4 replies to this topic

[Sarah J]

I kept finding information that drinking grapefruit juice while taking antidepressants and many other medicines is not a good idea. Apparently, grapefruit juice reacts with all sorts of meds - it probably needs a warning label!

Thought I would post it here in case people are weaning and drinking grapefruit juice. Just another thing the docs don't tell us!

http://www.antidepre...gs-dont-mix.htm

Never ever use Grapefruit Juice. Grapefruit juice is an inhibitor of the cytochrome P-450 enzymes. These enzymes are known to metabolize (break down) (SSRI) antidepressants in the liver. Drinking grapefruit juice whilst you are taking an (SSRI) antidepressant can create a serious toxic reaction, because the chemical ingredient will build to toxic levels in the bloodstream

[tickedoff]

Question? I read the article from the link posted and it states that grapefruit juice breaks down the drugs in the liver. If we are weaning off, then wouldn't this help eliminate the drugs from our bodies? Any inputs?

[schmb01]

Ticked off, check out the italics in Sarah's post. It can cause toxicity. I don't think it is a matter of quick elimination, but when chemicals break down, they can become other things and do nasty things, if you can imagine something nastier than what we are already feeling!

[Sarah J]

Question? I read the article from the link posted and it states that grapefruit juice breaks down the drugs in the liver. If we are weaning off, then wouldn't this help eliminate the drugs from our bodies? Any inputs?

I kept finding this everywhere that they don't mix, especially on medical websites. Grapefruit juice turns many drugs into nasty toxic stuff in our livers that can give a bad reaction. But I kept finding it specific to antidepressant meds, too many places to keep posting the urls so I thought it would be good to let others know.

The way I read it everywhere is that if you aren't taking an SSRI or SNRI you are good to go with the grapefruit juice. As always, ask your docs, but, did yours ever tell you not to drink grapefruit juice with your antidepressant?
Maybe a pharmacist would know more about this than your doctor.

You are right that your liver does need to clean out and it has an amazing power to regenerate itself. Just sounded like the juice might add to instead of make the problem better.

[katiedelmar]

My mom just told me today that she wants me to stop drinking grapefruit juice b/c of my cymbalta.. but i literally am ADDICTED to grapefruit juice, i drink so much of it every day. haha i will probably have withdrawals from the grapfruit juice now! UGH.