What is Plavix?

[rangerrebew]

What is Plavix?

Plavix (clopidogrel) helps to prevent platelets in your blood from sticking together and forming a blood clot. Unwanted blood clots can occur with certain heart or blood vessel conditions.

Plavix is used to prevent blood clots after a recent heart attack or stroke, and in people with certain disorders of the heart or blood vessels.

Plavix may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

https://www.drugs.com/plavix.html

[Rivergirl]

Why do you ask?    Have been on Plavix for one year following a heart attack and stent implant.

[Applewood]

I was on Plavix and baby aspirin following diagnosis of hear problems.  A few years later, I fell and skinned my knee.  The knee wouldn't stop bleeding.  Had to go to the Emergency Room. 

Some advice to anyone taking this driug long-term:  Periodically ask your doctor if you should continue to take it.  Eight years after I first started taking Plavix, someone told me I probably should be off the drug.  Apparently, after 5 years, unless there is still a serious problem where a patient has to keep taking Plavix, the drug should be discontinued.  So I asked the cardiologist and he said, yes, I was right.  I don't need Plavix anymore. 

In fact, it's probably a good idea once in a while to review all your meds with your doctor to see if any are still necessary or if maybe there is something that works better.

[LadyLiberty]

My hubby's d heart attack was in 2008.  He had a heart cath in 2014 that showed no changes since 2008.  He was still on Plavix.  Every time he had to have minor procedures done they had to be very careful with him so it has always worried me.  He had unexplained bruising (woke up one morning and there was a large bruise that covered over a third of his torso) and any bleeding was very difficult to stop.  In his last cardiologist appt earlier this year, I had him ask the doc if he still needed to take it, and the doc told him to continue because everything was working right with it.  My hubby has some dementia and forgot all about the large bruise or the cut on his foot where the ER had a hard time stopping the bleeding before they could stitch him up. (The floor of the ER was a huge mess).  I told him I don't care what the doctor says, I'm afraid he will bleed out from something simple, so no more Plavix for him.