Brilinta and Shortness Of Breath: What Users Say

• Sur...
• May 12, 2019

For Acute Coronary Syndrome "I received Brilinta during procedure when I had 1 stent placed during an angiogram. I had acute coronary syndrome. In recovery, I had extreme shortness of breath, chest tightness, breast tissue ache, and extreme upper back pain. I told a nurse. Was this a heart attack? Three cardiologists arrived. They agreed these were known side effects, told me why Brilinta was chosen, but agreed Plavix worked just as well and much better for me. Brilinta was stopped, and my side effect symptoms resolved within hours. I'm lucky I have three responsive doctors. It's a cruel joke when a drug given to treat CV issues has side effects that mirror a CV event. Regardless of how good the drug is, in my opinion this can damage health and mental state of patients taking this drug to avoid CV problems. Shaken confidence can contribute to less optimal recovery. Doctors should pay attention to experiences and discuss side effects if they choose this drug. Then Brilinta can be used with confidence, or replaced quickly for those who have adverse reactions."

• Fra...
• November 8, 2020

For Acute Coronary Syndrome "After a stent, I started Brilinta 2X90mg and 81mg aspirin. Shortness of breath, fatigue, and palpitations were overwhelming. After 6 weeks, my doctor finally agreed to change to Plavix. I have slowly recovered and am feeling much better now."

• Pau...
• February 16, 2018

For Acute Coronary Syndrome "This medication was worse than the heart attack. Long story short, I could not breathe. I finally was able to discontinue after 1 year. Symptoms improved within 3 days, none now. For me, it was horrible, and I would never recommend it to anyone."

• Gin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 28, 2019

For Acute Coronary Syndrome "I started having shakiness and hyperactivity the day after angioplasty. The doctors emphasized that Brilinta is key to keeping the stents open. I am very sensitive to pharmaceuticals. I thought it might be one of the drugs, but the doctors thought otherwise, attributing it to all the stress of the procedure and one small artery they could not stent. Then angina came back with shortness of breath. I started Imdur to counteract chest pain, but shortness of breath (SOB) continued. The chest pain and shortness of breath continued to get worse, so I went to the ER with angina, SOB, racing heart, coughing, and an impending sense of doom. I ended up staying overnight. My heart checked out okay, and doctors finally attributed the issues of angina, SOB, and GERD to the side effects of Brilinta. Now I am on Plavix and have had no side effects so far. I was really regretting getting the stents and thought the alternative might have been better. Brilinta might be the preferred drug for PCI, but the side effects are horrible."

• Too...
• December 31, 2019

For Heart Attack "HA with one stent in LAD and was prescribed Metoprolol and Brilinta. A week later, the side effects all kicked in: shooting chest pains, racing heart, chest/arms/legs tingling, jitteriness, and anxiety. I felt like I was having another HA, so I spent the weekend in the ER, where they didn't find anything wrong. My GP prescribed anxiety meds, which helped a bit. After a month of complaining to my cardiologist, they finally took me off of Metoprolol, and the anxiety, jitters, and racing heart rate went away. I was still getting chest pains, shortness of breath, and was feeling nauseous. Another month, and I convinced my Dr. to switch from Brilinta to Effient, and the remaining side effects went away. I'm finally starting to feel normal. Not all Drs. are open to modifying patients' meds, which can be a real issue if you are experiencing negative side effects, so please advocate for yourself."

• Kle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2022

For Heart Attack "Began taking Brilinta after a heart attack. Gasping for breath became a common occurrence. Caused a frequent feeling of oxygen deprivation. Drifting off to sleep became a fearful experience (would be awakened gasping and gulping for oxygen). Scary situation. After researching and identifying Brilinta as a possible culprit for these episodes, I stopped taking the drug. That day of stopping the drug, the breathing problems began to improve. I was able to sleep soundly and no longer had episodes of gasping for breath during the day. Within 24-48 hours of stopping Brilinta, all breathing problems were gone. I refused to continue to take the Brilinta despite the doctor's recommendation that I remain on this medication. The doctor finally agreed to replace the Brilinta with Plavix."

• Kle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2022

For Heart Attack "Began taking Brilinta after a heart attack. Gasping for breath became a common occurrence. Caused a frequent feeling of oxygen deprivation. Drifting off to sleep became a fearful experience (would be awakened gasping and gulping for oxygen). Scary situation. After researching and identifying Brilinta as a possible culprit for these episodes, I stopped taking the drug. That day of stopping the drug, the breathing problems began to improve. I was able to sleep soundly and no longer had episodes of gasping for breath during the day. Within 24-48 hours of stopping Brilinta, all breathing problems were gone. I refused to continue to take the Brilinta despite the doctor's recommendation that I remain on this medication. The doctor finally agreed to replace the Brilinta with Plavix."

