Taking anticoagulant PLAVIX and need an operation in breast area?HELP
Posted , 4 users are following.
having an operation in breast area due to Hematoma )Maybe caused by also new blood thinner Xarelto.Posted less than a minute agoHello
It has been a while since I posted but I now need help
I. HAS anyone had an operation while on the NEW blood thinner PLAVIX (which has NO Antidote (unlike Warfarin which does) ??
2. AFIB sufferers ,Please explain your symptoms of AFIB and medications you take..
I was diagnosed with AFIB 2 years ago and .I seem to have no symptoms but EKG says it is AFIB,
I am at my wits end trying to decide whether to risk surgery (DANGER if I have to stop the PLAVIXand DANGER to have an op with AFIB (even a local one ( unless given a drug to bridge the gap ..still risky with AFIB...because of an operation and possible bleeding)
They switched me from Xarelto to PLAVIX a milder blood thinner which may have to be stopped for 5/7 days before and after operation (RISKING STROKES )
Thetyswitched me from the first NEW blood thinner Xarelto which is expensive and I think it caused a himotoma in my mastctomy breast ( which was reconstructed 12 years ago nowt ( NOW has hardened now and needs to be replaced BUT most dcctors rs AND myself are nervous to do even if taken off the new blood thinner Blood thinners .
So to ramble but I am a bit pannicked doctors have different opinions, as to the dangers of operating in my breast to remove the rock hard implant with a himotoma (Blood collection around the implant ) needs operation even a liocal may bleed excessively and NO antidote on this drug PLAVIX (unlike Warfarin , which Does)
Thank you
0 likes, 6 replies
lucy02639 pebbalita
Posted
Hi Pebbalita,
Plavix (generic name clopidogrel) is not a new drug, it's been around for ages. I used to take it about ten years ago, am now on Warfarin. There is an antidote for anti-platelet drugs(like Plavix and aspirin) newly developed, but I don't know how widely available it is. You will need to stop the Plavix before the op. in order to develop new unaffected platelets, as you say, takes 5-7 days.
I have Afib, have had it for about 15 years now, have other arrythmia problems as well. During this time I have had operations for gall bladder, appendicitis, tonsillectomy and cataract , and had no problems with any of them. With regard to Afib symptoms, I have ve
pebbalita lucy02639
Posted
HI Lucy
sorry for th eerror in bth calling Plavix an anti coag but I do reaerarch everything before I put it om my mouth and am sure the description fits helps stop Blood clots I KNEW it was not new as a friend has been usinsg it for year wthout the Internal bleeding which I now have from the Xarelto..So I was so excited to think that I may have obverlooked the Pradaxa trials ..NOPE "I just emailed my doctor ( not an old fuddy duddy bit a specsilist trained in USA and Britain and head of the Geriatric dept in a VERY expensive hospital here,,He is wekk known and stays on top of things and a friend so he wants only the best...It is Sunday evening and I am sure he would prefer having dinner with his wife BUT he answered my email immediately after I copied and pasted him your GOOD LUCK with it He as usual just saved me $125 which it costs for 20 minutes with him ( I am THERE the lucky one no charge
IHe did not recommnd Plavisx I asked him for it after my inner bleed Haematoma from the Xarelto I am sure .....
But his email is as follows coy paste no names of course .,,,
he wrote .
to me
"Pradaxa in it's pivotal trial (RE-LY trial) found no better than warfarin to prevent stoke in AFib (110mg) and the 150mg -twice a day-had a higher gastrointestinal bleeding rate. Although there's an antidote is not a good drug in the overall for you
So there you are from many dr's all have giffernt opinions I prefer HIS...
This sis why I chose Plavix my deciaion ...
PLAVIX
Plavix Uses, Dosage & Side Effects - https://www.drugs.com/plavix.html Plavix (clopidogrel) helps to prevent platelets in your blood from sticking together and forming a blood clot. ... Plavix is used to prevent blood clots after a recent heart attack or stroke, and in people with certain disorders of the heart or blood vessels. ... Plavix keeps your blood ...flowing etc...
