I have been taking Plavix for 2 years after MI back in 2009/100% occlusion of the left ventrical artery/.. The cardiologist thinks it is safe to stop it now. I have 2 bare metal stents and one DES/Xience V/ inside those two in the same artery. Have read a lot about the so called rebound effect of stopping Plavix, so my quiestion is: do I stop it abruptly or over period of time? Do I add any supplements that thin the blood on the top of the 81 mg of Aspirin or just increase the dose of Aspirin?
Thank you for your response
How do I stop Plavix?
Question posted by tony969 on 26 Jan 2012
Last updated on 18 February 2018 by Chyk41
3 Answers
If your cardiologist has told you to stop just stop. It takes 7 to 10 days for the initial effects to wear off and 30 day to clear the body. You were taking the plavix for the bare metal stent for the most part until it was fully covered with scar tissue. For the DES it normally a year. But there are a few people out there like myself who can never come off. It is determined by the size and location. Which I have a problem with both.
I had 2 drug eluting stents put in 4 years ago. I was told by one doctor that each person reacts differently to getting off Plavix. I tried weening myself off of it and eventually went to 325 aspirin. I weened for over 6 months. Well 1.5 weeks after going totally on aspirin I started having my heart skipping beats which is what happened just before I had my HA. I took my plavix and within 2 days I was beating good again. I have come to the conclusion that everyone is different. Some can get off plavix and some can't. Question is which one are you?
This is a question for your cardiologist to answer. Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership has not published any instructions on how to discontinue the use of the drug. Their expectation is that once you start the drug that you will be on it for life. Sounds like you have a good doctor so work with him as it sounds like he has a plan.
Related topics
plavix, heart attack, myocardial infarction, platelet aggregation inhibition
Further information
- Plavix uses and safety info
- Plavix prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Plavix (detailed)
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