Plavix stopping
Common Questions and Answers about Plavix stopping
plavix
However, concerns from the US have reached the UK where patients have been reported to form clots after stopping plavix. The thing to remember is there are two different forms of blockage in a stent. There is scar tissue (overgrowth of the artery lining), and there is thrombus (clot formed by platelets due to irregularities in the stent). Scar tissue usually forms over the first few weeks, but thrombus can still be an issue long term.
There are 3 serious medical conditions (right-side heart failure, uncontrolled bleeding, and clots (pulmonary embolism and thrombosis) that requires consideration when prescribing medication. Anticoagulants are effective in preventing pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, but there is a risk for bleeding.
More than 80 percent of patients with massive PE die within the first two hours after onset, mainly from right-sided heart failure.
I talked to my cardiologist and he said he had talked to the surgeon and for me to come off the Plavix for 10 days. Three weeks after stopping Plavix for the surgery I was back in the cath lab and had a stint inserted. I do not come off Plavix for any reason now. I have 6 stints in my heart and one in my neck. Last week they would not remove my cataract because it was only 3 months since I had 2 stints inserted in my heart. Could not do it until six months had passed. I had open heart in 2004.
I was prescribed 75mg Plavix daily + 325mg Aspirin afterward. After 2 days on Plavix, I became extremely nauseous. I would become nauseous each time I took it at bedtime and often this would continue the following morning. Within two weeks, I had joint paint, nausea, fatigue, nosebleeds, bruising, and petechial rash. I took 165mg 80% silymarin for 14 days and this helped. 5 days after stopping silymarin, my symptoms returned in full.
So, I think there are 2 issues here.
1. DO NOT stop your Plavix without talking to the Cardiologist who placed your stents. With all of our DES I honestly would be very weary of stopping it. We now recommend patient's be on Plavix for at least one year after there most recent DES and with all of your stents being DES I would definitely consider lifelong Plavix for you. However, this can be difficult when patients also have atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter like yourself.
I recently got off plavix, (2 1/2) weeks ago and yesterday I experienced severe chest pain, so severe I screamed several times. The pain started on the right side of my chest when I had bent over and then I had to sit down because the pain continued. The pain then shifted over to the left side and all throughout my chest. I called my cardiologist and he told me to go to the hospital, which I did. They evaluated me over night and only did some blood tests.
Thanks for your input. I feel better about stopping the Plavix after reading your note and after following up with my doctor. His nurse informed me that the surgeon who performed the angioplasty recommended that I could go off the Plavix after one month, presumably because I was taking Coumadin every day too. I also started a cardio rehab program at the hospital 3 days a week. I'm motivated to lose weight and eat healthy. This was a wake up call. Cheers and thanks again.
I keep my cholesterol levels at a decent level with atorvastatin and my blood sugar levels at pre diabetic levels with metphormin. Bottom line, I want to have peace about stopping the plavix. I know that there is a complete picture that your cardiologist has to consider with these recommendations, but I am seeking more information so that I can be an informed patient and participating in that decision to discontinue.
My Orthopedic surgeon was very specific in me stopping both the aspirin and Plavix totally to prevent any kind of excessive bleeding...I trust him and his work as he has a great reputation, but I am troubled that this will be an ongoing problem with blockages throughout my lifetime...Being my other hip will need to be replaced in the future, I can see this same scenario being continued...What do you think..?
Thanks...
How long have you been on effient? I know when I have a stent and put back onto plavix, I feel heavy chested for about six months but it then seems to wear off. If your Cardiologist is not too concerned about the side effects, I would try to put up with them and see if your body adjusts. The benefits of this medication are very important to your stent.
Prior to that I had virtually no symptoms, and no risk factors except for stress, and the cause of the heart attack was a mystery to everyone. I stayed on plavix for 6 months (along with low-dose aspirin which I continue to take) and couldn't stand the side effect of severe bruising. My recovery was slow in that I continued to experience lots of chest pain with stress, and was eventually diagnosed with GERD, which I believe was caused either by the stents or the plavix.
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