xanax and grapefruit juice

[Merrill]

Tonight I thought I'd try 1/2 a xanax instead of 1/4 just for the heckuvit ... this math I can do (.25 mg . . . right?) Swallowed it right down with a glass of grapefruit juice ... ten minutes later I remembered I read on the package insert from the pharmacy (which of course I've misplaced in a pile somewhere but I'm too tired to find it) that you're not supposed to mix xanax with grapefruit! Big Sigh. Well ... I guess I won't worry about it 'cause hey, I just took a xanax!

[DancingLight]

merrill!

so weird...we are always online at the same time. i was just thinking about your mri tomorrow...

i guess you decided on xanax huh? you are pretty funny on it!

i like xanax better than ativan too...

but now i take tranxene b/c it doesn't have milk protein...

anyway, that is beside the point...

i was about to log off and saw your post...and even though you are drugged on xanax and 'not worrying,' here's an answer anyway...

i am not positive about this...but i don't think you have to worry too much about the grapefruit juice thing. the deal is that it may intensify or change the effects of the drug a bit and that is why they tell you not to take the two together. but, i don't think it is a big deal in the long run!

just try not to do it again, k? funny you took it with grapefruit juice...of all the things you could have chosen? try water next time! he-he. sorry, being a smarty pants.

am gonna go take my drugs now and get loopy too. ambien here i come!

let us know how you do with the mri...if you remember any of it.

emily

[Guest tearose]

You are in goofball land so you fit right in! Do you feel bad or is it that it gives you an upset tummy? Or maybe it just makes the xanax less effective. Hang in there and let us know that you survived. Are you feeling relaxed yet? tearose

P.S. ditsy me, good luck tomorrow!

[Merrill]

Hi girlydogs... Other than feeling sleepy and a little slow-headed and a bit heavy-limbed (but this is my natural state anyway...my thighs are getting huge these days--what is the DEAL?), I'm having an unexpected side effect: the wicked sciatica episode I'm in the middle of (triggered yesterday by sitting cockeyed in my chair while playing spider and reading posts here) seems to be letting up just a bit! (I had been thinking I'd ask the technician to do my lumbar spine instead... or in addition!) Maybe it's the grapefruit!!! I'm yawning--better hit the hay, as they say. Hope everyone's feeling pretty good tonight ... and that you're looking foward to the weekend! Cheerio,

m

[DancingLight]

merrill,

that wasn't a very clear message on my part...the grapefruit somehow messes with the medicine's release/break down, blah-de blah. need a nurse here!

an example: same rule applies to ssri's. one time i ate grapefruit at the same time i took my effexor xr and had a lot more 'flip flop' heart symptoms...and i was able to connect the two. but, the thing is...not to worry b/c it's not like you chugged a gallon of grapefruit juice and a bottle of xanax...it will be out of your system fast!

i just hope it doesn't make you feel funny the combo of the two. hopefully the xanax will just be, well, more 'xanaxy.' you'll be feeling really good !

p.s. i AM NOT feeding asher anything weird to make him puke at 2 am! :)he is just the most dyspepsic dog i have ever met! fits right in the family being medically 'weird.' i thought winnie was bad, but at least she had the excuse of being OLD! he has to have his food wet and in little bits or he throws it up! this is the world of my rescue dog...poor little guy...how can people hurt these dogs????

em

[Melach]

Merrill,

Oy! I'm sure you'll be fine, but your mishap just made me laugh. GOOD LUCK tomorrow with your MRI! They aren't fun, but I'm sure you'll be relieved to have it over with. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow! (And will of course be telepathically cheering you on ) Actually, it'll probably be night here so I'll just be dreaming those cheers...

B'Ahavah,

Ayelet

(I still can't even fathom having a doctors appt on a Saturday...weird!)

[geneva]

Merrill, sometimes benzos are prescribed for people who have muscle tension. Maybe that is why your sciatica area is feeling better. It is good the Xanax is working for you...it seems to "enhance" your sense of humor!. By now you are probably through with your MRI. Hope you were comfortable!

