Xarelto - Blood loss

[sanuk711]

Just got out of the Khon Kaen heart Hospital, after a 4 day stay and blood transfusions. About 18 months ago I changed my medication from Warfarin, to Xarelto, (Rivaroxaban)  I had read some "not so good reports on long term  Warfarin" & when I discussed it with the Doctor he said that there is a much better medication, but we dont usually prescribe it because even from the Goverment  dispensary which is usually the cheapest prices -it is expensive at 150Bt a pill. Everything seem fine with it, I am heart tested every 12 weeks. About 8 weeks ago I started to get quite weak, climbing stairs was difficult, walking the dog wasn't easy, usually 5-6 KLMs cut down to 2 then 1.

 

My father lived to 93, and I remember when he was about my age mid 70s, he had much the same compliant, they inserted a Stent, and that allowed him to drive us all mad for another 20 years.- So I came to the conclusion that must be what I needed, I wasn't sure the testing would work on me ---as they measure your back blood flow & I have a faulty Heart valve. So when in doubt--dont do anything. But I got really weak, and by the time my wife drove me to the hospital-- I couldn't really stand. Of course they done all the heart checks first. With no bad results, I was laying there saying .."you sure". After the blood test they immediately admitted me , the Doctor said that he also wanted a stool test, and I said to him that ...yer I had noticed that it  (KEY)  was black, but I had taken a dose of Ivermectin & was taking some strong Zinc tablets daily and had put it down to that. , Then he got angry started saying that I should look after myself better and should have done something when I first noticed that my KEY was black.  I really didn't know black KEY meant blood.  In fact until I came to Thailand  I had never been in a Hospital -other than visiting in my life.

Anyway 4 bags of Blood (dont know whats in a bag) 4 days in the hospital private room with medication etc 14,000 Bt.

 

I dont mean to scare anyone who are taking Xarelto, (Rivaroxaban)--obviously its all been tested and probably been around for years --so I guess just me that it affected that way.

 

*Note--I have a common Blood group A+, but the nurse did mention how low they are on blood stocks- So when I was laying there watching the drip -drip, started thinking, these people who come give blood (where I come from) just get a cup of Tea and a biscuit ---- They really are good people aren't they.

 

[perconrad]

Yes, these kinds of rat poison is sure not for everyone.

 

*Note--I have O res.+ and was a donor on call for many years. Where I come from they are more accommodating for the donors, we could those between a beer, a glass of wine, a soda or a cup of coffee or tea and of course water for those who preferred that. You could also have a pack of iron tablets if you wanted that.

 

One saturday night they called from the hospital if I could come fast, I said that I was not sober, but that was no problem, since the man who should have the blood was not sober either and he had shot himself.

As I was giving blood they came and told that the man unfortunately had died and so I had 2 beers to relax on that experience.

Edited October 26, 2021 by perconrad
More info

[Asanee Yutta]

The advantages of Xarelto over warfarin has never been less incidence of loss of blood, the main advantage is that you dont have to worry much about food-drug or drug-drug interaction.
ANY anticoagulant will give you increased risk of blood loss and the gastrointestinal bleeding is the less obvious one. 
You are lucky and I am sorry that you are not informed thoroughly about the possible side effects when first prescribed.
Thanks for sharing.

[sanuk711]

25 minutes ago, Asanee Yutta said:

ANY anticoagulant will give you increased risk of blood loss and the gastrointestinal bleeding is the less obvious one. 
You are lucky and I am sorry that you are not informed thoroughly about the possible side effects when first prescribed

Thanks----I suppose I should use the internet more----just one of those idiots that thinks (thought) the Doc knows best.........

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, sanuk711 said:

Anyway 4 bags of Blood (dont know whats in a bag) 4 days in the hospital private room with medication etc 14,000 Bt.

Glad it wasn't too serious and the cost was that of a 5 star hotel in low season.

 

Was it a private hospital ?

 

Do you have private health care or are you past the use by date for insurers to insure you ?

 

What was the end result, e.g. took you off those meds and now put you back on Warfarin after your transfusion ?

 

Have you made a full recovery now ? 

 

Whenever my stool turns blackish/green or similar, I freak out, then remember that I ate spinach the night before, so it's latte's every other day ????

 

Edited October 26, 2021 by 4MyEgo

[Asanee Yutta]

I don't know if you already discussed this with you doctor, but warfarin has an antidote (vitamin K) but Xarelto (or any other newer anticoagulant) doesn't have one.

