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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> Grapefruit Juice
        
(Message started by: rrich600 on Apr 1^st, 2002, 7:36am)

Title: Grapefruit Juice
Post by rrich600 on Apr 1^st, 2002, 7:36am

I don't know if it will work for everyone, but it seems to greatly shorten the duration of mine and enhance the period of time between headaches. Every time I get a headache which is usually every hour on the hour for about 45 minutes to an hour starting at around 10:30 p.m. I go to the refridge and grab a cold glass of ruby red grapefruit juice. I have found this , in me anyway, to shorten the headache time from about the normal hour to about 5 to 8 minutes, then it's back to sleep. I can sleep for about an hour to an hour 1/2 longer between headaches too. I have also tried the alcohol thing, the worst part is the first headache after drinking, but it does allow for a peaceful headache free night. I try to steer away from that as much as possible though because I am a recovering alcohlic. Melatonin had no effect on me whatsoever. What is the mushroom deal?
Could someone give me some more info on that.

Title: Grapefruit Juice & Verapamil Warning
Post by Lori on Apr 1^st, 2002, 8:59am

Got this off Rxlist.com from verapamil description:

• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with verapamil. The interaction could lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit and grapefruit juice with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.

Title: Re: Grapefruit Juice
Post by rrich600 on Apr 1^st, 2002, 10:53am

Wow, that wouldn't be good.
I don't take verapamil though, or any other drugs or pills for my headaches, just the grapefruit juice by itself. That was what I was talking about. That and lots of water.

Title: Re: Grapefruit Juice
Post by tommyD on Apr 1^st, 2002, 12:20pm

Here you can find lots of info on the mushroom deal:
http://www.headachesupportgroups.com/shrooms/index.htm

And it's the Read Deal. Many have found amazing, long-term relief. Only a few received no benefit. But it should be done carefully. Read all the info, and post questions here; Flash and PinkSharkMark, our resident experts on the topic, should be able to help you out.

About the grapefruit...you mentioned you were drinking a lot of water; it could be the water that's doing the trick. I assume you've tried the Water X 3 button on the left. I have found water to help both as a preventative and an abortive. Drink lots of water through the day to break up the cycle, and when you feel an attack coming on, chug down a full quart or more of cold water in a cuple of minutes. Didn't always work, but would often abort an attack or reduce its severity and duration: a kip 4 for 10 minutes instread of a kip 7 for 45 min....

Title: Re: Grapefruit Juice
Post by Lori on Apr 1^st, 2002, 1:06pm

I didn't mean to imply grapefuit juice not good to try...just a note to those of us who do take verapamil (there are many I believe) that there can be a dangerous interaction with grapefruit juice. I wouldn't have known this myself unless going to rxlist.com because when I got my prescription of verapamil it doesn't mention this grapefruit thing at all.

PF day to you all....

Title: Re: Grapefruit Juice
Post by pinksharkmark on Apr 1^st, 2002, 1:58pm

on 04/01/02 at 07:36:21, rrich600 wrote:

What is the mushroom deal? Could someone give me some more info on that.

Check this thread.

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=meds;action=display;num=1013709016;start=0

pinky

Title: Re: Grapefruit Juice
Post by kim on Apr 9^th, 2002, 3:17pm

i think there is a component in grapefruit juice (also orange juice) which adjusts blood sugar levels, which in turn affect flow in the blood vessels...which in turn could affect ch disorder...probably other fruit juices as well. During especially bad ch periods, my neurologist advised me to eat (i'm NOT kidding) a bowl of milk, with a piece of bread soaked in it and then add a little sugar. It was meant to keep me hydrated (couldn't eat ANYTHING - kept getting attacks).

Title: Re: Grapefruit Juice
Post by eyes_afire on Apr 9^th, 2002, 10:26pm

And here I sit, nightly on Verapamil... and what am I drinking? Grapefruit juice! ::) I love the stuff. But I had no clue it may interact with Verapamil. (What is it with grapefruit juice? ??? Back in the days of Seldane that was a problem also). Does Rxlist.com discuss any of the problems with grapefruit juice?

Title: Re: Grapefruit Juice
Post by Lori on Apr 9^th, 2002, 10:35pm

It didn't say what could happen. Just what I copied in the message here. Maybe can find more on it somewhere else online??? I have an app't with my neuro this Thur. morn...I'll try to remember to ask him about it. I bought grapefruit too just before reading about it that I wanted to eat but couldn't. :(

Title: Re: Grapefruit Juice
Post by eyes_afire on Apr 9^th, 2002, 10:56pm

Ah ha! Here's what I learned about grapefruit juice on the web:
Grapefruit juice abnormally increases the absorption amount of certain medications including verapamil. I guess this would mean it could lower blood pressure too much. I know, I know this is not advised but... hmmm.... if my insurance company becomes bastards about amounts of verapamil (like they are with imitrex), I could use this to my advantage (especially since I'm not on a very high dose now) 8). Now I understand that trying such a thing with Seldane could have really messed up the heart.

Title: Grapefruit Juice and Verapamil
Post by Ueli on Apr 10^th, 2002, 11:50am

It seems that some ingredient in grapefruit interferes with the cytochrome p450 enzym system, in a way that the metabolizing (degrading) of many drugs (including Verapamil) is slowed down. This keeps the affected drugs longer in the body, mimicking a higher dose.

There is a web site dealing with grapefruit interactions:
http://www.powernetdesign.com/grapefruit/

Here what it says about Verapamil and grapefruit:

Quote:

From http://www.powernetdesign.com/grapefruit/interactions/ccbs.html:

A recent report showed that coadminstration of GJ with verapamil, a non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, led to increased verapamil AUC and serum concentrations. In a crossover study of 24 volunteers, verapamil and norverapamil AUCs were increased 43% and 28%, while the maximum plasma concentration of verapamil and norverapamil were increased 60% and 32%. Four subjects in the GJ-verapamil phase had a PR interval prolongation to greater than 0.24 seconds. While the interaction was significant, the effect was of a lower magnitude than seen with other calcium channel blockers.

How I interpret this: For people who take Verapamil to control blood pressure the grapefruit effect can have very undesirable consequences. However, for us a temporary increase in concentration does not matter much. If you take grapefruit on a daily basis, there is certainly no reason to stop that.

PFNAD, Ueli

Title: Re: Grapefruit Juice
Post by eyes_afire on Apr 10^th, 2002, 4:53pm

Thank you Ueli. Your input is very valuble and appreciated. :)