Zytiga best time to take

[Chubby42]

Hi folksWhen do people find the best time to take Zytiga (Abiraterone).

Before bed, first thing in the morning or in the middle of the day.?

Cheers

[petabyte]

I take Abiraterone, Prednisolone (enteric coated) and Orgovyx at 6:30 daily. I program the medications on my phone in Apple Health. I eat at least 2 hours after (one hour after eating needed for Abi but I play it safe).

I do take the Prednisolone earlier when I wake (usually 05:30) but if i sleep in, I take them all together.

If you have stomach trouble with Prednisone/Prednisolone try drinking a large glass of water with it.

I find morning suits best since I'm used to not eating then. If you want breakfast or even a cup of tea with milk another time may suit you better.

[Prelki]

My husband takes the Abiraterone as soon as he gets up in the morning on an empty stomach. It’s usually 6-6:30, but sometimes earlier and sometimes as late as 7. Exactly 1 hour later he has coffee and toast (with almond butter and cottage cheese) as he can’t wait to eat. 😁 After he has food in his stomach, he takes the prednisone. It has been working very well.

Although it says to take it at the same time each day, that has some flexibility within a 2 to 3 hour range if needed. His MO told him 4 hours was too many but less would be okay. We traveled to Uganda in February with an 8 hour time difference which was tricky but we worked it out to stay within the 3 hour window and slowly moved it to match the local time. Same on the return trip. Worked just fine and PSA remained undetectable upon return.

[petabyte in reply to Prelki]

I was wondering. Is your Prednisone enteric coated so they are easier on the stomach? Mine are tiny capsules made to order at the local pharmacy. Do you take prednisone or prednisolone?

Prednisone is a prodrug, (needs to be converted by the liver into prednisolone). Prednisolone is the active drug and does not require this conversion. Only important in people with liver issues.

[Prelki in reply to petabyte]

No, not enteric coated. It’s prednisone, not prednisolone. Not specially made. No liver issues at this point. 🤞🏼

[CavScout in reply to Prelki]

My regimen exactly

[fireandice123]

I took it when I got up at night to urinate, as I inevitably do every night. It was usually around 2 am. That time fulfilled both requirements not to take it for at least 2 hours after eating and at least one hour before eating.

[Chubby42 in reply to fireandice123]

Ah good plan Batman, thanks for that fireandice123.P. So have you ever slept through and missed taking it. 😜

[fireandice123 in reply to Chubby42]

Unfortunately no. I have once or twice forgotten to take them in my sleepy stupor even though the pill box was right next to the toilet. In that case I just delayed breakfast a bit and took them in the morning. It was only about a 15 min delay for my breakfast. By the time I shower, shave, feed the pets and unload the dishwasher, my usual routine before breakfast, almost 45 min had passed.

[ELOfan in reply to fireandice123]

I do the same as fireandice and take it in the middle of the NIGHt with a good cup of water (not just a few sips). That was what my MO suggested.

[Chubby42 in reply to ELOfan]

Sounds like a plan m8 Cheers thanks

[Vangogh1961 in reply to fireandice123]

Same. I like to eat when I get up, not wait.

[gsun in reply to Vangogh1961]

Same here. The window is no that tight. After taking it for a while, there will be no effect on your testosterone by taking it a few hours late. Sometime I didn’t get up at night and just took it in the morning.

[Peealot in reply to fireandice123]

That is pretty much my schedule. One difference is that I get up 3 times per night to pee.

[TuffNuttoCrack]

Sounds like I’m the only one in the whole planet that takes it mid afternoon around 3:30 pm. I can’t take it in the morning due to other medicines taking priority. I missed 16 days of Abby while in the hospital last year and 4 days recently due to a surgery. Praise the Lord for my first clean scan three months ago.

[daysbetween in reply to TuffNuttoCrack]

I take it between 2-3 pm depending on what time I finished lunch

[TuffNuttoCrack in reply to daysbetween]

Awesome strategy! Number 2 on the planet. Like you I adjust depending on the time I take lunch.

