Thanks for the info. It was a good programme indeed. I could feel the lads problems.
Colin
Hi if I were you I would go back to the doctors, can you see another at the practice! I was signed off every three months for a year. Told not to entertain going back until I was ready too, and even then I had my hours reduced from full time to ten a week. Your doctor is being as colin says mean. You could ask a local stroke coordinator to go with you, or ring the hospital and ask them for some advice, they may be able to speak to the doctors. It is important that you do not go back until you are fit both physically and mentally, and you get occupational health involved with a phased return. The last thing you want to do is to risk another stroke, which is what I would tell the doctor. A lot of doctors do not understand the mental emotional strain it takes on you. Good luck keep us posted. Wendy
Clopigrodel does have other effects and I think when these are happening the body does get more tired coping with them, just as when coping with a cold or injury.
I get bruises on my body and limbs, and also a sore swelling in my nostrils, which makes my nose swell and affects my cheeks and eyes, just as if I had a cold or sinusitis. I do feel more tired when this is happening.
It’s not the clopidogrel itself, perhaps, as much as the body’s need for energy to fight these effects.
It is very helpful to read about specific side effects of clopidogrel. I do wonder if a combination of drugs does odd things to us. Generally I prefer not to take medication so its a bit of a change for me to have daily doses for life.
My SF is bad and long lived and so I am always wondering if its a specific drug or a combination of drugs.
A good thing : My asthma has been under superb control for the two years since I started a powder based spray in place of the old ventolin brown. Astham on top of all the other stroke linked problems really was a bit of a horror show, so its great to have that sorted. I also ditched statins at a very early stage. If it shortens my life then so be it.
Colin
my partner has had 2 strokes in the last two months after the first one he was put on asprin for the first week and then started taking clopidogrel after being on this for two weeks he then had a second stroke .we are concerned that for some people clopidogrel does not work as well and you can be tested for this before taking it .His doctor has contacted the hospital regarding this issue but as yet we have not heard anything just wondering if anyone has heard of this problem with clopidogrel .
I had a TIA two months ago. Put on Atorvastatin and Clopidogrel since then. Only last week I changed Atorvastatin to Rosuvastatin due to the side effects I suffered from - muscle and joint pain plus headache/dizziness. I have been on Rosuvastatin for more than a week. Headache/Dizziness is the thing that bothered me every day. Is it normal and how long the side effect will stay on???
I think weve been through this before, maybe a while ago now. I had bad effects from all statins (atorvastatin, simvastatin and 1 other). I have replaced all of these, because I couldnt tolerate any of them, with a non statin called ezetimibe for cholestorol control. I also couldnt tolerate clopidogrel, so I ceased that too.
I still take a cocktail of meds and dont feel great, confusion, dizziness, aches and pains and swollen limbs etc etc, but this is due to the stroke and it is the new 'normal'.
Disclaimer: obviously not advocating any of this for anyone else, and Im not sure its the best for me, but I prefer to be in control of what I put into me, rather than just blindly accept someone else knows best !
Hi there, thanks for getting back to me with your thought. I will discuss my situation with my GP to find a way. My fear is not taking the meds will lead to another stroke. Difficult balance, I suppose.
Hi Chris - I also couldn't tolerate Clopidogrel and although my GP wanted me to stay on it, the Stroke Consultant was happy for me to swap to aspirin which I have been on for 2 and a half years now with no problems. There are a couple of other "clopidogrel type' drugs which do the same job so definitely worth discussing these with your GP till you find one you can live happily with.
Hi there, many thanks for your comment. I must say I really don't know whether the side effects coming from Clopidogrel or Rusovastatin. Definitely will discuss with my GP about my headache, dizziness and fatigue. Have been on for two months now, really can't carry on like this.
I have been on Clopidogrel since September when I had my stroke which I considered was minor. Have suffered greatly from dizziness and fatigue which originally I thought was caused by the statin I was given, eventually stopped the statin but still had symptoms my Doctor put me on a blood pressure tablet which ascerbated the symptoms, I am now trying a different one. My medical team have suggested I may have these symptoms for sometime. I have resigned myself to the fact these symptoms are caused by the stroke and will improve with time. I have good days and bad days.
Hello Colin. I agree with you about the dreaded lurgy fatigue. I am past two strokes a month apart the lurgy happens with me when I wake in the morning sometimes. It clears tea times. I had the strokes 7months ago and the fatigue started at about two months ago. I hope you are recovered from the heart surgery. I have coronary heart disease. Blessings judy
Oh dear. Stroke and coronary heart disease, are we unlucky or very unlucky ?
My heart op was 2nd May and I am now getting on with the rehab. I am almost certain that extreme fatigue from the heart disease had overridden SF. The two are very similar indeed. Major differnces are : SF improves whereas Heart stuff worsens and SF is a horrid thing but isnt fatal. Heart issues are decidedly fatal.