• Bob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2019

For Acute Coronary Syndrome "Have been on Brilinta for almost 2 months after 1 stent. The shortness of breath is terrible. Sleep is spotty, so I'm doubly exhausted. I wake up multiple times needing to sit up and breathe. My gout has flared up continually since I started this drug, which used to hit every 3 months. All in all, I hate it."

• Bab...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2017

For Acute Coronary Syndrome "Had a heart attack on 12/15/2016 and was put on Brilinta 90mg twice a day, plus 81mg of Aspirin once a day. I experienced shortness of breath and a cough. I went to see my Cardiologist, and he says the shortness of breath will get better, and the cough is not related to the Brilinta. Recently, I started feeling soreness on the tops of my hands when I press on the veins, and the soreness increases. I have now developed large bruises on the top of both hands, with slight swelling. My vision has also changed, with blurriness in my left eye. I see no documentation that this is a side effect. Has anyone else experienced this?"

• Off...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2016

For Acute Coronary Syndrome "Why on earth would Brilinta be approved for heart patients when shortness of breath is a side effect? A pretty sick joke. I was not amused and told the doctor I would not continue taking it, regardless of what the drug rep said about the side effect potentially leaving in a few days."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 8, 2017

For Acute Coronary Syndrome "I advise you not to take Brilinta. My husband woke up every 10 minutes scared of dying because he couldn't breathe. He coughed and had blurred vision too. This medication should be off the market. We had 2 sleepless weeks while he was on Brilinta."

• DCa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 5, 2019

For Heart Attack "I had a heart attack last Wednesday, 7-31, and after having a stent placed, I was started on Brilinta. So far, I’m not happy with this drug. I am totally fine during the day, but in the middle of the night, while sleeping, I get woke up with severe shortness of breath. It takes about an hour plus for me to feel better. But now I wake up exhausted due to little sleep. I have been on Plavix in the past and it worked fine, the only thing I had was bruising, and I’d rather have that over not being able to catch my breath."

• JD ...
• December 2, 2022

For Heart Attack "I had a massive HA back on June 1st, 2022. Doc said, 5 more minutes and I would have been gone. He added 2 more stents to my already three and started me on Brilinta. I started gasping for breath after a couple of days, losing sleep at night, falling asleep at red lights, unable to walk very far or fast, and severe vertigo (dizziness), muscle cramps, leg pain, swollen knees, and back and neck pain. After the first bottle of Brilinta was gone, I stopped taking it. 2 months later, at my next visit, my Doc went through the roof!! He immediately made me take two 90 mg Brilinta pills and another that night. Well...3 months later, I'm stopping the med again. I simply can't handle the side effects anymore. Thinking about changing doctors. Btw, all my symptoms went away, and I feel bionic!!"

• mag...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 13, 2016

For Acute Coronary Syndrome "This drug caused incredibly severe nosebleeds that landed me in the hospital, to the point where my bathroom looked like a crime scene. Had to miss work because of the side effect of the drug. I had to use two inhalers, one was daily and one was a rescue inhaler due to severe shortness of breath. This drug should not be on the market, it is dangerous!"

• Liv...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 12, 2019

For Prevention of Atherothrombotic Events "While on the table after having two stents put in, the doctor took me off Plavix and gave me 4 Brilinta. For the next 3 weeks, I felt that the doctor had not put a stent in my heart, but rather somehow clogged it, for I had shortness of breath just like a heart attack. I couldn't go to sleep for forcing myself to take deep breaths, which didn't seem to fill my need for air. My regular cardiologist took me off the Brilinta and put me back on Plavix. No problems now, and it cleared up within a day or two."

• Ric...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2020

For Coronary Artery Disease "I had a stent placed in my artery that was 90% blocked. They put me on Brilinta, and 2 days into it, I developed shortness of breath and a terrible feeling of claustrophobia, but not of small spaces, but of feeling it with myself. I felt I needed to get out myself somehow, it was a very strange feeling. I have asthma as well, so I took a puff of Ventolin, and 5 minutes later, my heart was racing, and I continued to have shortness of breath. Had to go to the hospital. They took me off Brilinta and put me on Clopidogrel. No problems thus far apart from the anxiety I feel, I feel like I'm going out of my mind. Hopefully, anxiety is just the lingering effects of Brilinta."

• Jud...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2019

For Heart Attack "I was prescribed Brilinta after having a stent put in. I started having severe shortness of breath within days. Kept going downhill... Could not walk 20 ft. without gasping for breath!!!! Doctor seemed unconcerned... I stopped taking it 4 days ago and feel like myself again and can breathe! Taking aspirin and ACV. Have check-up tomorrow and will let all know! I told them it was so bad, but the heart doc would not accept it was the meds!"

