General Chat

When this thread started I did a bit of googling - but l was horrified to see the number of foods that were also reported as having this effect - the reference to other citrus fruits - I nearly always have clementines or satsumas at breakfast, references to Sevile oranges - is it only Sevile? and marmalade. And broccoli, always praised as a wonder veg - I quite like it and use it quite often but now feel suspicious of - and sprouts which I also like - and a lot of others - I really don't want to go back to a google check as I don't want to know!

Like others here I have to avoid grapfruit, I really miss it as I used to enjoy it as breakfast or a starter, still I count my blessings thank heavens chips don't react!

Mayfield ;-)

Isn't it scary that something so natural can interact with something prescribed? I do know about grapefruit and statins but only recently about BP pills. Fortunately I eat very little if any citrus fruit as it doesn't agree with me.

One of my tablets that I have been on for years for high blood Pressure has always had a warning on the box
not to have grapefruit
Margaret

Over here, it is the PHARMACIST's responsibility to keep track of drugs taken by customers, and to warn the doctors of any possible interaction between drugs prescribed.

They phone the doctor immediately if they note the possibility of an interaction, and get one or other of the drugs changed.

It is also the PHARMACIST's responsibility to warn the customer verbally when prescribing any new drug, as well as providing the printed information with every refill.

Every time I pick a refill, I'm asked if I have had this drug before. That is in a drugstore where I have been getting my drugs for about 20 years ...... so frequent double checking


The rationale behind this is that most doctors ........ if not all of them ............... have had an absolute minimum of hours of instruction in drugs and drug interactions.

Most medical school curricula have less than a couple of hours of instruction on drugs ............ that's usually ONE lecture.


In addition, it is impossible for a doctor to keep up to date with drugs that have come on to the market since the time s/he qualified .................. they do have to do professional development to keep up to date, but that covers sooooooooooo much.

Thus, the onus has been put legally on to the shoulders of the pharmacists ....... and that was actually at their instigation.



sylvia

John ~ you should see cigarette packets in Australia!

Not just the usual warnings, but photographs; everything from tongues to toes. The name of the brand isn't on the ciggie any more, just a number.

If I am given a new or different medication I look it up on the internet. I want to know about it!

Doctors have warned of a "lack of knowledge" about the dangers of mixing some medications with grapefruit.

The fruit can cause overdoses of some drugs by stopping the medicines being broken down in the intestines and the liver.

The researchers who first identified the link said the number of drugs that became dangerous with grapefruit was increasing rapidly.

They were writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

The team at the Lawson Health Research Institute in Canada said the number of drugs which had serious side effects with grapefruit had gone from 17 in 2008 to 43 in 2012.

They include some drugs for a range of conditions including blood pressure, cancer and cholesterol-lowering statins and those taken to suppress the immune system after an organ transplant.

Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
One tablet with a glass of grapefruit juice can be like taking five or 10 tablets with a glass of water”
End Quote
Dr David Bailey

Researcher

Chemicals in grapefruit, furanocoumarins, wipe out an enzyme which breaks the drugs down. It means much more of the drug escapes the digestive system than the body can handle.

Toxic

Three times the levels of one blood pressure drug, felodipine, was reported after patients had a glass of grapefruit juice compared with a glass of water.

The side effects are varied depending on the drug, but include stomach bleeds, altered heart beat, kidney damage and sudden death.

Dr David Bailey, one of the researchers, told the BBC: "One tablet with a glass of grapefruit juice can be like taking five or 10 tablets with a glass of water and people say I don't believe it, but I can show you that scientifically it is sound.

"So you can unintentionally go from a therapeutic level to a toxic level just by consuming grapefruit juice."

The report said: "We contend that there remains a lack of knowledge about this interaction in the general health care community."

They added: "Unless health care professionals are aware of the possibility that the adverse event they are seeing might have an origin in the recent addition of grapefruit to the patient's diet, it is very unlikely that they will investigate it."

Other citrus fruits such as Seville oranges, often used in marmalade, and limes have the same effect.

Neal Patel, from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society said: "Grapefruit isn't the only food that can cause issues, for example milk can stop the absorption of some antibiotics if taken at the same time.

"Although some of these interactions may not be clinically significant, some may lead to more serious outcomes.

"Pharmacists are the best port of call for anyone concerned about how their diet may affect their medication. Information about any interactions would always be included in the patient information leaflet that comes with the medicine."

A spokesman from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said: "We encourage patients and healthcare professionals to report any suspected adverse drug reactions to our Yellow Card Scheme.

You are prescribed medication, your GP should advise you of a) side effects and b) interractions between your meds and c) foods to avoid.

As a patient it is your responsibility to READ the patient advice leaflet and take note of the effects of your drugs.

I was taking Warfarin for 12 months and was given guidance re foods that INCREASE the blood thinning which isn't desirable.

I take Statins so grapefruit and grapefruit juice is off the menu. Grapefruit INCREASES the amount of drug absorbed in your system.

