Am I Screwing up with Riba?

Some places say I can take Riba with or WITHOUT food.   I started by taking with food but have had a few rough weeks and have been taking it here and there without food.  Just curious as to trains of thought out there

[annieCinMD]

I heard it might upset your stomach if you take it without food. I've never wanted to try that, so can't give you a solid answer. I've had to take with as little as a breakfast/snack bar. Crackers probably beat a blank, too.

[epiphiny]

It is best to take it with food, in particular foods with natural fats in them such as avocado, peanut butter, chees, ice cream etc as it increases the bioavailability of the ribavirin and it's absorption by up to 67%.  More bang for your buck, so to to speak!

You can see this recommendation on the insert that that comes with the meds and there have been studies to back this up.  I ate more fat than I ever have when I was treating, some types of fat made me feel sick, such as ice cream and chocolate, but I have heard of others that those foods weren't a problem for them.  If you're an ice cream lover then you have the best reason under the sun to indulge yourself!!

Getting enough riba is essential for a successful treatment so do what ever you have to do to increase it's absorption.  Just don't make yourself sick...

Some people have found small meals often worked well for them. or eating your food then taking the riba about 15 - 20 minutes after eating.

If you find you experience nausea from the riba you can get an enti-emetic to help with this and keep the riba and food down.  The good news is that the nausea very rarely lasts the whole of your treatment period.

Good luck!

Epi :)

[epiphiny]

Oooops, corrections:

chees = cheese

enti-emetic = anti-emetic (anti nausea drugs)

[copyman]

I took telaprevir & riba with a glass of "whole" milk for the duration of tx. Hardly ever with food. I started with the milk because the telaprevir pills were so big and bitter that milk was the only thing I found to help swallow them. Then i just stuck with milk taking the riba alone. I'm now 4 weeks post tx and still unde. Studies have shown fat helps with riba absorbtion so taking cheese. peanut butter, whole milk etc. can only help.

[jdwithhcv]

Wow, you can hold down riba without food?   I needed at least milk or something.  A yogurt smoothie worked too.

[Lynno711]

I always ate something before I took my Riba.  Bowl of cereal, toast with Peanut butter.

Started having trouble keeping them down at about week 40.

Doc. suggested Gravol might work, I havent been sick since.  It also helps me to sleep.

Good Luck

[epiphiny]

Just a word of warning - don't take an any antacids (Malox, Mylanta etc) 2 hours before or after taking your riba as it inhibits absorption. Zantac and the like are ok.

[Marte313]

I haven't been too serious about the food-question. Just took it when I was brushing my teath, but now I suddenly got the answer about why my stomach has been so upset. Once again hail to this forum!! Figured it was just ordinary side effects. Will have to try being more serious the last couple of weeks then ;)

[nygirl7]

Technically you do want to take it withg food to help it bind to the fat and not be flushed out.  

What week are you on now?It is especially crucial during the first 12 weeks - although it is always important to keep the riba serum level as high as possible.

Somedays I couldn't handle eating something so I went out and bought tasty little yogurt shakes in the dairy section.   I could just  sip sip sip along on them usually and while they didn't have a lot of fat it was something so I could hold it down. Then later by the time I'd get to work (I'd drink the shake on the way) I'd be able to try a half a bagel with cream cheese or butter or something.

Something about just getting that yogurt shake down settled my stomach enough to be able to eat something.

[newleaf09]

Someone recently posted the FDA info on Riba (probably the same as your meds insert).
http://www.drugs.com/pro/ribavirin.html
It said take it the same time every day and take with food. It also quoted this:
"Effect of Food on Absorption of Ribavirin
Bioavailability of a single oral dose of Ribavirin was increased by coadministration with a high-fat meal. The absorption was slowed (Tmax was doubled) and the AUC0-192h and Cmax increased by 42% and 66%, respectively, when Ribavirin was taken with a high-fat meal compared with fasting conditions"

Food slows down the absorption and keeps the riba in your system longer (a good thing).  I don't think you have to have a high fat meal, but if your dosing doesn't coincide with a meal, add a handful of nuts, couple cookies, a little ice cream, spoon of peanut butter.  I kept a bag of almonds by my bed for when I was too lazy to get up and eat.