This mean if the incident like this happens the hospital could have given you vitamin k to counteract warfarin and thus stop the bleeding more effectively.

You have to weight out whether it is the right one for you. To regularly monitor INR and be more careful about your diet vs Risk of bleeding to death vs risk of blood clot.

Edited October 26, 2021 by Asanee Yutta

[rodknock]

i have been on warfarin since 2005 when i had a DVT.

i test every other week with my own Roche tester.

was told will be on it for life.

the only issue i have is warfarin/orafarin was available from drug stores for years, is only available from hospitals now where i live in Bkk. Riingroj pharmacy on soi 77 used to sell it , but no more.

[Asanee Yutta]

In Pattaya we still have them around though. I found 5mg orfarin in my neighborhood. Maybe try other place?

[sanuk711]

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

Was it a private hospital ?

No it was the Goverment Heart hospital---Queen Siriket heart hospital for nth Thailand I dont have insurance. 

I wanted to live in Issan---& one of the reasons I picked Udon was that it was close to Khon Kaen,. Great universities & hospitals.

Udon Thani itself  is in the process of building a hugh Bangkok group hospital---its about 3 times the size of BKK/Pattaya, the money comes from the high so Lao's

Pre covid it was packed out --

[sanuk711]

1 hour ago, Asanee Yutta said:

I don't know if you already discussed this with you doctor, but warfarin has an antidote (vitamin K) but Xarelto (or any other newer anticoagulant) doesn't have one.

This mean if the incident like this happens the hospital could have given you vitamin k to counteract warfarin and thus stop the bleeding more effectively.

You have to weight out whether it is the right one for you. To regularly monitor INR and be more careful about your diet vs Risk of bleeding to death vs risk of blood clot.

Thanks for the input---I am much of a Blond about health things---the draw back of being very healthy for no reason at all,  until I got to the mid 60s......

 

I have a lot to catch up on.

[sanuk711]

1 hour ago, rodknock said:

have been on warfarin since 2005 when i had a DVT.

i test every other week with my own Roche tester.

was told will be on it for life.

the only issue i have is warfarin/orafarin was available from drug stores for years, is only available from hospitals now where i live in Bkk. Riingroj pharmacy on soi 77 used to sell it , but no more.

Whats a Roche tester rodknock ?

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, Asanee Yutta said:

The advantages of Xarelto over warfarin has never been less incidence of loss of blood, the main advantage is that you dont have to worry much about food-drug or drug-drug interaction.
ANY anticoagulant will give you increased risk of blood loss and the gastrointestinal bleeding is the less obvious one. 
You are lucky and I am sorry that you are not informed thoroughly about the possible side effects when first prescribed.
Thanks for sharing.

 

As above.

 

Bleeding is a risk with any anticoagulant, no exceptions, and dark stool or easy bruising are key danger signs.

[ozimoron]

1 hour ago, sanuk711 said:

Whats a Roche tester rodknock ?

Roche CoaguChek fingerprick tester. Cost is about AUD $550 plus $135 for 24 test strips. Most people test about once per month.

 

I have been on warfarin 1 or 2mg daily  for 2 years following an abdominal blood clot. I saw the haematologist last week. He was planning to take me of it until I told him I would go back to Thailand so he decided to leave me on it. He offered me Rivaroxaban but I decided against it as I am used to warfarin now. He did explain that the risk of cerebral clots was higher but abdominal clots lower for warfarin than Rivaroxaban.

 

There is a Roche office in Bangkok and I did get a canister of test strips delivered to Pattaya for the same price as in Australia. With Rivaroxaban you don't need to test INR and therefore no need to buy the tester.

 

I have found that food interactions are minimal and modern advice is to eat anything and adjust the warfarin. I tend to eat more or less greens depending on my INR level as the metabolic time for vitamin K is half that for warfarin (4 to 5 days).

Edited October 26, 2021 by ozimoron

[Sophon]

4 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

After the blood test they immediately admitted me , the Doctor said that he also wanted a stool test, and I said to him that ...yer I had noticed that it  (KEY)  was black, but I had taken a dose of Ivermectin & was taking some strong Zinc tablets daily and had put it down to that. , Then he got angry started saying that I should look after myself better and should have done something when I first noticed that my KEY was black.  I really didn't know black KEY meant blood. 

As a dog owner in Thailand this is something you really should know. Blood in the stool (black stool) is one of the clear warning signs that your dog could be suffering from serious parasite infestation and the associated diseases such as Ehrlichiosis Canis or Anaplasmosis, both of which can be fatal.

Edited October 26, 2021 by Sophon