There are many times you will have to take a pain reliever while you take prescription medications. Eliquis is a vital prescription medication for many people.
When you take prescription medications like Eliquis, knowing how the medicine works is important.
You should know the side effects and medications that can interact with them. This includes over-the-counter medicines.
Understanding Drug Interactions
Medications are a tool used to better your health. There are medications for many medical conditions, including fighting illness and infections, reducing aches and pains, and helping control problems like diabetes or high cholesterol.
Medicines can come with other reactions: allergies, side effects, and drug interactions.
Drug interactions cause the medication to work differently in the body when it is taken with another substance.
This can be another drug, food or drink, alcohol, or supplements. It can also occur with certain medical conditions.
Examples of drug interactions can be:
- Two different medications: Eliquis and aspirin
- Medications and food: Statins and grapefruit
- Medications and supplements: anticoagulant and ginkgo biloba
- Medications and medical conditions: Peptic ulcers and aspirin
The result of interactions could be side effects, changing how the medicine(s) works and causing the drug to be less or more effective.
What is Eliquis?
Eliquis (apixaban) is an anticoagulant medication. Also called an anticoagulant, Eilquis is prescribed for a few different reasons.
- Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: It lowers the risk of stroke associated with nonvalvular AFib (irregular heartbeat)
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or Pulmonary Embolism (PE): It treats blood clots that have formed in the legs or lungs and lowers the risk of them forming again
- Hip or knee replacement: It lowers the risk of a blood clot after these surgeries
One of the biggest side effects of Eliquis is bleeding. This medicine slows blood clotting so blockages can’t form. This also means external clotting takes longer, causing you to bleed more.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicine is a type of medication you can buy without a prescription.
There are two categories of OTC pain relievers: acetaminophen and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. The primary difference in these is what they are intended to treat.
| Medication | Recommended Dosage | Treats | Important Information |
Acetaminophen Brand names: Tylenol Feverall Acephen |
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Ibuprofen Brand names: Advil Motrin IB Iprin Genpril |
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Naproxen Brand names: Aleve Naprosyn |
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Aspirin Brand Names: Bayer Aspirin Buffering Ecotrin |
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How Does Eliquis Interact With OTC Pain Relievers?
This is something to consider with all prescription medications but especially with Eliquis. Knowing the interactions that can occur if you take these together is important.
Tylenol
Tylenol (acetaminophen) is a medicine that reduces fever and relieves pain. It is not an anticoagulant or an anti-inflammatory.
Tylenol is a safe alternative for pain relief if you take Eliquis. The exceptions to this are people who have a history of liver problems.
Please note that acetaminophen is not an NSAID, like other pain relievers. Only NSAIDs reduce and relieve inflammation in the body.
Ibuprofen and Naproxen
Two common NSAIDs are ibuprofen and naproxen. Unfortunately, if you take Eliquis, taking these can put you at a higher risk for bleeding.
Your chance of bleeding increases if you combine NSAID with Eliquis.
Though the bleeding incident can be minor, it can also be fatal. You should always consult your doctor for any medication and take the safest drug possible.
Aspirin
Aspirin is another type of NSAID. It reduces the blood’s ability to clump and form clots. Many people take low doses of aspirin regularly. Speak with your doctor before combining these medications.
What You Should Know
Taking Eliquis can be a bit tricky. There is a lot to think about.
Here are some key points about Eliquis and OTC pain relievers:
- The safest pain reliever to take while on Eliquis (or any anticoagulant) is acetaminophen (Tylenol). Make sure you follow the recommended daily dosage guidelines.
- Avoid oral NSAIDs. Your doctor may tell you to take an occasional dose but don’t do this without their knowledge.
- Some topical pain relievers can help joint or muscle pain.
Your doctor or pharmacist can help you with complete information about Eliquis or any of these over-the-counter medications.
Save Money on Eliquis With The Rx Advocates
Eliquis is an expensive prescription drug. This medicine is not currently available in generic form, making it harder for some people to access it.
Insurance companies often don’t want to pay for it because there are cheaper alternatives – even if this is the BEST alternative.
Thankfully, The Rx Advocates can help.
At The Rx Advocates, we help people afford their prescription medications.
Our patient assistance programs help you find the best price for you. We take care of the whole process. You pay our service fee and the cost of the medication.
We help people save hundreds of dollars on their prescription medications every month. If you need help, we want to help you, too. Contact us today for more information.
