Ticagrelor for Acute Coronary Syndrome User Reviews

• Sur...
• May 12, 2019

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "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

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "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."

• Sch...
• February 4, 2016

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "My mom was placed on Brilinta on 1/4/16 and was in the hospital. As soon as she was placed on the medication, she complained of a funny feeling in her stomach. She was discharged 4 days later and still had a funny feeling in her stomach, which was blamed on anxiety. She continued to complain to doctors about this funny feeling until taken back to the ER on 1-26-16 for the funny feeling. Ultimately, my mom passed away on 1/27/16 with a GI bleed. I'm very concerned it was caused by this drug!"

• Gre...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 12, 2019

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "On Brilinta 10 months and then switched to Plavix. I was paying $400 per month for Brilinta, and my cardiologist had me in a study as they all make money using us as test rats. Plavix costs $7.50 for a 90-day supply, folks, so don't be bullied into using Brilinta."

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

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "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."

• Pau...
• February 16, 2018

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "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."

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

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "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."

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

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "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."

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

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "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."

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

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "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?"

• Mpo...
• August 16, 2017

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "Brilinta all but put me in the grave. It stopped my breathing over 100 times in one day. Given to me after catheterization. And no sleep. I was sent home with a change in my meds: Brilinta. I got in the house and started to take a nap as I was crashing. My breathing stopped. I had to try several times before breathing restarted. Horrible. This went on throughout the day. I could not get the doctors to call me. I called Walgreens, and that helped. I was told there was no antidote and to flush my system with lots of water. I was told not to take any more Brilinta, but to use Prilosec. At nine PM in the evening, I went outside and walked to try to establish a breathing pattern. About 11:00 PM, I was able to breathe well enough to sleep. Horrible experience. HORRIBLE. BEWARE YOUR LIFE."

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

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "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!"

• Tom...
• November 14, 2015

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "I have been taking Brilinta for almost two years and am just finally able to get off of it. I feel like I have been tired for months. I feel like the med did its job overall and am thankful for it. Just tired all of the time."

• Ric...
• September 24, 2016

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "I was on this med for a year after having angioplasty with the placements of two stents. I was on 90 mg twice a day and had such bruising that after a year my doctor lowered it to 60 mg twice a day. Four weeks later, I had a heart attack because a clot formed in the stent. I had to have another angioplasty and have lost significant heart tissue. I feel backed into a corner because my doc won't change the med."

• Hig...
• December 15, 2015

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "Brilinta 90 mg 2x daily with 81 mg aspirin. Dull aches all over body since starting this after a mild MI event, especially lower back (both sides). Mild, tolerable headaches as well, but they are less frequent than body aches. Will be switching to Plavix, at least if the side effects are the same and the end result is the same, why am I buying Brilinta? Just doesn't feel safe."

• Iri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 4, 2016

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "I've been reading other people's experiences, and I wonder if I'm on the same medication. I am 74 years old, and I've been on Brilinta with 81 aspirin since 2/29/16, when I had 92% blockage in the widow-maker, the descending major heart artery. Thankful that I was in the doctor's office when I had my heart attack, I ended up with two stents and Brilinta. I have had no noticeable side effects. I exercise three days a week in our local life center, with both aerobic and resistance exercises, and I have never experienced anything like the excessive fatigue I read others complaining of. Other than cuts or scrapes taking a little longer to coagulate, I have had no bleeding to complain about. Maybe the Brilinta I'm receiving is just better."

• bar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 20, 2016

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "While sleeping, I experience nighttime shortness of breath bad enough to wake me up gasping for air. Now I know why: Brilinta. Very fatigued also. Takes all morning to get going. Some rear-thigh cramps at night also. Other than that, I suppose it's working to keep me from having a clot form. My surgeon says he'll take me off Brilinta on my first anniversary date of heart attack; yeah!"

• Nig...
• November 3, 2016

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "Had bypass 20 years ago. In August 2016, had to have 2 stents and was put on Brilinta. Short of breath most of the time. But fatigue is a huge problem. MD says if caused by Brilinta, maybe time to try Plavix. Not sure if that will be any better. All these meds have such horrible side effects!"

• Xon...
• February 5, 2018

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "My son was put on this drug after 2 stents and a mild heart attack. At that time (2 1/2 months ago), he also experienced urinary problems, and further testing reveals he also has a mass in/on his bladder and needs surgery. The cardiologist has refused to change the Brilinta and says he must wait at least 4 months to have the surgery. Everyone in our family is most concerned."

• Nan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 21, 2016

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "Had a heart attack four years ago, and for the first three years afterward, Plavix was my prescribed medication as a blood thinner. I kept complaining to my physician that I was experiencing something weird; what I called a 'roving arthritis.' I was usually waking in the mornings with one or both hands so swollen in the joints that I couldn't hold a coffee cup. Or, I'd get out of bed and could only limp around due to swollen, painful ankles. I was miserable, so I finally did my own research online and found Brilinta. About one month after switching to Brilinta, my joint pain has totally stopped! On Brilinta for almost a year; a very positive experience. Only one negative: my insurance doesn't cover near as much as Plavix. Very spendy."

• Don...
• October 22, 2015

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "I had been taking Coumadin and Plavix for years with no problem. Since Brilinta, the bleeding, bruising, nausea, and joint pain have been horrible. And yes, my PT/INR levels are within the therapeutic level between 2 and 3."

• zam...
• December 27, 2016

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "Have only been on Brilinta for 3 days after 2 stents put in because of blockages, but was concerned enough to start looking for reviews. I have pains over my body, diarrhea, and have had some shortness of breath. I will be asking my doctor when I go to see him this week as advised after my procedure."

• Fel...
• March 19, 2017

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "Started Brilinta on Nov 6, 2016, after a heart attack and stent. Three days later, I had a major anxiety attack because I could not breathe. The shortness of breath got better after one month. I am constantly tired and frequently napping. The worst side effect has been four months of constant gout. I am now at the maximum dose of allopurinol to control my gout. I cannot wait to change over to Plavix, even though it will mean frequent blood testing."

• Sal...
• August 2, 2017

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "Had a heart attack in Nov 2016, was put on Brilinta twice a day. I too have experienced fatigue, bruising, blurred vision, and shortness of breath. It takes me a long time to get started in the morning, then about 3:00 PM... I'm ready to nap but can't because I work."

• Bac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 30, 2021

Brilinta (ticagrelor) "Given Brilinta (90 mg twice a day) after angioplasty and one stent in my left anterior descending artery. On the second day, as I was retrieving my medication prior to discharge, I felt an almost surreal feeling of suffocation I never had before - I just couldn't breathe in enough air for one hour. Moreover, I could speak much without being out of breath. I persevered for a week, and these symptoms were replaced by stomach aches plus a sensation of a lump in my throat. I agree (based on scientific evidence) that this could potentially be a life-saving drug. However, the side effects can be horrible, especially for someone who has had a heart attack (in fear if another could occur, though it could all be drug-related)."