pebbalita lucy02639
Posted
oops sorry Lucy I also wanted to mention that if you were taking WARFARIN at the time of yur operations NOT a problem because if a major bleed occurred during an operation it just needs shots of VitaminK would stop the bleeding (I doubt if the surgeons there would say if a major bleed occured during surgery )
MY reason for NOT wanting warfarin is that warfarin needs far more doctor visits to get the doses right for my age,weight etc and worse MANY more blood tests needed ..and my arms are like a potato NO VEINS sometimes takes 3 or 4 "experts "to extract a tiny bit if my blood both here and in USA and in England ..I hear a lot "Such weird veins " Maybe Chemo 18 years ago did most damage even if they FING+D a vein they are HARDEBED ,,,and slippery..and collapse YUK ...... ..I would not with that on anyone. My arms swell like balloons not to mention THE MAJOR bruising from the Plavix that I now take ,(same as when I was on the Xarelto )
I am SIO tired of hearing from the EXPERT 'Vampires" that "they have neen taking blood for YEARS " YEP? Really ? and " HOW Brave you are " they say after the 4th or 5th jabbing and collapsing veins ...so that and other conflicts with certain foods made me opt out of Warfarin which STILL has major bleeding risks ,I have scoured the Internet and every possible source of onfo. and doctors not yet in afreement re the "Newer anticoags." Sigh ..If only I could get TWO here or in England (I was there in April or USA where I lived half my life .. ) Too new most say if honest SIGH ,,so it has to be my call and I hate that ...Thank you aall and it is not for te lack of research I could be a doctor with all that I have done BUT NO REAL ANSWERS ,,roll on Aug 17th the MAY have another antidote ready for Market for the "Other "Blood thinners : which really do not thin the blood as I am sure we all know,,,
lucy02639 pebbalita
Posted
lucy02639 pebbalita
Posted
Hi Pebbalita, I had the gall bladder op. while on Plavix (stopped for 5 days before)
I have no problems with Warfarin, completely stable INR, only see the blood nurse at my local surgery once every two months. My veins aren't wonderful, but we manage! When I had the tonsillectomy I stopped Warfarin for a week before and had to inject myself in the stomach with Fragmin every day; sounds grim but was actually not too bad.
misswoosie pebbalita
Posted
Hi pebbalita,
this all seems a bit of a mess to me, as an ex anticoagulant nurse specialist (pre the "new" oral anticoag warfarin alternatives) and Stroke Nurse Practitioner (UK). I think I'll go through point by point from the beginning
1. Plavix works in a different way to Xarelto and warfarin. It does offer some protection against strokes with AFib, but not as much as the first 2.
2.Unless you're continuing to bleed I'm not sure why they took you off Xarelto and put you on Plavix, as the bleeding risks for both are about the same, and there is no antidote to Plavix either.
3.Who amanges your AFib? The surgeons should be liasing with a cardiologist orhaematologist regarding management of your anticoagulation pre/peri and post operatively
4. I would have thought it would have been better to take you off Xarelto and put you on warfarin rather than Plavix. The reason I think this is because it's easier to monitor the effects, and the warfarin only needs to be stopped 2-3 days before surgery. If target INR is 2.5(which it usually is for AFib) then missing 2 doses should bring the INR( ie blood clotting) back to "normal". Thye can obviously check this with a blood test the day before surgery, or the morning of you're going pm. If they thought your risk of a stroke or DVT was particularly high,then they could cover you with heparin injections (sure you've had these before) whilst you're off the warfarin, and restart the warfarin the day after op if you're not having any problems. If you have isolated AFib and have never had a stroke or TIA then the risk of stroke from stopping the anticoags for 2 or 3 days is very low. It's not rocket science, and I don't really understand why there's such a panic. Just need a non surgeon person ( preferably a haematologist) to advise them. Here in the UK the hospitals all have written guidelines about the management of warfarin for surgery.
5. Regarding blood tests for warfarin therapy, you should be monitored by a specialist anticoag service ( not your GP-they don't have a clue re warfarin or really the new ones either). We managed 1800 patients in our area and had clinics in the community and at the hospital about 14 times per week. The blood tests were done via a finger prick test, not an intravenous sample. Much quicker, easier and less unpleasant. Don;t know if you're in the USA or the UK.
6. If it's going to be a relatively minor, non invasive op (don't know how big the haematoma is plus you might have scar tissue I guess) then they might be prepared to do it whilst on warfarin, with your INR at 2.5. If they're only cutting through small blood vessels then they can control the bleeding with the diathermy (seals the cut blodd vessels) and things like kaltostat ( applied into the wound). Dentists are advised NOT to stop warfarin ( and we never adviced patienst to stop it) for a simple extraction and use haemostatic agents to control the relatively minor bleeding.
Lastly, if it was me, I would opt for continued anticoag with warfarin and find yourself a specialist service to manage it. Personally, I don't like Plavix and would much prefer the drug that reduces the risk of stroke by the highest amount and is easily monitored and reversable. As someone else said, once you're stable then blood tests are as infrequent as every 12 weeks. if you're up to it then some places offer self management, ie you haev strips and a machine and do the blood tests yourself, call the clinic and they advise if a dose change is needed.
Hope this helps,