Emily,

Can you explain the grapefruit connection again??? I was laughing so hard! You and Merrill in the middle of the night...well, it is like Saturday Night Live!!!

[corina]

Hi Merril,

how are you doing? Did you have your MRI yet? Just wanted to let you know I hope things work out well for you!!!

Corina

[DancingLight]

i guess merill's still sleeping off that xanax she took for her mri!

geneva...i am glad we could keep you laughing! it was kind of comical. i mean, how many people drink grapefruit juice anyway! he-he. okay, so did you really mean that you wanted a better medical explanation about the grapefruit juice/med connection? or did you just say that b/c you wanted another round of saturday night live??? i wasn't sure...let me know if you want me to try to explain better!

oh merrill...when you come out of lala land...check in with us, k? yes, the xanax, not the grapefruit juice is what helped your pain. probably just relaxed EVERYTHING...not just your brain! okay, i'm teasing you...

time for dinner (maybe i should give up later alligator and just say "time to eat.."?)

emily

[MightyMouse]

you what? even one twice as much xanax as she took, it doesn't make me sleepy.

Merrill, check in when you "check back in". Earth to Merrill, Earth to Merrill....

Nina

[geneva]

Emily, hope you know I was just teasing you!!

Merrill, we are all thinking about you and hope you feel up to checking in soon.

[Merrill]

Hi, guys. Well, I made it home safe'n'sound and hungry (hi, Emily ). Actually, when the test ended I thought to myself, "That was a piece of cake. Hmmm... in fact, I'd like to HAVE a piece of cake right now." So we stopped off on the way home at a bakery/cafe and picked up dinner, which I'm eating as I write. (For me, a yummy rotini and artichoke and black bean and fresh spinach & tomato salad with a HUGE piece of chocolate chip mousse cake for dessert that I haven't yet tried... Hope I'm not making you too hungry... but I feel a ramble coming on. Emily, you better go get a bite and finish reading later. And I tried my just-arrived celtic sea salt on top of the salad... Thanks, Opus. Yum! Let me take a quick moment to put in my own sales pitch for http://www.celtic-seasalt.com. It's got all the good stuff in it: sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and more.)

I truly wasn't at all nervous about going downtown for the test, but I had a serious pots spell about a half hour before we needed to leave ... I had been feeling good all morning, then all of a sudden, Wham--I was hit by the exhaustion/weakness truck. Took a salt pill and a bunch of water and laid down ... then was all in a panic to get out of the house on time.

Anyhoo...I felt sooo prepared for the test (thanks, everyone) that it really went just fine. I do so much better (generally, in life) when I know what's going to happen in advance--and there weren't many surprises, except for the long wait to be taken back to the test room. I'll often decide what I'm going to eat in advance of looking at a restaurant menu, even calling ahead to see what's on special. Call me crazy.)

Apparently there are a lot of different kinds of MRI machines out there... At Northwestern Mem Hospital in Chicago, surprisingly they only have closed machines. No open ones with stereo speakers or headphones or aromatherapy or any of that jazz. Just me in a tube with earplugs that don't really work very well!

I did take about a half a xanax before the test ... and then during it, because I couldn't listen to the CDs I brought along, I sang the She-he-khi-yanu prayer/song over and over and over again in my mind. It has such a pretty melody, and it's awfully hypnotic to sing a short song over and again in your mind while envisioning pleasant images. I found myself looking at the words, floating in front of me, and at Jojo (my pet conure) falling alseep in my hand while I scratched her head. The test was remarkably short ... I think they build in extra time in case people have trouble or something. But I was very well behaved. Always am.

I had called the doc in the morning to see if they could just scan my entire spine--especially given the sciatica problems I'd been having. But the doc on call said no. Partly because she wasn't the prescribing doc and partly because it's not protocol to scan the whole spine at once b/c it takes too long and is uncomfortable for the patient. Given my experience, though, I could totally have been fine if they'd just kept going. I'll go back again sometime... and won't be a bit nervous! Hooray!