If you are receiving meds for Thyroid disorders please read about broccoli and brussel sprouts. Daughter takes these meds so that's how I know.

A couple of weeks ago I was prescribed antibiotics for a week so I had to stop taking one of my drugs for that time.

Please ASK questions about the meds you are prescribed, it's your body and your right to be fully informed.

I take 10 different tablets each day and am aware that some interract with each other so have a timer on my phone to tell me when to take each of them...lolol some I take up to 4 times a day so the bloody alarm always seems to be going off!

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY FRIENDS.

Limes and Savile Oranges are also not good for you if
on Statins and some other Meds.

Emma

Scozz Good point re pharmacist. Mine is excellent and they seem to have a wealth of knowledge about drugs but I seldom ask. And probably many are like me.

And we do ignore labels and small print. First thing I do when I open my tablets in throw the information sheet away.

How many smokers take any note of the Government advice on their packet of ten. Something like "These cigarettes are extremely expensive, they will ruin your skin, you will smell like an ashtray, they will damage your health and you will die far too early because of them"

Haven't looked closely recently at exact wording as I have not smoked for last 28 years :-S :-S

Mum was getting forgetful, she had a sectioned box with her medication sorted out for a month. I think she may have got weeks mixed up and taken a double dose of her meds.

The first stroke was a blood clot (so the specialist at the hospital said). Two days later she had a massive haemorrage (spelling?).

That was the worst week of my life.

The Warfarin reasoning isn't mine, it was the doctors.

John ~ your pharmacist should be able to tell you what doesn't mix well with your medications.

PSparklyD ~ it's scary, the things hidden in food & drinks ~ I can't pronounce half of the words on some labels.

No idea what was in the fizzy stuff we drank as children. A Sunday treat was a shared bottle of fizzy raspberry.... and I had my first Coca Cola when I was 12 (didn't like it, and still don't).

My OH is on Statin,MonomaxXL, aspirin and Atenol and is not
allowed grapefruit or grapefruit juice because of the Statin.

Emma

You have got me worried now. I take aspirin every day to thin my blood (for 9 years now)

Usually I have had great trouble clotting my blood if I have cut myself. A real nuisance but quite happy as would rather have that inconvenience than blood clots.

But has a nasty accident last Friday (with lots of blood spilling). And blood clotted quite quickly like the old days.

Am seeing nurse this week for what they call "bloods" so will ask with some urgency :-( :-(

Scozz, I think Warfarin is designed to prevent blood clots, it thins the blood so that it can flow easily round the body altho it can cause problems if the person cuts themselves and before any operation, the patient has to stop taking the Warfarin some days before hand, as happened to my o.h.'s dad recently when he had his hip replacement done.

My cousin is on Warfarin as she has a pacemaker and other problems, my elderly neighbour was on it as he had had a heart attack and mini stroke and I know several others who take it for similar reasons.

If you google Does Warfarin cause blood clots, you will see the info there.


The Chemical Song would have been interesting to read, shame you couldn't make a copy of it. I think we all take too many chemicals into our bodies in the food we eat and drink too. Aspartame is something I steer clear of altho I think it's too late as I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, it's been suggested Aspartame, a sweetener in Diet drinks and foods, can cause these health problems and others.

I cannot believe that a well known drinks manufacturer sells squashes aimed at healthy for young children saving their teeth, that has such a chemical in, it's really hard to find Colas and Squashes without the dreaded Aspartame etc. I am sure my health would be better had I not drunk lots of flavoured fizzy waters years back before I knew that the Aspartame in them was banned in some countries.

I knew about Grapefruit and statins but not the other drugs, will have to look at the whole list now as I love Grapefruit and drink a lot of Grapefruit squash, the ones without the Aspartame.

Lizx

Sylvia, I know.

I think Warfirin killed my mother. Two massive blood clots in her brain.

She was on it for a couple of years (at least), and loads of other medications.

She sang a song that she made up "The Chemical Song" whenever she took her meds. It was very funny, wish I had a copy!

Scozz


.............. that's why one has to be very careful when taking warfarin

Warfarin kills rats by thinning their blood to such an extent that they bleed to death from all orifices

The same thing can happen to people if they overdose.

Gwyn - I just noticed your post re Warfirin.

My mother was on Warfirin for some time. She was given no warnings about any foods.

Do you know there's rat poison in Warfirin? :-(

I take blood pressure medication.

BIG stickers on the boxes - DO NOT EAT GRAPEFRUIT OR DRINK GRAPEFRUIT JUICE WHILE TAKING THIS MEDICATION.

I was told that grapefruit reduces the effect of the medication.

statins are for high cholesterol - mine's in double figures without statins

Elizabeth

I take a statin and something else. One for BP, one for cholestrol. Can never remember which is which. :-D :-D

Ni ddaw henaint ar ei hun (old Welsh saying). Old age doesn't come by itself.

Now, where have I put those memory tablets :-S :-S