Hello,after more than a year of trying in UK to get a Plavix prescription (75mg daily), Queens Square consultant this week has finally given me a private prescription. This will enable me to get my GP to prescribe it on NHS if it helps. It’s not a known treatment pathway so GP won’t do it without consultant say so. Having seen Dr Hepworth on webinar describe how often this helps diagnose & help his patients, I am hopeful it may help me. After 2/3 weeks on Plavix I will try to post if it helped or not. D
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I would not have known about plavix & US doctor advice without this website. So whether it helps me or not, I am grateful for this community. Merry Christmas everyone. Wishing you all better health in 2024. D
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Merry Christmas back to you, @PatientD! I hope Plavix makes a huge difference for you. I’m so glad you persisted in requesting it until your wish was granted. 
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Thank you 
it was a long struggle but drug delivery is due today. An early Christmas present! D
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Hope it helps you, so pleased that your persistence has paid off!
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Hi, for those members who have used Plavix, are there any topics/advice you have learnt about its use you can share? Thank you. D
Brief update at end week 1 of Plavix. I believe it has helped reduce sense of pressure and tightness in my head. Not a cure but I am bit more comfortable now. Hoping for further improvements up to week 3. May try taking it at 8pm instead of first thing to see if that helps me sleep any better. Sleeping well remains elusive still at month 4. Left side improved much faster than right side is doing. I think I may finally see Mr Hughes in his UCLH NHS practice in Jan but we will see. D
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Glad that it’s helping a bit!
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At almost 2 weeks of Plavix I have developed skin rash on arm, a known side effect. Web suggests it may pass and that creams for rash or hay fever type drugs may help. I think it is helping so will try to carry on & hope to resolve skin side effects. Sharing in case informs others taking Plavix. D
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If the rash doesn’t go away, another blood thinner Rxed in the US is Brillinta. I hadn’t heard of it before it was mentioned here so it may be a newer medication.
Thanks for helpful suggestion, much appreciated. D
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Hi, a few Plavix questions.
In heart attack/stent patients a higher initial dose than 75mg is used and it is used in combination with low dose aspirin. I saw on webinar Mr Hepworth did not use Aspirin, only Plavix.
I am wondering if slightly higher dose of Plavix at early stages &/or adding low dose Aspirin might help me at this early stage of Plavix use (today is week 3), and 5 months post surgery.
Does Isaac, Jules or other US members have any experience or learnings about dosage Plavix & adding aspirin? I appreciate I am not a post heart attack patient but use of higher dose & aspirin in that patient group suggests is not deemed too dangerous to try.
Plavix has helped me but right side still not symptom free so looking to try things that might help. There is no UK doctor to discuss it with here as they don’t know about Plavix for venous outflow problems.
Any info appreciated. Ty. D
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No, sorry I don’t know about the dosages used, hopefully one of Dr Hepworth’s patients will chip in!
Thanks Jules. I hope so! D 
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I’m sorry to say I’m in @Jules camp. I’m glad you’ve gotten some relief from the Plavix.
Some people have said it takes time to work well (several weeks), but it seems you’re into that timeframe now. I don’t know about using low dose aspirin with it either. Could you ask your doctor about allowing you to add aspirin & have him/her monitor you for a few weeks while you take the combination of the two?
Alternatively, use Plavix for a month, & if you don’t get better results w/ your current dose, ask your doctor if the dose could be increased. If that isn’t helpful, it may take a bit of trial & error to figure out which medication works best for you. Brillinta is the other medication Dr. Hepworth often Rxes.
@TheDude took Eliquis, and had good results with that:
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Thank you for replying.
In UK medics are slavishly following known “treatment pathways” - and there isn’t one of those for VES. Plavix is only used for cardio reasons here. So I have zero chance of getting another drug- Plavix took over a year to try.
I will play around with timing/dosage a bit as I do believe it helps me. Ty. D
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About the Eliquis: That’s right, but I had long term side effects. So i swiched a bit around between the Xa-Inhibitors. Seems Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) is better. Dr. H. also told me later that he isn’t rxing Eliquis anymore. It wasn’t working very good for his patients.
In Germany they won’t rx plavix or aspirin for prevention of thrombosis in venous system. So maybe trying an Xa-Inhibitor (exept Eliquis) is still a good idea. I’m noticing the pill wearing of very next day in the afternoon if I forgot the next pill in the morning.
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Thank you for the update, @TheDude. Very helpful information. My mother took Xarelto & it was waaaay better than Warfarin which she took first because Xarelto didn’t require a monthly blood test. I’m glad there are now safer blood thinners on the market.
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I think we’re pretty behind in the UK, warfarin is still routinely prescribed!
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