Eliquis and Turmeric

Posted by treese1871 @treese1871, May 27, 2021

If you are on eliquis should you avoid turmeric?

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@faithshouse

I questioned my doctor about taking Turmeric when she put me on Eliquis. She said to discontinue the Turmeric because it acts to thin the blood. Hope that helps.

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I take Xeralto (Blood Thinner) and was considering taking Turmeric also but read where one should not take Turmeric if taking a blood thinner. I ran that by my friend who is very informed about supplements and he confirmed what I had read so I have not taken Turmeric.

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@wilcy

My provider and pharmacy can’t answer this question!

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Not surprising (at all).

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@faithshouse

I questioned my doctor about taking Turmeric when she put me on Eliquis. She said to discontinue the Turmeric because it acts to thin the blood. Hope that helps.

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But did anyone say that you can take turmeric curcumin INSTEAD of Eliquis?

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I've read that you should not take both turmeric and Eliquis. However, I told my doctor that I take turmeric (along with Eliquis) and he hasn't told me to stop taking the turmeric. So, maybe it depends on the doctor?

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I have had 2 different cardiologists know that I am taking turmeric with Eliquis and not say to stop.

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@callalloo

I read Sue's post with interest as I take turmeric as does a friend who also takes Eliquis. Then found this article in the The New York Times about a patient who took the supplement and blood thinners and was negatively affected.

The service pharmacists can subscribe to for information at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Drug Information Group interesting sounds interesting to me. I wonder if they are a resource for more in-depth questions about meds and how to use them than the standard package insert that comes with a filled prescription.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/magazine/he-was-on-blood-thinners-and-supplements-could-he-still-have-had-a-stroke.html

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Different brands of OTC supplements have different levels of bioavailability. Could be hers is useless and thus no effect from Eliquis.

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I take Eliquis and cook with Liquid Turmeric at least 3 times a week. I am 79 years old and have no problems. I forget to a dose of Eliquis 1 or 2 times a week so I think the Turmeric in my food helps…

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@sueinmn

Hello and welcome to Mayo Connect. We are a community of people living with a wide variety of diseases and health conditions who share our journeys and try to help each other along the way We are not medical professionals, so we do not provide medical advice. We share what has or has not worked for us. In addition, we encourage you to become your own best advocate in your health care.

You have started by asking the question about taking Eliquis (Apixiban) with the supplement turmeric. This is a question to be addressed to the physician who prescribed Eliquis, or to a trusted pharmacist. Both medications are blood thinners, but as an unregulated supplement, there is no assurance as to the level of active ingredient in each brand of turmeric. Turmeric also has some other properties like being an antiinflammatory, whay would you be planning to use it? Other considerations would be your dose of Eliquis, all of your other medications and your medical history. A combination that may be safe for someone else might not be for you.

Please check with a provider, and let us know what you learn, in the interest of educating our whole group.
Sue

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It is not totally correct that supplements are not what they say they are. There are several organizations that test these. Consumer Lab is one, and it is akin to a Consumer Reports for supplements. There are N.I.H. clinical trials for some of these, like bromelain, which is also an anti-coagulant. Unfortunately, Western medicine does not support the use of supplements for much of anything. It also is not a good idea to take any of these, fish oil, turmeric, ginger, bromelain or others, with a chemical blood thinner.

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