[AndyT261264]

I have only been taking it for just over a week, but so far so good. I have been taking it as soon as I get up at 6 a.m. on an empty stomach. My thinking is thats when its most effective but not sure thats true or not. I then wait an hour have breakfast and take an uncoated tiny prednisone pill with food. Had one day were felt a little queazy other than that all is good. My oncologist said two things: 1) Everyone responds differently, you have a few mild side effects or a few more acute side effects, time will tell, hence bloods are taken every two weeks and 2) try and take it the same time every day so it becomes a routine and habit. I take it when I get up otherwise I worry I may forget to until later or miss a day. Not sure that helps? I am new to this so feeling my into this world I had not planned like everyone else on here.

[Chrisbaird]

I take Zytiga when I wake up on empty stomach with pint of lightly flavoured water then prednisone when eat at least an hour later been doing that last 4.5 years

[69CJ]

I take mine about 3-4am

[leo2634]

Around 4:30 am that way it's in my system and I can take my other medicine around breakfast been doing that since 2018 so far so good. Never give up never surrender Leo

[daysbetween]

I have multiple meds to deal with, so I ended up taking Albiraterone mid afternoon each day. Probably would take in the morning, but have other meds that also need to be taken on empty stomach and preferably in the morning.

[85236442968]

Chubby42

I have been on Abiraterone and Prednisone for about 18 months now.

The Abiraterone really jacked my blood pressure. After a number of trials (Cardiologist monitored) The most successful was to take my morning Blood Pressure meds at 5:00 am, followed by the Abiraterone/Prednisone at 7-7:30.

Like others if I take the Abi/Pred right after getting up, the hour required before food passes with shower, shave, teeth brushing, , making up bed, making coffee and removing dishes from the dishwasher. ( I do have an alarm for the Blood Pressure meds at 5:00 am, and then go back to sleep to until around 7:00 am).

I am curious about taking the Abi/Pred when I go to bed at night, but am concerned about the blood pressure issues. I see both the Oncologist and Cardiologist next week for a quarterly review, and plan on discussing it with both of them.

[Chubby42 in reply to 85236442968]

Hi M8 some good ideas there I normally take my BP med 1st thing on waking up but I may change that to last thing before bed, I usually get up at least twice during the night so it sounds like a good time to take the Abi/Pred. Once a week I take my bone thinning med 1st thing in the morning so I'll stick to that.

They are all good ideas so thanks to all the reply it definitely sounds like what ever suits you so long as you stay within the recommended guidelines, but I do like the idea of taking the Abi/pred when I get up for a wee. 🤔😀 Cheers

[Professorgary]

When I was taking 1000 mg without food I took it upon waking for urination and then waited at least an hour to eat breakfast. I now take 250 with a low fat breakfast and dexamethasone at the same time. I was having naseau issues with 1000 mg and blood tests show Testosterone undetectable on 250 with food so that’s what I and several others do.

[55L0zz in reply to Professorgary]

Hi Gary, what do you have for your low fat breakfast? Thanks

[Chubby42 in reply to 55L0zz]

Hi m8

I generally have weetbix or porridge sometimes cornflakes, so mostly cereals.

[Professorgary in reply to 55L0zz]

I have a small bowl of post raisin bran with some blueberries and no milk. I also eat half a banana and have a cup of decaf coffee with non dairy creamer. If I want to have a larger breakfast such as when I go out with some friends I take 4 abis as soon as I get up and by the time I meet with friends an hour has passed. For some reason the four abis cause some nausea so I usually do the low dose. If you google abiraterone low fat diet at Rutgers University they have a list of approved breakfast foods. This isn’t for everyone but the breakfast I described has been my normal breakfast for years.

[Chewiemo]

I’ve been taking it for two years when I wake up got the day usually around 7 am. I do intermittent fasting taking only black coffee with breakfast or lunch as first meal around 11 am. That’s when I take prednisone.

