Sunday, January 4

Grapefruit Juice and Drug Interaction

I must be feeling a bit better, because I'm bored to death. I've spent most of the last two days resting, napping and reading. I was up most of the night, sleeping only in half hour increments. About 4 am, I settled down and slept until 10am.

Hubby got me some chicken soup for lunch from Tim Horton's and I only ate a little of it and put the rest away for later. I just didn't have an appetite. I'm tired of reading but don't have the energy to do anything else. I talked to Mom and Michelle on the phone. Brandon and Michelle are coming down with this stuff too.

Being bored, I decided to get on the computer and do a bit of research. The other day when I was talking to Michelle, (she's a pharmacy technician) she told me that if I take Lipitor I was not to drink grapefruit juice as there is evidence that it causes a interaction that overloads the liver. It seems to be true. Be sure to read this article by the Mayo Clinic that lists some drugs that can cause interaction with grapefruit juice.

If you follow THIS LINK you will find where Health Canada has issued an advisory. Apparently it's been known since 1989 that grapefruit juice can cause drug interactions. This kind of thing makes me crazy. Why doesn't doctors and pharmacists advise people of the potential hazards?

Here are other links:

Grapefruit juice and medication a potent mix

Grapefruit juice and medication can be a dangerous mix

Fruit juice may affect medications

Canadian man dies after drinking grapefruit juice in Florida

Be sure if you are taking diuretics, blood pressure medication or meds such as lipitor or crestor (these are meds to lower cholesterol) that you do not drink grapefruit juice. If you are in doubt about the interaction between your meds and grapefruit juice, contact your doctor or pharmacist or avoid grapefruit entirely.

I'm off to lie down again. Writing this alleviated the boredom for a bit, but now I need a rest. Take care and have a relaxing evening. ~Blessings, Mary~

20 comments:

  1. I'm sorry you are still under the weather. Hope it passes soon!
    I did know about that interaction. I've never actually heard of anyone having problems because of it, but it can happen.

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  2. How crazy is that?

    BTW four o'clock seems to be my approximate time to finally fall asleep if I'm having one of those nights.

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  3. My pharmacist told me about the grapefruit juice the first time I had the prescription for Lipitor filled and every sheet of paper that is stapled to the bag warns of grapefruit juice...

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  4. I do know that grapefruit juice is powerful stuph ... and that it interacts with other drugs. Thanks for the links and the info you discovered. I forgot to mention chicken soup but that often helps me when I'm on the mend after a cold or the flu. This photo looks like some progress from the earlier graphic ;--)
    Continue to rest even when bored!
    Hugs and blessings,

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  5. This thing has really taken the stuffing out of you!

    It is amazing to me that doctors don't share such important info - or do they even know it??

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  6. Oh Mary...I'm late getting in on this but so sorry to hear you've been so sick! Bless your heart...keep getting plenty of rest, rest, rest...and I will be praying for you too!

    I had no idea about the grapefruit juice...I agree- things like this should become common knowledge and the medical community should do better at getting the word out!

    Hugs,
    ~Tammy

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  7. Never heard of the fruit juice thing... Hope that you get better soon. Also thank you again for the books for Emmy...she has been reading like crazy...or she thinks she is! lol

    Have a great week ahead.
    Love, Jess

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  8. Hmmmmmmm, the pharmacists in Canada must be different than here in USA. We are told of all the do's and don'ts right away. AND we always [even after years of taking the same med] get a written sheet stapled to the RX package. And I have ONE that tells me not to consume grapefruit. Another thing that you should avoid is long times in the hot sun when taking a diuretic. Canada SHOULD start this...in USA it's a law.

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  9. Mary-interesting info-guess you never know what may react with medication.

    Glad you're feeling better-I have a miserable chest cold-so far no one else has caught it. I hope they don't.

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  10. I was told about this when I started taking Zocor to help control my cholesterol. Now I need to do some research to see if other citrus fruits can cause a problem. or vitamin 'c'???

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  11. Wish you were here. I'd make you comfortable and give you a box and an ornament to put in it. Pretty soon we'd have them all put away. I had heard this about Cholestrol meds and grapefruit juice. Pharmacists here are good about adding warnings to the bottle. Of course, Daughter, being a pharmacist is always trying to keep us straight.
    Feel better!
    Mama Bear

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  12. Thank you so much for passing on this warning. I had heard about it in passing but like you I wonder why the doctors don't give us this information.

    Hope you are finally feeling better. This bug seems to really take hold and doesn't want to leave...;)

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  13. I'm so sorry to hear you're ill again, dear Mary. That flu really won't let go of you!! Praying that you'll soon be rid of it.

    I had no idea that grapefruit juice interacted with some drugs. Good thing I don't drink grapefruit juice!! LOL The only drug I take is my anti depressant and I just reread the sheet that came with it and no warnings about the juice so I guess I'm safe! hehe xoxo

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  14. Never knew this! Great info you passed on, Mary! I do hope you get to feeling better soon!

    ((( HUGS )))

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  15. My husband and I take vytorin for our cholesterol and you're not supposed to drink grapefruit juice. I didn't know it at first. Seems that when you know you're not supposed to have something it makes you crave it. You got to watch it tho, many people make punch with grapefruit juice. You need to always ask what's in the punch before drinking it.

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