Here's one other weird thing--Nina, maybe you can relate? When they put that "brace" on either side of my head to hold it still, I felt like my head wasn't on straight and my neck hurt. I had this urge to move it until it was what would feel like straight for me! I guess that shows I'm off kilter ... but then, we knew that going in.

Have I rambled long enough? Are y'all ready for dinner? It's 6:20 where I am, so it's time. Thanks for indulging me if you've read this far... And for all your support and good wishes! They mean the world.

By the way, for those of you who are enjoying teasing me about the drugs, let me just say that taking em at night when you're not nervous or panicky is not a fair test. All that's to say, if you're doing OK and fairly calm, it makes you a little loopy. But I found if you add in the adrenalin that comes with putting on a hospital gown and silly booties and worry that comes with knowing you won't be able to pee for the next 45 minutes even if you want to, the same xanax dose just brings you back to baseline. You don't get to go to the goofy zone. Sigh. Next time, bigger dose! Whoopie!

Take 'er easy,

m

[DancingLight]

geneva...yes, i knew you were kidding! no worries...i just wasn't sure if you really meant you needed a better explanation...guess not! that's good, i don't feel like explaining anyway...he-he. just teasin' ya back.

maybe merrill DID drink a gallon of grapefruit juice and take a bottle of xanax! i can only take 1/2 of a .25 mg tablet!

emily

[MightyMouse]

Merrill, i know exactly what you mean. I get the urge to re-adjust my head and neck, but have to fight it.

By the way, open MRI's aren't so goodwith reagard to the films--just not as clear or crisp a view for the radiologist as with closed machine. My neuro specifically told me not to go for an open MRI...maybe just his preference.

Glad you made it through. Like I said in the other post, you're pretty funny on xanax.

Nina

[geneva]

Merrill, so glad that everything went ok for you today. I am the same in wanting to know exactly what the procedure is going to entail. I don't like surprises either with all the tests and I am sure all the input you received helped you today. Great job on the imagery! I also understand about the Xanax when the adrenaline kicks in. I take a very small dose of Ativan and it keeps my adrenaline in check and also my bp from heading for the stroke zone. It is a shame that you couldn't get the entire spine done at once as you wanted. I had mine done and yes, it is 1 1/2 hours in the box but once you are in there does it really matter???

Isn't it funny how when we are doing something we would rather not be doing we conjur up the "treat" we will give ourselves for getting through it....your meal sounds delicious!!! Good for you for treating yourself.

Rest and enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

[DancingLight]

merrill,

we were typing messages at the same time again tonight...so i didn't see your post about your mri until just now.

you had me laughing so hard about eating! no, i do not need to stop reading to get a bite to eat! i read your whole post!

i might have to get me some of that celtic sea salt. does it taste different at all?

well, HIP HIP HOORAY for getting through the test without a problem...and for being so well-behaved.

i love the prayer that you were singing! i have the debbie freidman cd with her version...what version were you singing? i did a similar thing with my mri...i repeated the phrase 'i am now being healed by God's light and love' from this kabbalah book i have. and focused on my breathing. yeah, like the mri machine was healing me!

did you notice anything from the dye?

well, your dinner does sound good!

thanks for updating us.

i guess that grapefruit juice/xanax combo didn't hurt you in the end, huh?

later alligator!

emily

[Merrill]

OH MY GOSH!!!!!! Emily, I can't believe you just asked about the dye/contrast!!!!!

THEY FORGOT TO GIVE IT TO ME!!!! S$%&!

I FORGOT TO ASK!!!!!!

Now what???????

Growl

I need a xanax...

[geneva]

Merrill, BREATHE and think calming thoughts!! Your doctor may not have ordered the contrast dye. I have had some MRIs without...matter of fact, if I can trust my memory (hah!), I don' think my spinal ones had contrast. Just call tomorrow and set your mind at ease.

