Rivaroxaban Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline & Detox Treatment Options
Xarelto — also known by its generic name, rivaroxaban — is a prescription medication that is meant to prevent blood clots from forming by thinning the blood. It is usually used for patients suffering from atrial fibrillation, pulmonary embolism, and those recovering from a hip or knee replacement surgery. This prescription drug can also help prevent and treat deep vein thrombosis.
When used according to medical professionals’ instructions, Xarelto can be safe and an essential part of patient care and recovery. Unfortunately, rivaroxaban is a prescription drug that patients might misuse or abuse. In 2019, 9.7 million people admitted to misusing prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
If you or a loved one suddenly stopped using after a period of consistent use, you may experience rivaroxaban withdrawal. This can lead to dangerous risk factors. Give our caring admissions counselors a call, we are available 24/7 at (855) 430-9439.
What Happens When You Stop Taking Rivaroxaban?
There are a lot of risks associated with stopping taking Xarelto, which is an anticoagulant medication. One of the major risks is that blood clots may begin to form, which could lead to a stroke and a lack of oxygen to the brain. This could also potentially lead to partial paralysis or death. Stopping a blood-thinning drug suddenly can also raise the risk of a blood clot in the brain, which is often fatal.
The user of a prescription drug like Xarelto needs to be carefully weaned off of the drug under the supervision of a trained medical professional. A medical detoxification program can also be used to ease the process.
What Are the Symptoms of Rivaroxaban Withdrawal?
A rivaroxaban detoxification may look like and unfold like this.
1. Side effects 12-14 hours after stopping Rivaroxaban
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Dry mouth
- Easy bruising
- Back pain
- Heart palpitations
- High blood pressure
- Leg weakness
- Risk of a blood clot or stroke
2. Side effects 1-3 days after stopping Xarelto
The person going through the detox might experience more emotional disturbances, such as:
- Depression and/or anxiety
- Restlessness
- Possible suicidal ideation
- Sleep difficulties or insomnia
- Trouble concentrating
- Problems thinking clearly
3. Side effects 3-5 days after stopping the prescription drug
The effects of withdrawal will start to wane and dissipate.
4. Side effects 1 week after stopping Rivaroxaban
Most of the withdrawal symptoms will subside. However, emotional stressors and disruptions may still be present.
Most of the time, a rivaroxaban detox will last between three to five days. There are several factors that might influence the duration and the severity of rivaroxaban withdrawal. Biological factors, such as the patient’s metabolism and family history of drug use, can impact the detoxification process.
Medical detoxification programs are typically a calm and supportive environment to help ease the patient through the process. The creation of a soothing space is deliberate, as one’s environment can greatly impact the detoxification process and its potential success. A relaxing environment can also reduce the number of negative emotions or anxiety a patient may experience during detoxification.
Rivaroxaban abuse has the potential to cause nerve damage, paralysis, and irreversible internal bleeding. There is no medication on the market yet that can heal the issues that arise after the continuous misuse of prescription drugs.
While recovery from a misuse habit is possible, some of these side effects could decrease your long-term quality of life. It is important to get help as soon as possible if you are struggling with a substance use disorder.
How Long Does Rivaroxaban Withdrawal Take?
Rivaroxaban withdrawal symptoms might start when the drug stops being active in the bloodstream. The half-life of the drug is between five and nine hours for healthy individuals between the age range of 20 to 45, according to the prescribing information from rivaroxaban. This means withdrawal symptoms will typically start within 10 to 18 hours after the last dose.
However, the average age of individuals prescribed Xarelto is typically those over sixty years old, according to the Journal of the American Heart Association. Since our metabolisms slow as we age, we can expect that withdrawal symptoms will start at a different rate.
The Xarelto half-life is extended to 11 to 13 hours for people between the ages of 60 and 76.
This means that regardless of one’s age or circumstances, Xarelto withdrawal symptoms will likely begin within 24 hours of stopping the drug, ending after roughly 7 days.
How to Safely Manage Rivaroxaban Detox
We cannot stress enough that if you are experiencing rivaroxaban withdrawal, it is crucial to go through a medical detoxification with trained professionals. Your health and livelihood are incredibly important and you risk negative consequences when you attempt to go through a withdrawal on your own.
Medical detoxification programs offer the highest level of care during a rivaroxaban withdrawal. At a specialized medical detoxification facility, medical personnel will be available for you around the clock and will monitor your vitals for any potential cardiovascular issues or possible blood clotting. If you attempted to detoxify at home, it would be impossible to know whether blood clots are forming.
For anyone who has a co-occurring medical or mental health disorder, it is even more important to go through medical detoxification. A medical professional can address and monitor any additional symptoms that are happening because of a co-occurring disorder.
If you have anxiety or depression, the detoxification process might make your symptoms worse. Some patients even experience suicide ideation, which is another reason to go through detoxification with a medical professional.
A trained professional will also have the necessary medications at their disposal. Withdrawal symptoms can be more manageable with medications to reduce the severity of the pain or discomfort you might experience. Necessary medications can keep a patient comfortable and make detoxifying easier.
There are also different approaches to medical detoxification. A prescription drug like rivaroxaban can be tapered off slowly to reduce the risks that can occur when someone stops abruptly.
Tapering off the drug slowly includes lowering the dosage of the drug in a controlled manner over time to minimize the effect of withdrawal. Rivaroxaban can also be switched with a different medication that prevents blood clots; this switch can aid the detoxification and prevent a blood clot from forming.
If you or a loved one is suffering from the misuse of prescription drugs, our staff can help create a personalized plan that takes into account any co-occurring disorders and other needs you might have. At Zinnia Health, we are deeply committed to providing comprehensive, customized addiction recovery treatment plans for each and every one of our patients. Contact us by calling (855) 430-9439.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Rivaroxaban abuse has the potential to cause nerve damage, paralysis, and irreversible internal bleeding. There is no medication on the market yet that can heal the issues that arise after the continuous misuse of prescription drugs.
While recovery from a misuse habit is possible, some of these side effects could decrease your long-term quality of life. It is important to get help as soon as possible if you are struggling with a substance use disorder.
If you or a loved one is struggling with prescription drug use, you are not alone. At Zinnia Health, our dedicated staff is here to help you take the steps to begin your recovery and live a healthy and sober life.
Once medical detoxification is complete, we can smoothly transition you into our recovery programming that will begin to focus on the issues underlying the addiction.
While getting help is vital to overcoming a substance use disorder, there are several factors that will affect the likelihood of success during treatment. These include your willingness to accept treatment, motivation for seeking treatment, and prior treatment and relapse history.
If you or your loved one is ready to receive treatment, our committed substance abuse treatment specialists and clinical counselors can help you determine the best type of treatment for your needs.
To begin this process, contact Zinnia Health at (855) 430-9439.