Interaction of Food and Drugs

[MikeO]

So just recently i have had a bit of a set back with my GI issues and getting really orthostatic. So i have been messaging my care team at the faint clinic with a ton of questions and symptoms. (Can't believe they are still hanging on to me).

For quite a while i have been fairly stable but recently i did go over the edge when i started Plavix. I did change up my diet a little as well as try some Liquid IV. I ended up with GI pain and low bp's as well as some unexpected bleeding. So i did ask about some of the contents of the sports/electrolyte drinks possibly interacting with my drug cocktail from some of the acids in them.

My Dr did mention she has not heard of issues with the sports drinks themselves causing drug issues. 

I was schooled by pharmacy not to take any grapefruit with the plavix which i understood (have not eaten a grapefruit in 30 years) and my Dr also reaffirmed this but she did point out the active ingredient which also encompases other foods. By chance some of them i just recently started eating again.

Not saying this is the root of all evil but might be worth looking at as part of you journey to find what works for you.

The offending compounds are:   furanocoumarin derivatives (bermagottin, bergapten, bergaptol, and 6',7'-dihydroxybermagottin)   

[MikeO]

Little more on the soap box. Did more digging into what foods contain the furanocoumarin compound and  parsley contains just this and has a higher concentration than grapefruit. Oddly over the last couple of weeks i have been using a lot parsley in my cooking.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furanocoumarin

Medication interactions[edit]

Furanocoumarins have other biological effects as well. For example, in humans, bergamottin and 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin are responsible for the "grapefruit juice effect", in which these furanocoumarins affect certain P450 liver and gut enzymes, such as the inhibition of CYP3A4 which either activates or deactivates many drugs, thus leading to higher or lower levels in the bloodstream.[10] Furanocoumarins have various effects which can specifically increase or decrease (depending on the drug) the blood levels of many pharmaceuticals in ways that can be life-threatening and so FDA approved drugs will include warnings for grapefruit.

https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.790.15

 

[JennKay]

@MikeO -- I too cook with a lot of parsley. Had no idea it could interact with medication. Wow! Thanks for sharing.

 

[MikeO]

5 hours ago, JennKay said:

@MikeO -- I too cook with a lot of parsley. Had no idea it could interact with medication. Wow! Thanks for sharing.

 

@JennKayParsley does for sure interact at least with antidepressants and blood thinners. Who would think that the Grapefruit warning on these meds included a table staple of parsley. IMO meds and food,drug cocktails,metabolizem do come into play. I am a strong supporter that a misbehaving ANS is not always the culprit when it comes to dysautonomia or nerve damage. I get the unrelenting sympathetic ANS activation, i have been here as well and will cause a rash of symptoms but there is also other rocks to turn over to find a cause.

Genes and how your enzymes drugs/food interact with your body again IMO is relevant. I do have to endure my transient drops in BP's and has been well documented along with my 2 beat junctional escapes with my heart that alone is a ANS issue but alone is not the root of all my issues.

I would love to be able to get an IV infusion like @Pistoldoes three times a week. Staying well hydrated and keeping your blood volume up does keep your body in check.