[Merrill]

Oh, Geneva, would that it were so! I distinctly remember that the order said "with contrast" -- in fact, my doctor and I even discussed why she felt the contrast was important. It was a couple weeks ago--and I'd forgotten all about it! I know it wasn't my fault--I shouldn't have had to remind the technician of what it said on the prescription ... they definitely blew it. To what extent I'll have to find out. I'm loathe to enter into a therapy program without the doctors having the very best images possible... I guess I just need more information right now--and if I redo the test, it'll be OK with me (but perhaps not OK w/my insurance company!) I will definitely be making some phone calls in the morning! First to the MRI center and then to my physician.

Thanks, tho--it's interesting to hear that your spinal MRIs were done w/out contrast. Maybe it'll all be fine as is...

Take care,

m

[DancingLight]

oops, sorry...didn't mean to cause a panic. i just had remembered you asking everyone about the contrast when you first posted. maybe having a good memory isn't such a good thing??? it drives my mom crazy.

well, at least now you know that you do okay with the mri machine and such. so, if you have to go back for another test, you will be a little more relaxed (except for the contrast part...).

it's very frustrating when tests get messed up like that and you have to go through it all again! i've had that happen several times!

but, geneva is right...deep breath...since you can't fix it on a sunday!

man, no sleep last night for me. that makes me so cranky...

so, i will GO EAT SOME LUNCH now to see if that makes me feel better!

later alligator!

emily

[MightyMouse]

I wouldn't worry about the contrast. If they feel they need it in order to make a better diagnosis, then they'll let you know--but I've had the radiologist at the MRI center nix the contrast even though it was requested on the prescription from my referring doctor. My last MRI had contrast requested, but the radiologist said he didn't feel it was necessary.

nina

[Guest tearose]

Merrill, I can't believe my eyes, they forgot! Well, I agree what others have said, the good news is that contrast in fact is not always necessary. I've have numerous parts of me MRI'd and it is usually more helpful when looking into "soft tissue" or things that do "work" like gallbladders. So I'll be surprised if you need it. I remember asking once "well why did the doctor ask for it?" the technician said that sometimes they do that to get insurance approval prior only in case it was needed.

Hope to hear what you have is sufficient. You were a very good patient!

take care, tearose

[Guest tearose]

Hi Merrill, did you ask the doctor about the contrast or are you gonna wait it out? I am thinking they would probably be able to tell you today if you asked....Im sorry to be so pushy, I'm just feeling anxious for you. take care, tearose

[Merrill]

Hi, Tea. Thanks for checking in with me! I called the MRI place this morning, and since the films and the written prescription for the test had already been sent to the hospital, they're now waiting for the hospital to fax a copy of that written order back to them.

She took me a little more seriously after I explained to the nurse (or whoever took my call) that my physician had spefically talked to me about the contrast and explained why she said she wanted it.

It's been about 4 hours, so I called the woman back again to see if she'd heard anything; she's still waiting for the fax. When I told her I was about to call my physician to see what she had to say about all this, she asked me to hold off and give her a little more time. So OK; we still wait.

You're a dear for asking ... I trust you're continuing to mend--and that each day you're feeling stronger and stronger. Fever all gone? Nothing like some hefty antibiotics to cure what ails. (Oh, I know we all wish it were that easy overall. But a bug's a bug and you gotta squash the ones that are vulnerable to squashing!)

Take 'er easy,

m

[Guest tearose]

Hi there, I'm impressed with your ability to be calm and patient. By 4:30 I probably would be picking up the phone and asking "and how do plan on solving this dilemma?". My guess is if the prescribing doctor hears from the reading radiologist that they can "see all" they are looking for, then it's okay. But do they really know what they are looking for? Just let me supportively remind you to be prepared to ASK FIRMLY "would you kindly explain to me dr.----- why you are comfortable seeing these images without the contrast and treating me?" "Are you 100% sure you are not missing something that may help with the dx? because I am ready to repeat the test if it means a better diagnosis and better treatment plan." Hang in there M, your on the home stretch. If we have to...We'll get you thru another visit to Shehehyanu land!

I have reported a full update on my high fever topic, if you are bored hop on over there.

Still healing and eating more soup tonight, tearose