What Is Xarelto?

What is Xarelto?

Blood Thinner Side Effects

Learn About Blood Thinners Warfin, Lovenox and Xarelto

Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is a blood thinner also known as an anticoagulant.

What is Xarelto?

Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is a blood thinner also known as an anticoagulant.

My Warfarin resistant body had caused me to inject two large syringes containing Lovenox daily into my abdomen area or upper thigh each day.

I describe the pain of the Lovenox injection to that of shooting fire and acid into your veins.

The size of the Lovenox injection needle and the amount of Lovenox caused bruises the size of a donut around my injection sites.

My midsection resembled a street fighter that lost every round.

The self-infliction of these two painful injections was a part of my daily medical regimen for over a decade. Along with the toxicity from Lovenox came my battles with my insurance company. Lovenox is expensive.

Unfortunately, during my decade journey with Lovenox, a generic form was not offered. My dosage of Lovenox was well over one hundred dollars a day.

I understand that an insurance company would not want to absorb the high cost of Lovenox. Unfortunately, my only other option was death.

Each year my health insurance company denied my Lovenox prescription. Thankfully, each year my kind-hearted doctors wrote strongly worded letters to my health insurance company.

One of my doctor’s wanted my health insurance company to clearly and concisely understand his medical opinion.

My doctor wrote to my insurance company that without the Lovenox medication this patient will die.

Thankfully, the insurance company heard my doctor’s voices and my Lovenox was approved each year. However, each year I had to jump through the insurance hoops with a parade of doctor’s letters, dozens of phone calls and letters to their appeal broad.

My Experience With Xarelto As time marches forward, medicine continues to advance. In July 2011 the FDA approved Janssen Pharmaceuticals, medication Zarelto to prevent deep vein thrombosis and by Nov 2012 the FDA expands the use of Xarelto to treat, reduce recurrence of blood clots.

A couple of years ago I switched from my twice daily Lovenox injections to once-daily Xarelto. My once daily use of Xarelto eliminated my need for my twice daily Lovenox injections. And of course, our family budget is delighted that the cost of Xarelto is only a fraction of the price of Lovenox.

The Lovenox formulation has similarities to Xarelto. Similar to Lovenox and Warfarin, Xarelato helps to prevent the formation of blood clots. Xarelto is used to prevent or treat a type of blood clot called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Deep Vein Thrombosis can lead to blood clots in the lungs known as pulmonary embolism. I use Xarelto daily to ward off my chronic pulmonary embolisms.

Xarelto is also used in people with atrial fibrillation (a heart rhythm disorder) to lower the risk of stroke caused by a blood clot. As with every medication, there are side effects, trade-offs, and risks.

I hope this HypoGal Blog has helped you to better understand, What Is Xarelto? 

In my HypoGal world with Pulmonary Embolisms Xarelto is my best medical defense against Pulmonary Embolisms.

You can read more about Shortcuts to Living With A Chronic Illness at HypoGal Blog.

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