Plavix

Patty,

Could please return and report about the swelling after you see your surgeon?

Grace,

The insurance issue is a big one for me. I feel for you. I have been investigating Medicare gap and advantage programs and I cannot determine what is the best choice, since 1/3 of coilings need repeated and the costs of meds can be astronomical.

I was started 10 days before my 2 Pipeline Flex were inserted and still on 325mg Aspirin & 75mg Plavix 4 months later. NS says if alls well at 6-month Angiogram will be off Plavix, continue with aspirin. I have no stomach issues, but have swelling of fingers, can't wear my rings. I though it was weight gain.

Patty said:

I've been on Plavix (75mg) and 325 aspirin for a little over 3 months now. I started about a week before having my Pipeline Stent placed. No stomach issues for me, but I'm wondering if the numbness and swelling in my hands is a side effect. I initially thought it was a post-surgical symptom, but after looking up side effects of Plavix, it did mention that about 5% of people have hand swelling. All of my rings are either too tight or don't fit at all. I'll ask my surgeon when I see him on Nov. 2. I can live with it if I know it will eventually disappear. Other than that and of course all the bruises that come out of nowhere, I have no other complaints.


Yes, I thought it was weight gain initially because I put on a few extra pounds since I could not take my daily walk for about 2 months. But my fingers actually look puffy and my hands feel tingly and as if the skin is too tight for my fingers. A very weird sensation. I will ask the surgeon but won't be surprised if he brushes it off--but I'll see what he says. The brain specialist at the rehab center thinks I have the beginning of carpal tunnel, but I did not have any of these symptoms before my surgery or before starting the Plavix. So I am hoping that the numbness/swelling of the fingers disappears once I'm off of meds. I will ask though.
starbirder said:

I was started 10 days before my 2 Pipeline Flex were inserted and still on 325mg Aspirin & 75mg Plavix 4 months later. NS says if alls well at 6-month Angiogram will be off Plavix, continue with aspirin. I have no stomach issues, but have swelling of fingers, can't wear my rings. I though it was weight gain.

Patty said:

I've been on Plavix (75mg) and 325 aspirin for a little over 3 months now. I started about a week before having my Pipeline Stent placed. No stomach issues for me, but I'm wondering if the numbness and swelling in my hands is a side effect. I initially thought it was a post-surgical symptom, but after looking up side effects of Plavix, it did mention that about 5% of people have hand swelling. All of my rings are either too tight or don't fit at all. I'll ask my surgeon when I see him on Nov. 2. I can live with it if I know it will eventually disappear. Other than that and of course all the bruises that come out of nowhere, I have no other complaints.

Hopefully once off Plavix everything will return to normal for you both! I have a new pothole in my aneurysm journey, my endoscopy report advises me not to take NSAIDs or aspirin. I already suspected this outcome based on the stomach misery I experience every time I take them. I wonder if there is a work around-like sublingual aspirin or a rectal suppository.

I hate to be a bother but I have heard even doctors call Plavix a blood thinner. It is not. It is a platelet inhibitor. I was on it first for 2 years for a stent and then taken off and put on aspirin 325mg when studies showed Plavix did not decrease my platelets. The doctor is much happier now.

To Pantioplans- Gabapentin is for nerve pain and I have heard similar complaints. Depakote is used for seizures (big and small) and needs to be followed closely by a doctor due to issues. I have to have my instructions written down because I never remember what people say to me. May I recommend that you find out why the doctor wanted you to take Depakote. We don't always recognize seizures and my family just thought it was because of my aneurysm effects. Good luck to all.

Lorac, being informed is a good thing. I was surprised to read you were taking Plavix for 2 years for a stent. How often was your blood tested? Your doctor is happier because the aspirin alone decreased your platelets?

The stent was not in the brain, so many vascular doctors want their people to stay on Plavix for life. My stent started acting funny, so the blood specialist did a blood test and found I don't respond to the Plavix. IDK want the name of the blood test was. The aspirin does slightly thin my blood, and that made my vascular doctor happy as he was mostly concerned with developing clots in my vascular stent.

I did not need a stent for my brain aneurysm, so no need for Plavix there. My neurointerventional doctor says they do not keep people on Plavix very long as there does not seem to be the incidence with blood clots FORMING in the brain from a stent.

PS: They found my aneurysm when I had a TIA (baby stroke), that is why they did test on Plavix to begin with. I am now fine and after my aneurysm doubled in size after a year, it was coiled. I feel very lucky. Hope this clears some things up.

Lorac,
It does, thank you.

I was prescribed Plavix after my coil and PED, it did not work for me, consequently, my

Neuro prescibed EFFIENT. I take it every other day and seem to tolorate it well.

Christa,

I am so glad Effient works for you. Do you mind me asking how it became known that Plavix did not work?

My neuro did a Platlete count and they discovered that it did not work for me.

Lord knows I need all the help I can get. Still getting bruised really easy, I am glad it is

almost winter time, so, I can wear long sleeves. lol

I only can take one day at at a time, still feeling overwhelmed in crowds and

loud noises.

How bout you

Campanile said:

Christa,

I am so glad Effient works for you. Do you mind me asking how it became known that Plavix did not work?

Thank you for replying, Christa! It is reassuring to know they do platelet counts.

I am in the unruptured planning surgery stage, terrified and somewhat frozen. I have too many health issues to address-Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, a twist vein in my eye, a messed up stomach from taking NSAIDs. Like you I am taking one day at a time, along with a few supplements and prayers.

