and stopped and went back to my 1 81mg baby aspirin.
All of my Afib episodes all these years are asymptomatic - Even the 2-hour episode was without symptoms. It was about 11pm and I know I was reading in bed and I had no idea whatsoever that I had it.
I agree that with infrequent episodes one should balance the benefit and risks of meds like Eliquis/Xarelto.
What is the short term anticoagulant (one month) that you take? Can you site a study regarding the longer episode and using Lovenox w/Echo to check for clots?
I see my cardiologist next week and in the meantime I'm going to increase my 81mg aspirin to 2 a day.
If you know, when was the 1 point for 'female' removed from the Chads Vasc scoring?
I would really like to hear more of your experience. The 'hospital doc that said to go home and forget it' - was it a cardiologist? So happy to hear there really ARE those who speak the basic truth. Thank you.