Grapefruit and Medication

[Biscuitsmom31]

It seems like you're not supposed to mix the two, but I'm not 100% sure why. I only ask because I took my meds a few minutes ago and without thinking ate a grapefruit.

I'm not sure if it's going to kill me or not but just in case, bye everyone!

 

[beckmrk04]

Funny! I was just talking to my sis about this. Why grapefruit? Why not any other citrus? I don't get it. I have meds with the grapefruit warning too- but I rarely eat them, so it's no big deal. Just curious.

 

[HelenePA]

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN00413 I had no idea. I've never been on any of those drugs so that's probably why I've never heard it before...

 

[HelenePA]

http://www.powernetdesign.com/grapefruit/ there is a whole website dedicated to this.. I had no idea.. Learn something new everyday... Hope your okay!

 

[PatsMom]

When I was on Lipitor the prescription bottle came with a warning sticker not to drink grapefruit juice while taking the drug. Wasn't a problem for me since I hate grapefruit but my grandmother had her doctor change to another cholesterol lowering medication because she was not going to give up her daily grapefruit. At 92 years old she said she was eating whatever she wanted and didn't care what her cholesterol was.

 

[Christine]

There is a compound in grapefruit that effects certain liver enzymes. Some medications (not all) use these same enzymes to metabolize the drug within them. The grapefruit can either decrease the effectiveness of the medication or make it stronger than it is supposed to be depending on how the medication works.

 

[lynxstch]

not to eat or drink anything with grapefruit in it within 2 hours either way of taking his high BP meds..it lowers the effectiveness of the BP medicine for some reason!

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

Good news! I lived. Everyone can relax now.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

My thyroid medicine has the warning on it. The Pharmacist just told me it would keep my meds from working properly. I do like grapefruit but I haven't had any in years since I started these meds.

 

[swandiverpatt]

I'm on a couple of drugs that have the grapefruit warning. I remember asking my endocrinologist about it years ago. She told me maybe just once or twice a year, I could have grapefruit (it does affect the time it takes for your meds to metabolize in your system). I do like grapefruit, but I may have 1 a year now, mid-day ... in-between the meds.

 

[Uncle Remus]

I forget what medicine I had to take one time that had the grapefruit
warning on it, of course, it made me crave grapefruit during that time.

I'm glad to hear Biscuitsmom is gonna be okay.

 

[barkley]

dh is in the same boat but it's not a problem since he detests grapefruit. at least it's better than being on coumadin-when my brother was on it he was going nuts not being able to eat the kinds of veggies he loves (big broccoli, spinach and cauliflower fan). he found the vitamin k restrictions realy difficult to handle.

i hate it when the kids end up with one of those antibiotic perscriptions that makes you restrict their exposure to sunlight. it never fails that they get prescribed on during the sunniest months of the year

 

[Aardvarks]

Ok, here is the technical stuff

Grapefruit is a potent inhibitor of the Cytochrome P450 3A4 isoenzyme system in the liver.

The Cyp450 3A4 is the most important route in the detoxification and elimination of many pharmaceutical drugs from the body.

If you take grapefruit juice regularly, this has the effect of putting a cork in the funnel and so drug clearance is reduced. This means that you end up with a build up of active drug in your body.

https://secure.pharmacytimes.com/lessons/200303-02.asp