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AFib questions
Good morning! I'm almost 66 years old, with infrequent AFib and on Eliquis. Sunday evening I had a spectacular nosebleed and went to the ER, where the attending physician inserted an epistaxis nasal pack (the kind with the inflatable balloon). I'm getting it removed tomorrow. What can I expect when it comes out--besides my own reaction of dancing gleefully around the office? Blood? Clots? Scabs? A genie? Thanks for your help!
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thanks for moving my message to discussion thread.
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Back in 2005, my primary doctor did ekg on me and he then discovered my irregular heart beat and referred me cardiologists. They ran some test me and discovered that I have AFIB. The funny thing about it I notice back in 2000 I started to experience quite alot anxiety attacks at work, while driving, flying, even riding the elevator. My doctor asked me if I wanted to be on medication and I told him no. I tried to manage it on my own all those years plus the daily stress I've notice trigger my anxiety attacks.. I'm currently taking Benazepril, Atorvastatin, Xarelto. About two months ago my cardiologist took me off Atenolol because of my slow heart beat. If my heart beat stays slow heart beat, I probably going to have a pacemaker. Now that I am retired I don't experience as much anxiety attacks.
@frank4848, when my second-opinion cardiologist reviewed my Coumadin prescription, he explained about Xarelto and Pradaxa, saying the three drugs are essentially preventive in purpose -- guarding against formation of clots in the upper atrium chambers that were at least partly immobilized by Atrial Fibrillation. He said we would have to look for other medications to relieve the A-Fib itself. I have been on a beta-blocker for the past month, chosen because of its two-pronged benefits: first, alleviating hypertension and, second, adjusting my heart function (including slowing its pulse rate). If you're not taking a third medication (as I am), I'd sure appreciate knowing what your secret is for alleviating the symptoms of A-Fib.
I'm interested in the fact that so many have had good results with Xarelto. I was unable to manage with Xarelto because of the dizziness.So I'm on Warfarin and Solitol. I have checkups with the coag lab every 2-4 weeks, depending on the results. So far, so good. I know that Xarelto has an antidote if ;you should have a massive bleed. For along time they did not have one and that's why there are so many lawsuits, mostly group suits. (advertised regularly here on TV). Goes to show that not everyone is the same and there is no one size fits all.
Hello, I have taken Xarelto for 3 years and have no side effects. I don't know if the number of lawsuits against the company filed in the US is an accurate barometer for determining the efficacy of the drug. I live in Canada where there isn't a culture of suing. Litigation is far less frequent here for that type of case. I rely on the NEJM as one of my sources when I am investigating drugs etc... There is an excellent article about the comparison of Xarelto to Warfarin. (http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1009638#t=articleTop) <br>They completed a double blind trial on 14,000 patients and the results were favourable for Xarelto. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS <br><br>In patients with atrial fibrillation, rivaroxaban was noninferior to warfarin for the prevention of stroke or systemic embolism. There was no significant between-group difference in the risk of major bleeding, although intracranial and fatal bleeding occurred less frequently in the rivaroxaban group." <br>There is a greater chance of a brain bleed with warfarin and a greater chance for an intestinal bleed with Xarelto. Although both statistics are quite low. I opt for the intestinal bleed! 1.7% of the patients had a stroke with Xarelto over a 4 year period and 2.2% had a stroke using warfarin. <br>BTW, I have not heard of an antidote for a bleed with Xarelto. Please let me know what it is and the source. <br>Good luck! martishka <br><br><br>
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1 ReactionThank you for this info @martishka. I really appreciate the level of information and questioning that you and @gonefishinmt bring to this discussion and other discussions in the Heart Health group.
@donnelson @frank4848 @zenk @irishblueileen @murryone Any information on an antidote for a bleed with Xarelto?
You're welcome. It's an amazing and knowledgeable discussion.
I had to jump in regarding the discussion of Anxiety Attacks. Mine started well over 20 years ago and I tried to deal with them on my own and I was to the point I had enough episodes that I was crossing things off my list of fun things I liked doing and no longer could do. I finally went & saw a Psychiatrist who prescribed 1 mg of Klonopin and that has got me over the hump that I am now able to drive over brides or on freeways, fly on planes and generally have a peace of mind. I now take the generic form called Clonaspam. Other than a headache like I missed a cup of coffee if I miss, it has been a miracle drug for me.
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1 ReactionHi @thankful. I'm so glad you jumped in here with your experience and successful management of your anxiety. So many people are reluctant to share that they manage anxiety with medication. What a huge turn-around for you from being "grounded" by fear to being able to fly again - both in terms of going on airplanes to enjoying life.