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Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Drug Interaction article
(Message started by: midwestbeth on Nov 30th, 2007, 12:03pm) |
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Title: Re: Drug Interaction article
Post by Gator on Nov 30th, 2007, 1:14pm
For clusterheads, considering that it is recommended that you start a preventative (verapamil being the most popular) at the same time that you start the pred, this is interesting.
Quote:A corticosteroid for asthma, hay fever, or other allergies such as budesonide (Pulmicort, Rhinocort) or prednisone (Liquid Pred)
Possible conflicts: Antibiotics, antifungals, antidepressants and acalcium channel blocker for blood pressure — specifically diltiazem (Cardizem) or verapamil hydrochloride (Calan)
Why: When you take a corticosteroid — whether in a pill or via inhaler — you depend on certain enzymes in your body to break the drug down after it's done the job. But recent studies suggest that a number of other medicines can block the action of these enzymes, potentially leading to a corticosteroid overdose, Horn says. That can cause Cushing's syndrome, in which you can gain weight in your upper body and develop hypertension, bruising, weakness, depression, acne, and excess hair growth.
Protect yourself: The risk is greater if you're taking the corticosteroid in pill form (inhalers deliver a lower dose) or if you add a pill to your inhaler regimen, as people sometimes do for an allergy flare-up. Ask your doctor if any of your other medications could potentially slow the breakdown of the drug. Cushing's syndrome is reversible, but you don't want to suffer any longer than necessary.
One safety valve: It takes time for corticosteroids to build up to toxic levels, so a short course of an antibiotic or antifungal shouldn't cause trouble. |
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I guess that since we are tapering off the pred at the same time we are ramping up on the verap, it doesn't have time to cause a problem for most people, but it is something to be aware of.
Here's one for the "herbalists/naturalists."
Quote:St. John's Wort Warning
The problem: In laboratory studies, St. John's Wort boosts the power of a liver enzyme known as CYP3A4, which plays a role in dismantling more than half of all medications in existence. When the enzyme is revved up by St. John's Wort, the meds can be metabolized before they do their work.
In theory, the herb could compromise the effectiveness of any drug that's sensitive to CYP3A4, including birth control pills, anti-anxiety medications, cholesterol drugs (statins), and the sleeping meds Ambien and Lunesta, as well as lifesaving chemo drugs. Studies haven't been done on all the combinations, but research found that using St. John's Wort for 2 weeks before taking the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam halved blood levels of the drug. Another study showed a 42% reduction in levels of a chemotherapy drug in patients also taking the herb. And two other studies found that St. John's Wort slashed hormone levels in women on the Pill — enough to make pregnancy protection an iffy proposition.
The bottom line: With so many uncertainties surrounding St. John's Wort — and with such potential for disaster — it's best to keep it out of your medication mix. "It's okay to take St. John's Wort," says Horn, "as long as you don't take anything else." |
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Herbs that we use for medicinal purposes are, for all intents and purposes, drugs. They act on the body just like prescription meds and have interactions between each other and prescription meds. Just because you don't have to go to the doctor for a prescription for something doesn't make it "safe." Since these herbs are not studied or controlled by the FDA, you have to be more careful when using "natural" treatments because the effects and interactions are not completely known or documented.
I'm not saying natural/herbal is bad. I've done my fair share of herbs/vitamins/supplements. I'm just saying be very careful and discuss any treatment, prescription or herbal, with your doctor.
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