I hope you don’t have to be on the drug for too long. I am sorry to hear that you have difficulty with crowds and loud noises-I have these issues now.

Well, my surgeon doesn’t think the swelling is from the Plavix. But it wouldn’t be the first time a doctor didn’t know all of the symptoms of a medication that is prescribed. I see my internist on Thursday. I’m going to see what he thinks about it.



Campanile said:

Patty,

Could please return and report about the swelling after you see your surgeon?

Patty...thanks for sharing being diagnosed w/carpal tunnel...One of my initial neurologists also suggested I had carpal tunnel...and looked at me like I was crazy for asking bout the nerves and their connections..

He also did not secure my prior records...which I have found fairly common...

Patty said:


Yes, I thought it was weight gain initially because I put on a few extra pounds since I could not take my daily walk for about 2 months. But my fingers actually look puffy and my hands feel tingly and as if the skin is too tight for my fingers. A very weird sensation. I will ask the surgeon but won't be surprised if he brushes it off--but I'll see what he says. The brain specialist at the rehab center thinks I have the beginning of carpal tunnel, but I did not have any of these symptoms before my surgery or before starting the Plavix. So I am hoping that the numbness/swelling of the fingers disappears once I'm off of meds. I will ask though.

starbirder said:

I was started 10 days before my 2 Pipeline Flex were inserted and still on 325mg Aspirin & 75mg Plavix 4 months later. NS says if alls well at 6-month Angiogram will be off Plavix, continue with aspirin. I have no stomach issues, but have swelling of fingers, can't wear my rings. I though it was weight gain.

Patty said:

I've been on Plavix (75mg) and 325 aspirin for a little over 3 months now. I started about a week before having my Pipeline Stent placed. No stomach issues for me, but I'm wondering if the numbness and swelling in my hands is a side effect. I initially thought it was a post-surgical symptom, but after looking up side effects of Plavix, it did mention that about 5% of people have hand swelling. All of my rings are either too tight or don't fit at all. I'll ask my surgeon when I see him on Nov. 2. I can live with it if I know it will eventually disappear. Other than that and of course all the bruises that come out of nowhere, I have no other complaints.

lorac... sorry for my delay...the neurologist...after my first reaction to gabapentin...then prescribed the Depakote...as I said earlier...I did not fill it ...and, my memory does not tell me why/how come...

to add to that...he noted in my record...that I had not gotten Depakote...and, that it was up to me if I wanted to return/.e.g. I could call for an appointment...other wise he did not need to see me again...

he also noted that he did not receive...my records from the facility... So of course that adds to my question on how the new doc could have decided what/how to treat me IF he had no records...I was so memory dead at that time (hey, and passed the state driver tests!)

Some day I will share statements off the records of various neurologists...


lorac said:

I hate to be a bother but I have heard even doctors call Plavix a blood thinner. It is not. It is a platelet inhibitor. I was on it first for 2 years for a stent and then taken off and put on aspirin 325mg when studies showed Plavix did not decrease my platelets. The doctor is much happier now.

To Pantioplans- Gabapentin is for nerve pain and I have heard similar complaints. Depakote is used for seizures (big and small) and needs to be followed closely by a doctor due to issues. I have to have my instructions written down because I never remember what people say to me. May I recommend that you find out why the doctor wanted you to take Depakote. We don't always recognize seizures and my family just thought it was because of my aneurysm effects. Good luck to all.

Sorry Pantioplans and everyone having issues with medical records. The electronic records has made little assistance in my case. In fact, an emergency room doctor mistakenly put in my electronic records that I am diabetic. My regular doctor has tried to get it corrected, but it is already out there. My regular doctor gives me copies of everything and I bring them with me to other doctors. I am surprised how the records are just ignored. Sad.

Lorac,

Correcting mistakes in medical records is near impossible. I thought all the errors in my records were removed, but when I went to the hospital for my colonoscopy/endo in October they were all still there. This is upsetting, because my husband is my health care proxy and although he has been wonderful caring for me while I was unable to walk, he knows next to nothing about medicine. He thinks about medical issues the way he thinks about plumbing-if you aren’t trained in it, leave it to the professionals. Eek!


Campanile,

I was just re-reading your reply and I seen your mother had participated in Parkinson's research. My mother suffered with PD for 25 years. she was diagnosed at 58 I am 59 now and had myself checked for that last year and was told no. My mother did not have an aneurysm so no connection that way.
Campanile said:

Patio,
Thank you for the link. FYI, I am doing my due diligence, because I cannot handle any more medical issues.

Kevin,
Thank you for posting I am sorry you had difficulty with Plavix, but were fortunate to be given a satisfactory replacement. I read that Ticlid is an older drug, which Plavix replaced. I don't understand why more doctors aren't doing genotyping. It can be done through 23andme for $99, which gives considerable DNA bang for the buck. My mother participated in Parkinson's research through them in 2006 and Plavix is one of the drugs they reported on.

I read that stopping Plavix suddenly is not a good idea.

Kevin,

You are correct there is no aneurysm connection with PD. The anecdote about my mom and PD research from 23andme was shared, because through this genotyping we learned that she would process certain drugs much too fast for them to do their job and others would be processed so slowly she would need smaller amounts for efficacy. Fortunately, Plavix was listed as a drug that would not have either of these issues. I think broad genetic testing will become standard and will ultimately improve health services.