Hep C Discussion Forum

Hi All,

Just remembered the other no-no.  I was not to take any antacids or tums, etc.  It was feared they might interfere with the absorption of my HCV pills.  That was on my list from Merck.

SuziQ

Huey wrote:

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I suspect that the Ledi part of the Harvani is going to be effected by things like this.

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 I think the length and accuracy of a list of interactions for Ledi will grow and become more accurate with time. It's just too new right now. I haven't found any major interactions between the other Rx,s I take and Sovaldi, YET? So I suppose Harvoni will be approved to use with some other meds that an interaction may exist with, but has not yet been identified

 I know grapefuit / juice has interaction warnings for most protease inhibitors used in HIV 'Antiretroviral Therapy' (ART). That includes Gilead's Viread (tenofovir) which is one of the Rx's that I currently take. Also there is an interaction with Zoloft which I take for bipolar disorder. The only other interaction I'm aware of from experience is Lipitor (atorvastaton) which is prescribed for cholesterol, but there are many more. So I suggest staying away from anything grapefruit until you've given it the attention it deserves concerning interactions.  I haven't eaten grapefruit or drank grapefruit juice in many years because my HIV 'ART' always includes a protease inhibitor and although I did love grapefruit etc in my old non HIV+ life, I'm cool with living the last 20 years, basically asymptomatic, without it.

 Another thing I've found with interaction list is that a 'Major' classification should always be investigated by your pharmacist and Dr., and a 'moderate' interaction should be discussed with your Dr. although the reason may seem minor. In my case I take several Rx's that have 'moderate' interaction warnings. But before I started HepC Tx, a change in my HIV Rx's was made due to a 'moderate' interaction. And in my case where my virus has become resistant to so many of the available 'ART' options, a change was the last thing we wanted to do, but the details of this 'moderate' interaction made it 'major' in my case, and required it.

 And even OTC meds: I haven't been taking any OTC's except one-a-day multivitamin, until Aug 26 when my hepatologist wanted me to take ibupropen for back pain. But a major interaction was found between it and tenofovir (one of my current HIV Rx's) that could cause kidney failure, so my hepatologist put me back on my old pain med which is the only non-invasive option I have left.

Aloe Vera Juice is a wonderful anti-Oxidant  , Vary strong herbal supplement is exactly what you don't won't, here is why.

#1. It can water down the meds you are taking to the point they can't work.

#2. The virus puts itself to sleep and stops replicating when cretin free radicals are present and detected by the virus, If you flush out "these" free radicals it can wake the virus up and make it start replicating and I believe it can cause a relapse after treatment if someone was to try it immediately after treatment.

Here are some articles that might make you sit up and take notice of what grapefruit is capable of when combined with certain medications. It's contraindications like these that make it so important to research the medications you take and the diet you are on. It seems apparent that the addition of a single medication may indeed require much more attention to detail. Details we never really considered before. Simple things, like your breakfast fruit have to be considered with these new and powerful medications before they become part of your daily routine. Pardon the number of links, but they're all quite informative.

Grapefruit and Drugs

Grapefruit Juice and your Medications

Grapefruit Interactions

Juice Interactions

Here are some links that also include information that speak of the benefit grapefruit can provide:

Grapefruit benefits

Tig

Did your Dr. specifically say no apples?

I think some people may be going overboard on this stuff, If the Meds IFU says do not take with certain things fine, or YOUR dr. says to omit things that is ok too.

But it's important to tell them everything you take so they know what to advise against...in other words if your taking some funky supplement and you don't tell them you are taking it that doesn't make it OK to take it.

I think the best thing anyone can do is stop all supplements eat a healthy normal diet and take the meds as prescribed and you stand the best chance of success, I think there is a tendency for people to think they can self doctor themselves and increase their success rates by adding or deleting things in their diet un-necessarily.

Just my 2 cents

Yep B 12 is good, grapefruit has interaction with many meds so I would just eat a good balanced diet of healthy foods and follow  the instructions on the meds. IFU (instructions for use) and ask your prescribing doctor because many pharmacists are not going to be armed with all the info right away.