Hello all...new to this board. Had my second stent placed in Feb. 03 and was put on Plavix 75 mg. Have continued that until yesterday when Dr. told me to stop. Ok by me, but are there going to be any weird experiences until body gets used to removal from system??...Still taking aspirin (325mg), Tricor, Toprol and Provachol
Thanks...

Granpa,

Getting Plavix out of the system is one of the best things one can do for himself. My only symptom when I stopped was that my nose stopped bleeding! :D
"Good riddance to bad rubbish"...as the saying goes.

Daily aspirin will do the trick...more safely.

LORD,
How did you manage 3 years of Plavix? The drug is coming under well deserved scrutiny the last few months for being overprescribed and improperly used in dosages that are too high.
I hope it's discontinued... I'd never take it again.

Thanks for reassuring words, Lenin. I just took it because I trusted the Docs. My PCP (also a cardiologist) never said a word about it until yesterday and had been assuring me that it was protective. I have been lucky in that side effects of any drug I have taken have yet to appear...

Why did he have u stop taking plavix? I have been on plavix for 4 months and I am tired and my feet swell and I bruise easy but I just thought that was my heart not regulating from the device implant...my doc has not told me anything bad about plavix...can someone enlighten me about this drug...I take plavix, toprol, and aspirin (81mg) thnx :wave:

The prescription for Plavix is to prevent platelets from forming at the site of the lesion and cause blockage. Once the healing is complete conventional medical wisdom opines it is no longer very beneficial. My perscription was discontinued after 6 months. Appears to be agreement to that length of time.

Aspirin, and plavix is the protection for the healing process. Aspirin may be continued to thin the blood and prevent clots.

Rok c...
Kenkeith's explanation is as good as any. My Doc did not elaborate..only said that thinking is changing about long term use. Through checking out this forum, I was not surprised when he told me to quit. Lenin has spoken about Plavix many times...

I didn't know Plavix was that bad for you!!! :confused:
I had a stent place 3 yrs. ago was put on plavix for a yr. doc said that I should be ok after one year!!!! didn't have any problems while taking it!!
Just got 3 more stents place this past Monday now I'm back on Plavix for another year!!!

Although in the past few days I've notice I've been tiring easily don't know if this is a symptom or not (gonna go and check out side effects etc...) but I'm thinking it probably is never had felt this tired before!!! only med I've added is Plavix!

Look at the studies for Plavix...there are two. One is called CAPRIE and the other is called CURE.
CAPRIE shows that aspirin and plavix taken separately are equally good at preventing clots.
CURE shows that after stents taking BOTH TOGETHER increases protection by about 2% over just aspirin but look at the graph (easy to find)...the protection against clots increases over aspirin for 2 months and then remains steady. Think hard about this and you'll realize that means that ALL the extra protection has occurred in the first two months and that after 60 days the Plavix adds nothing further...identical clot rates with aspirin alone after that.

What the studies ignore is the very real 1% chance of FATAL BLEEDS...meaning death or immediate intervention with MORE than 4 units of blood. This continues month after month, year after year on PLAVIX...and some argue persuasively that the 1% is vastly understated.

I am convinced that anything more than 60 days of PLAVIX is all risk and no benefit. And the first 60 days is a toss-up.

News is also breaking about the stupidity of that loading dose of 4 or 5 plavix BEFORE they wheel you in for the angioplasty. Any perforation will probably be fatal because of immmense and unstaunchable bleeding caused by the super dose of clopidogrel (sounds like doggerel for a reason?:D:D) I guess they can rip your chest open and do bypass...imagine!
And it doesn't make it any more fun to staunch the bleeding when they pull the catheter out of your groin.

I'd LOVE to get the inside poop on the number of lawsuits filed. I have always felt that Plavix will be the next Vioxx, Baycol, (or thalidomide!)

That was some good information!!!! Thanks Lenin!! :)