9 shots to go... brain totally gone...

[Diane12855]

Yesterday I saw some grapefruit juice at the store and had the strongest urge to get some.... kind of like a pregnancy craving... no, I'm WAY too old. Anyhow, while I was enjoying my second glass I remembered that I had read something about grapefruit and tx. Does anybody remember something about this?

Diane

[Michigan57]

Regarding food and drink, is there a list out there of "good" and "bad" things to eat and drink when you have Hep C and/or are going through treatment?

[IMstacie]

I remember how excited I felt nearing the end of treatment.  I was delirious and practically dead from the meds but I was still excited - lol!  Grapefruit is not good with many meds and can interact within days after drinking the Grapefruit juice.  Just best not to do it.  Does anyone know why they call it "grape" fruit ????

[brianmo]

Your sooo close....good for you. Thinking of you

[evangelin]

I remember Zoloft, a common anti-depressant people sometimes take on TX, is one that you shouldn't take with grapefruit.  

[Mary4now]

Yes, Marcia, thats what I was told and you can add pomegranate to the list, they can enhance the length of time.

[Diamando6]

Sorry , i am not sure is it bad to have grapefruit juice only during therapy, or is bad to drink it at all for us Hepc patients>?

[fashion345]

Just think, in 9 weeks you will be done and soon you can eat all of the grapefruit you want!  
Food will taste completely amazing again, your brain will return to normal and you will get your energy back!  I am now 2 months post tx and feeling so much better.
Something to look forward to!
Hang in there!
Fashion

[GSDgirl]

I didn't take fat with my riba.  Wasn't told and didn't read all the papers.  Never even heard about it till my last month when I joined this site.  I cleared BTW.  Good Luck

[Marcia2202]

This is what I found out before I started treating:

The naringin/naringenin in this citrus fruit might interfere with drugs. It can enhance the amount and/or the length of time medications stay in the blood stream. Google ‘grapefruit drug interaction’ for more information. Other citrus fruits like bitter orange, sour oranges as Seville oranges, pomelo and tangelo have a similar effect. Sweet oranges, tangerines and lemons are considered safe.

[Diane12855]

I don't get why our doctors don't tell us these things when we start tx. I was never told about eating fat with my riba meal, how bad it is to take antacids, nor to not drink grapefruit juice. I wonder how many people would have been saved from relapses if our doctors knew this stuff first off, and told us about it when we first started tx.

If it wasn't for this site... I may have never even reached UND.

Diane

[frijole]

Maybe that's why I relapsed.  I had no idea.

No, I really don't think it is but it is interesting.  My hubby can't have grapefruit due to some blood pressure or cholestral meds he is taking and he misses it.  I guess when next I treat, I will miss it too.

[Diane12855]

Thanks for that link. I tried to read it but it isn't sinking in. I'll just play it safe and pour the rest down the drain. Unfortunately the rest of my family thinks it tastes like drain cleaner so they won't finish it for me.

I'll just be so glad to get these drugs out of my body.

Diane

[babs824]

i doubt that small amount will hurt u. i wish the docs would be more clear. i learned nothing from mine about such things and find i am educating him sometimes and he is one of 2 top guys in my area. i have been on an orange binge for 2 weeks!!! not seville but navel. guess i will go back to my  safe yogurt diet. hang  in there diane, we are coming to the finish soon. i believe the brain cells will regenerate, im not so confident about the now very middle aged bod! keep the faith, babs

[willbb]

Diane... On the sheet I was given when starting... "drugs and foods to avoid"  grapefruit juice  and seville oranges were listed on it.

BTW...congrats on getting close to the end!

WILL

[Bill1954]

Dianne, grapefruit contains compounds that can interfere with certain enzymes; I’m not positive, but I don’t think either interferon or ribavirin is on that list. Wikipedia lists these drugs as being affected by grapefruit; I don’t know how comprehensive this is though:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_drugs_affected_by_grapefruit

It’s worth a look just in case something other than HCV drugs you’re taking is on there. Sorry to hear you’re struggling; I had some loss of concentration towards the end of therapy too.

Good luck—

Bill

[Gee704]

I was told not to drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit.

Congratulations on nearing the end.

I understand how the brain is totally gone. My brain is fried too just as I move into my final week.