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Mixing Prescription drugs with supplements

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Posted 4/16/2013 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
I know this has been addressed before but I think it's always good to re-visit a topic that is so important.  I have a good friend who decided to go to a health food store to ask about 'natural' relief for pain and depression.  Without knowing a thing about her, a clerk tells her to buy willowbark and St. Johns Wort.  My friend was already on an NSAID and an anti-depressant.  The clerk never even asked her about the other drugs she was on.  Not that they are even knowledgable in this area anyway...they are there to sell supplements.

So my friend takes these so called safe supplements and gets seratonin syndrome and bleeds internally.  Willowbark is an anticoagulant and thins the blood.  It has been used for years to relieve pain in the holistic realm but should never be mixed with any NSAID.  St. Johns Wort boosts seratonin and if you are already on an SSRI this combo can be deadly.

Just because it's natural doesn't mean it's safe.  Opium is 'natural'.  Digitalis is 'natural'.  Please always check with your doctor or pharmacist before adding any 'natural' supplement or herb to your Rx regamine.  Even the fillers can be contraindicated with many drugs.  Read labels...I had a reaction to a supplement that used anchovies in their mixture even though the bottle read 'Salmon Oil'.

Okay...I'm done!

huggies

Donna

 

Post Edited (vestabula) : 4/16/2013 8:08:39 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/16/2013 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Excellent post and am glad you reported this. ALWAYS talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking anything. Many over the counter meds can cause problems, too. We think they are fine because you don't need a prescription but that isn't necessarily true. When I started taking ibuprofen, it was a prescription med.

So be careful and pass things by your doctor or pharmacist first. Thanks again, Donna!

Sherrine
Posted 4/16/2013 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Donna, Thank You for the reminder :)

This thread is a great reminder that some herbs can't be taken along with certain meds, and natural isn't necessarily safer.

Any product that offers a cure for fibro or complete relief is a scam! Be beware :)

Hugs, Robin
Posted 4/16/2013 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
Just to lend my voice.

This is not to say that natural practitioners are useless. BUT, take their advice on their specialization. Other advice may or may not be outside of their area of expertise, and could be harmful. When I get acupuncture, I listen to my therapist about water intake and skin hydration. Medical advice from her is just opinion, which may not be particularly good.
Posted 4/16/2013 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
Also, St. John's wart is not good for people with asthma and you should always talk with a pharmacist as well before taking any supplements and you can go to www.drugs.com and find interactions as well....
Posted 4/17/2013 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
I go to a GP who is into naturapathy, even then, I'd take her advise with a grain of salt. There are things that has scientifically proven eg minerals and vitamins supplement (even then, there's a lot of experiment you need to do to find one that works for yourself. Not all supplements has the same ingredients.)

I tried some other things like a supplement that's suppose to help the liver function better, but sadly, my liver function tests are still not great.
Posted 4/18/2013 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
Chartreux, thanks for the heads up on the St. John Wort being bad for asthmatics. I'm glad I never took it when my friend suggested it (many, many years ago).
Posted 4/18/2013 10:52 AM (GMT 0)
Great reminder, Donna--thanks from all of us!
Posted 4/18/2013 11:05 AM (GMT 0)
Coffee and licorice are good for asthma but both can raise your blood pressure, so you have to be careful with regular foods and medications as well, grapefruits can interact with medications, citric acid foods such as oranges can reduce antibotics if you take the two within an hour and that includes orange juice with antibotics...so it's not easy with regular foods either...that's why its best to go to www.drugs.com to find a list of interactions with foods and other medications...norco and effect methotrexate, amoxicillin can increase methotrexate toxicity...always know what can interact with what as the pharmacies don't always keep up with these.... certain stomach medications need to be taken on an empty stomach, ect....
Posted 4/18/2013 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
The NIH has a great database of not only drugs but also supplements showing what medications they may interact with. See here:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/herb_All.html#S

The list for St John's Wort for example is quite long.
Posted 4/19/2013 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
It really is so important to look and research before you try. Remember, clerks at health stores are not specialists in their area.
Posted 4/19/2013 2:02 PM (GMT 0)
Doctor's don't always know a lot about medications and supplement either, so trying to get info from your doctor might not always be good...not saying it can't help but sometimes they are out of date on the latest medications...So always do your homework on anything you take in way of medications, supplements to even buying fish in the markets...substitutes can be made and they can have concequences...like a saying my friend uses "what works for me, might not work for you", this is also true... many well wishes...
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