• Dee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 16, 2020

For Coronary Artery Disease "11/15/2020 Placed on Brilinta post two stent placements. Took it for one week and noted memory problems, and I started itching and burning around my face and head. The physician assistant said not a problem, and I continued to take it three more days. Three days later, in the middle of the night, I went to the emergency room at 3 a.m. with uncontrollable itching, severe shortness of breath, and severe chest pain. I was told I was on my way to a heart attack from the Brilinta. I was admitted and switched to Plavix. Three days after switching to Plavix, still itching and memory problems. Supposedly, it takes as long as seven days to recover from an allergic reaction to Brilinta. Too soon to evaluate the Plavix."

• Hen...
• October 6, 2022

For Heart Attack "I have been on Brilinta for just over a month due to a heart attack blocking 100% of the left side. In the hospital, I immediately told the docs about my breathing issue. They said it was sleep apnea. I told them it was not. Awake, sitting there, and it would out of the blue hit me, standing. And yes, at times, asleep. The pharmacist at the hospital said this was a serious side effect and I need to talk to the doctor about it. I did. 2 of them, plus the docs' pharmacist. No, they told me it couldn't be. And I would simply die without it. (Had a stent put in). Then I started getting headaches about an hour to 2 hours after taking Brilinta, which was also when the breathing issues would start and last up to another 2 hours. Then I noticed I started losing my temper. That is not like me. Things started really setting me off at times that normally I would shrug off. I also feel like there is a disconnect in thoughts now on something, hard to describe. Don't know why docs won't listen."

• Wil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 12, 2022

For Heart Attack "I was on Brilinta a month after a heart attack and stent. The cost of these horrific pills is criminal. There should be a buyback program. I feel docs prescribe it only because they listen to drug reps. Reps are only interested in $$$$. I had shortness of breath to the point of having to stop walking every 20 feet. How can you exercise when you are short of breath, the heart races and is overtaxed? The back pain rivaled spinal fractures, and the newly acquired sleep apnea with resulting gasping and headache makes one afraid to sleep. These problems shake one's confidence in any type of recovery. They switched me to Plavix...this should have been prescribed first, not making $$$ for AstraZeneca. I'm sick of this already! Shame on these drug companies!"

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 14, 2018

For Prevention of Atherothrombotic Events "Had weakness, no energy, went for catheterization, found 90 percent blockage in the left artery. They used a balloon only, no stent because of the location of the blockage. See, I had a triple bypass in 2000 after a myocardial infarct. The blockage was where the graft that was sewn in. The doctor put me on Brilinta, could not tolerate it, as I was not being able to breathe. I even went to the ER thinking it was my heart, but I was fine, they thought it was a virus. But I thought, I bet it's that drug, so I stopped it, and I can breathe now."

• Bum...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 15, 2020

For Heart Attack "I had a mild heart attack with stents fitted. I took Brilinta for 7 months and reported shortness of breath on various occasions. Eventually, I insisted I was taken off. 3 months on, I have now been suffering really bad anxiety attacks, which of course includes shortness of breath. I am fully convinced this is as a direct result of being on this medication."

• Bat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 6, 2020

For Coronary Artery Disease "Had stents put in, so Dr. gave me Brilinta. Had side effects of a very hard time breathing, could not sleep for shortness of breath. Walked into my living room one evening and lost my breath, fell to my knees in front of my chair. My son said he asked me three times if I was okay. Did not hear him. Spent the night in the hospital. They said it was the Brilinta. Put me on Plavix. Now I feel great. Brilinta should not be on the market. It cost me $564 for a three-month supply. Got the Plavix for $8 for a three-month supply. They ought to be made to refund my money. Dumped them down the toilet."

• Bat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 6, 2020

For Coronary Artery Disease "Had stents put in, so Dr. gave me Brilinta. Had side effects of a very hard time breathing, could not sleep for shortness of breath. Walked into my living room one evening and lost my breath, fell to my knees in front of my chair. My son said he asked me three times if I was okay. Did not hear him. Spent the night in the hospital. They said it was the Brilinta. Put me on Plavix. Now I feel great. Brilinta should not be on the market. It cost me $564 for a three-month supply. Got the Plavix for $8 for a three-month supply. They ought to be made to refund my money. Dumped them down the toilet."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 14, 2019

For Heart Attack "I had terrible side effects from this drug, Brilinta. Aside from feeling exhausted, I was unable to breathe and was gasping for breath. I felt sluggish and tired all of the time. I could not take a deep breath. It felt like asthma. After a month of being switched to prasugrel (Effient), I felt much better and more normal."