Alert- Don't use grapefruit with Zoloft!

[evangelin]

Lots of people have read about grapefruit and hep c and are trying it but I also know a lot of people on tx or getting ready to tx are using the anti- depressant Zoloft .  Zoloft is one of the drugs that can cause big danger to the liver if used with grapefruit.  There are others too but this one is especially common to people on interferon/riba. I sure don't want anyone to make this mistake.  There are anti depressants that are safe with grapefruit-Celexa is one of them. I called a pharmacist to confirm this and they said it was a big no-no and quite dangerous even if you don't have liver problems.
Very concerned,
Ev

[mremeet]

I was very sternly warned not to eat grapefruit with the telaprevir (VX950) pills when I was in the Vertex prove 1 study. The study nurse said it increased absorption and would raise the serum concentration of the drug to unsafe levels. Seems like grapefruit does that with a lot of drugs, gotta be careful with it.

[Isobella]

I had heard the same.  The grapefruit binds to the same enzyme that your body uses to rid itself of the Zoloft.  So you can get toxicity from too much left over Zoloft in your body.  

As soon as I am done with tx and anti-d's I am going to plant a grapefruit tree tho!!

[evangelin]

Yep.  It's generic name is citalopram

[gauf]

Thanks again EV. Is Celexa available in generic?