Illness and the duration effect of medicines
Discussion
Would be interested in opinions.
I currently take a med (long term) daily. If I inadvertently forget to take it on pretty much an exact 24hr rotation, I get horrific (and I mean horrific) side effects (think feeling like you’re very unpleasantly ‘high’ and totally disconnected from the world). I once ran out (years ago) and was unable to take it for 2 days, which ended up with me in hospital.
I’m just getting over flu (with accompanying fever of 39.2) and am now getting those side effects after about 16 hours or less. Is it possible that the associated effects of flu (or other illnesses) somehow reduce the ‘half life’ of certain medications?
I currently take a med (long term) daily. If I inadvertently forget to take it on pretty much an exact 24hr rotation, I get horrific (and I mean horrific) side effects (think feeling like you’re very unpleasantly ‘high’ and totally disconnected from the world). I once ran out (years ago) and was unable to take it for 2 days, which ended up with me in hospital.
I’m just getting over flu (with accompanying fever of 39.2) and am now getting those side effects after about 16 hours or less. Is it possible that the associated effects of flu (or other illnesses) somehow reduce the ‘half life’ of certain medications?
Yes, illness can affect liver enzyme systems. Also could be affected if your diet's changed whilst you were ill.
Maybe something you've taken or eaten to help fight the flu has up-regulated the particular P450 sub-enzyme(s) that metabolise your regular medicine, meaning your body is clearing it more quickly than usual.
e.g. grapefruit, for its Vit C content might help fight the flu, but it's also well known for affecting the PK (pharmacokinetics) of a lot of medicines.
The flu might also have affected how readily, or not, your other medicine crosses things like the blood brain barrier.
Maybe something you've taken or eaten to help fight the flu has up-regulated the particular P450 sub-enzyme(s) that metabolise your regular medicine, meaning your body is clearing it more quickly than usual.
e.g. grapefruit, for its Vit C content might help fight the flu, but it's also well known for affecting the PK (pharmacokinetics) of a lot of medicines.
The flu might also have affected how readily, or not, your other medicine crosses things like the blood brain barrier.
Pinkie15 said:
Yes, illness can affect liver enzyme systems. Also could be affected if your diet's changed whilst you were ill.
Maybe something you've taken or eaten to help fight the flu has up-regulated the particular P450 sub-enzyme(s) that metabolise your regular medicine, meaning your body is clearing it more quickly than usual.
e.g. grapefruit, for its Vit C content might help fight the flu, but it's also well known for affecting the PK (pharmacokinetics) of a lot of medicines.
The flu might also have affected how readily, or not, your other medicine crosses things like the blood brain barrier.
Ah. I have been drinking a lot of grapefruit juice recently.Maybe something you've taken or eaten to help fight the flu has up-regulated the particular P450 sub-enzyme(s) that metabolise your regular medicine, meaning your body is clearing it more quickly than usual.
e.g. grapefruit, for its Vit C content might help fight the flu, but it's also well known for affecting the PK (pharmacokinetics) of a lot of medicines.
The flu might also have affected how readily, or not, your other medicine crosses things like the blood brain barrier.
Grapefruit juice has a component which is a potent inhibitor of a liver enzyme which metabolises drugs into derivatives which are more readily excreted from the body (CYP3A4 if you’re interested). If your drug is cleared by this enzyme (there are several others, but CYP3A4 metabolises more than any other), then drinking grapefruit juice will inhibit the clearance pathway to some extent, the net result of which is that the levels of the drug in your body are higher than normal (you’ve essentially overdosed). Look at the side effects on the drugs leaflet and see if they match your symptoms. It’s best to stay clear of grapefruit if you take prescription drugs unless cleared by your GP.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff