Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Verapamil and Grapefruit
        
(Message started by: mynm156 on Feb 24^th, 2005, 5:36pm)

Title: Verapamil and Grapefruit
Post by mynm156 on Feb 24^th, 2005, 5:36pm

Hey gang.
Has anyone heard of or had any problems taking Verapamil and Grapefruit. Apparently it increases the chances of drug toxicity.
Doctor put me on Grapfruit diet (which I stopped when I found out there may be a problem) I was just wondering.

Thanks and Good Vibes

MYNM156

Title: Re: Verapamil and Grapefruit
Post by LeLimey on Feb 24^th, 2005, 5:40pm

Ive just started taking verapamil this week and the insert with the pack says not to eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice as it intensifies the effect of the verap

Hope this helps!
Helen

Title: Re: Verapamil and Grapefruit
Post by BobG on Feb 24^th, 2005, 5:41pm

on 02/24/05 at 17:36:00, mynm156 wrote:

Hey gang.
Has anyone heard of or had any problems taking Verapamil and Grapefruit.
MYNM156

Yes. But, being old and feeble I can't remember where or when it was written. I looked for it a couple days ago and didn't have any luck finding it.

Somebody, anybody, HELP!

Wait, wait....modified. I found a little something.
I found this at WebMD site.
http://my.webmd.com/hw/drug_data/d00048a1?orgpath=/hw/drug_data/d00048a1

Cut and pasted

Quote:

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: Verapamil and Grapefruit
Post by E-Double on Feb 24^th, 2005, 6:06pm

Grapefruit juice may increase verapamil blood levels. 7 The importance of this interaction regarding verapamil effectiveness and side effects is unknown. Until more is known, it makes sense for people taking this drug to either avoid drinking grapefruit juice entirely or drink grapefruit juice only under the careful monitoring and supervision of the prescribing doctor. In theory, this last possibility might allow for a decrease in drug dose, but it could be dangerous in the absence of diligent monitoring. The same effects might be seen from eating grapefruit as from drinking its juice.

Title: Re: Verapamil and Grapefruit
Post by sandie99 on Feb 25^th, 2005, 1:14am

My doc didn't mention it but the pharmacist said that grapefruit it out. It's not a problem for me because I have grapefruits anyway... ;;D

Title: Re: Verapamil and Grapefruit
Post by Bob_Johnson on Feb 25^th, 2005, 8:14am

Grapefruit & medication interaction
« on: Jan 19th, 2005, 8:13am » --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: Verapamil on this list ! The basic issue: the mix of juice and certain meds can increase the level of the med in our body to a problem/dangerous level.

"Interactions between grapefruit juice and medications have long been recognized. Last year, the Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics devoted an entire issue to grapefruit juice and the dangerous drug interactions that can result. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration requires all prospective new drugs to be tested for interactions with grapefruit juice. And a warning about grapefruit juice is included in the "food-drug interactions" that come with dozens of medications. Nevertheless, Karch says many health-care professionals and patients don't know about the risk."

Drugs that Interact with Grapefruit Juice:
(from the December 2004 issue of the American Journal of Nursing)

Antibiotics: clarithromycin, erythromycin, troleandomycin
Anxiolytics: alprazolam, buspirone, midazolam, triazolam
Antiarrhythmics: amiodarone, quinidine
Anticoagulant: warfarin
Antiepileptic: carbamazepine
Antifungal: itraconazole
Anthelmintic: albendazole
Antihistamine: fexofenadine
Antineoplastics: cyclophosphamide, etoposide, ifosfamide, tamoxifen, vinblastine, vincristine
Antitussive: dextromethorphan
Antivirals: amprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir
Benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment: finasteride
â-blockers: carvedilol
Calcium channel blockers: diltiazem, felodipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, nisoldipine, verapamil
Erectile dysfunction drugs: sildenafil, tadalafil
Hormone replacement: cortisol, estradiol, methylprednisolone, progesterone, testosterone
Immunosuppressants: cyclosporine, sirolimus, tacrolimus
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors: atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin
Opioids: alfentanil, fentanyl, sufentanil
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: fluvoxamine, sertraline
Xanthine: theophylline

Title: Re: Verapamil and Grapefruit
Post by Frank_W on Mar 1^st, 2005, 1:11pm

No problem: Grapefruit is disgusting. [smiley=laugh.gif]

Title: Re: Verapamil and Grapefruit
Post by forgetfulnot on Mar 5^th, 2005, 11:51pm

on 02/25/05 at 08:14:02, Bob_Johnson wrote:

Add Lithium to this list, it negates the efffects of lithium.

Lee

Add, fresh sweet grapefriut is the best,

Title: Re: Verapamil and Grapefruit
Post by Lizzie2 on Mar 6^th, 2005, 10:29am

Well....I wouldn't recommend someone to go on a grapefruit diet or anything, but grapefruit isn't quite as dangerous as it sounds!!

Basically, yes it does increase verapamil concentration in the blood. That being said, those of you who get lower blood pressures or slower heart rates on the medication definitely don't want to be messing with grapefruit juice too. If you are experiencing any of the cardiac effects of the med, grapefruit juice could intensify these effects.

Also at the same time, a greater concentration generally means a faster clearance rate...ie. the kidneys are going to process it faster, increasing the half life, and getting it booted out of our bodies quicker. This, I would say, is of greater concern! That means that say you want your verapamil to work for 8 hours until your next dose...well, it may not work that long if you also consume grapefruit products because the drugs will move through your system faster with the increased concentration.

That's all rather unscientific, so I'd rather nobody quote me on that, but I thought I'd give my own insight!

I still drink grapefruit juice all the time. But that's me... I always have drank it, so I'm not even sure that at this point it has any effect. When we put someone on coumadin (warfarin), we tell them just not to increase the amount of leafy green veggies in their diet, but they should stay the same as they always have.

I'm not sure if that's true for verap or not, but I tend to believe that as long as I stay along similar lines to what I've always eaten, then I'm okay.

Time will tell! ;-)

Hugz,
Carrie :)