Best wishes
Colin
I have 3 blocked heart arteries. I was all prepared on the table the doc started the procedure to insert stents then decided there was enough room for the blood flow. I get bouts of palpitations and I am breathless. I have been like this for 5 years. On beta blocker. Statins and BP meds. Blessings judy
Interesting, I really don't know the cause of my symptoms. Have been on Clopidogrel for over two months now. Changed the statin about three weeks ago, the symptoms of dizziness, headache and nausea continue. Good days and bad days seem to the norm now. It is really frightening that the stroke has caused such a long term impact on our health and daily life. Thanks for sharing your experience with me, much appreciated.
Hello Colin. Hope that you are getting stronger. I have just been put on rivaroxaban blood thinner. Do you know about this one. I had awful side effects with apixaban. I have been on aspirin. That is when I had my first stroke. Thanks. Blessings judy
I have been put on a beta blocker which is giving me a horrible feelingin my head and generally feelingunwell. I am very mixed up what to do shall I take them or not . I am already on blood thinning so dont know what to do its makin g me very anxious. any help would be good Norma.
I am in the same position as your partner. Had a second stroke 2 months after the first one, while on Clopidogrel. I've had all the tests to rule out other causes of second stroke e.g narrowed carotid/cerebellar arteries, irregular heartbeats etc. From researching online, there is some evidence from small studies, of clopidogrel resistance in 30% of the population(higher in East Asian communities) This means clopidogrel is less effective than normal in people who are treated with it. In 3% it is completely ineffective. There is a genetic test to find clopidogrel resistance but it is not yet available on NHS and costs £600-£1000. I am considering getting the test privately but need to find a doctor willing to liaise with the company that does the test. My Stroke consultant told me to get my GP to refer me to St. Thomas's i.e. a large London teaching hospital, as the local one can't help. The NICE guidelines for Stroke do not seem to include anything about clopidogrel resistance, so NHS docs seem not interested. Maybe there's not enough evidence yet or it costs too much. I'm waiting to get a referral and meanwhile my consultant has agreed I can switch to Aspirin,which I have done, but of course that can have risky side effects. My consultant points out that all blood thinners only reduce the chances of another clot, they don't prevent it completely, so it may be we just got unlucky.
Hope this helps, and I hope you and your partner are recovering well..
I'd really like to know if anyone out there has managed to get the genetic test for clopidogrel resistance?
I had a second stroke in November, 2 months after the first one in September. I had been on Clopidogrel for 2 months. I've had all the tests to rule out other causes of second stroke e.g narrowed carotid/cerebellar arteries, irregular heartbeats etc. From researching online, there is some evidence from small studies, of clopidogrel resistance in 30% of the population(higher in East Asian communities) This means clopidogrel is less effective than normal in people who are treated with it. In 3% it is completely ineffective. There is a genetic test to find clopidogrel resistance but it is not yet available on NHS and costs £600-£1000. I am considering getting the test privately but need to find a doctor willing to liaise with the company that does the test. My Stroke consultant told me to get my GP to refer me to St. Thomas's i.e. a large London teaching hospital, as the local one can't help. The NICE guidelines for Stroke do not seem to include anything about clopidogrel resistance, so NHS docs seem not interested. Maybe there's not enough evidence yet or it costs too much. I'm waiting to get a referral and meanwhile my consultant has agreed I can switch to Aspirin,which I have done, but of course that can have risky side effects. My consultant points out that all blood thinners only reduce the chances of another clot, they don't prevent it completely, so it may be I just got unlucky.
I'd really like to know if anyone out there has managed to get the genetic test for clopidogrel resistance?
Hi - I was put on Clopidogrel by the hospital following my first stroke in 2017. I had massive side effects which landed me in A & E quite a few times. After about 6 months, my Stroke Consultant agreed to try me on aspirin which suited me well until Oct last year when I had a second stroke - this time a TIA. I was immediately put back on Clopi and this time thankfully, I have been ok. The Stroke Consultant said the aspirin wasn't enough to protect me from another stroke and if I didn't take it, I would continue to have mini-strokes.
The consensus of opinion from medical people is that Clopi (and a couple of other specific blood thinners names of which escape me at the mo) is the best drug combined with BP and statin medication for stroke patients although nothing can guarantee being stroke free for the rest of your life. I agree you could have been unlucky. I think a lot of people who have strokes, very healthy, non-smoking, non-drinking people and young people etc are unlucky. As the stroke nurse told me on the night of my big stroke, even the fittest of atheletes can have strokes. It's just a blip in the brain that flicks a switch and that's it - you've had one.
I'd be really interested to hear if you do have the test - please do keep us posted.