[mababa]

Chubby, honestly, if I had to time my meds with what and when to eat, I’d be anxious all the time. Some articles I’ve read indicate that Abi is more effective with some food in the tummy. Generally, I take my Abi, pred, BP meds together most times before 9 am. I may or may not have yet had my low fat breakfast. Depends on exercise routines. Had been taking only the 500 mg dosage but my MO convinced me to take the full 1000mg. Have now been struggling a little with nausea, dizziness and greater fatigue. So I’m now experimenting with splitting the Abi dose between am/pm. My evening dose includes my Orgovyx. It’s only been a day but I seem to avoid the usual heavy SEs. Been on Orgovyx for 13 mos, Abi for 6 mos post RT (1000 mg for only one mo.) My 5mg pred is uncoated (yuck). My numbers are great. No T/PSA since Oct. ‘24. Best wishes.

[petabyte in reply to mababa]

It is not "more effective with food", the absorption is greater which means with 1000mg you are over dosing. Maybe the source of your side effects?

[mababa in reply to petabyte]

Thanks for catching that. Yes, I didn’t phrase it correctly. And overdosing is just how it feels. I lost this argument with my MO for the time being. My point to him was that a 300 lb person gets the same dosage as someone who is 150 lb. As an engineer, and from a volumetric perspective, the relative concentrations would appear to be off. So it goes.

[Wolfee53]

I always took mine at 8 AM.

[Teacherdude76]

Ask your prescribing doctor.

[Chubby42 in reply to Teacherdude76]

Gee who would have thought that.They won't tell you what time just the std 1 hr before or 2hrs after food.

I was just trying to get a feel for what other people prefer and suits them.

[Professorgary in reply to Chubby42]

When I asked my MO he told me it didn’t matter but several of his patients took them at bedtime and prednisone with breakfast.

[4tunate1]

I take Abi and prednisone first thing when I wake up. Sometimes a bit earlier if I get up to use the bathroom, but it's always between 530 and 9am. 730 almost every single day. I eat an hour after taking them. Prednisone is not coated. I have had no issues.

[Tonwantonga]

I take Zytiga, dexamethasone, bupropion, mirabegron, multivitamin, Calcium citrate, sulphoraphane, Vitamin D3, and a 7 mushroom complex first thing in the morning, around 630 AM. 12 pills, and two cups of coffee, get me through the morning and into mid-afternoon. I have had almost zero appetite for over a year, so coffee and pills is a good portion of my diet.

[Lieto55]

I just came off the STAMPEDE protocol (Lupron/abiraterone/Prednisone) after a 3 years stint. What time in the AM you take abiraterone is not as critical as ensuring your stomach is empty and first meal is 1-2 hours away. Why? Because fats amplify abiraterones absorption (hard to control or predict based on exact fat content of meal, but could amplify 50-100%--not great for the liver which is already pushed to it limits) Prednisone is less affected that way. So I'd end up taking it with my early morning bladder relief 5am say. Prednisone i took with food a few hours later.

Over the course of a several years treatment, exact timing became less critical but ensuring an empty stomach was critical. So if you end up being late, just practice intermittent fasting that day and eat later. 😎

It's a long slog so try to relax into it. My BP started really creeping up near the end, so I was happy to be off it after 3years. Prednisone was the driver so I was told, but not sure. Doing cardio was my main tool, along with Amlodipine, but even that didn't stop the bp rise at the end. Benazipril was going to be added but my BP came down pretty quick once I exited the treatment.

Best of luck!!

[j-o-h-n]

With a couple of pints.......and the missus, is not around....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[BroncoRick]

First year I was taking at a 2:00 or 3:00am pee break. I then was told by the pharmacist that coffee (no sugar, no cream) was ok and didn't count as 'food' so now I take when I roll out of bed, have some coffee and generally have breakfast 1-2 hours after. Works perfect.

[GHTomato]

I take my in the morning after a 12 hour fast. Then you know your stomach is empty

[wpeebles]

I am late to the dance here and it seems most take in the morning or middle of the night. I take it just before I go to bed around 10:30-11 usually 2 hours after snacking at night. Since these drugs make you a little drowsy or can make you drowsy why wouldn't you take them before bedtime unless you are eating right up till you go to bed. Doesn't make sense to me to take in the morning, middle of night or afternoon and have to wait for breakfast. Works for me but the important thing is to just take them when convenient for you. Just my 2 cents and the advice of the Regional Pharmacy that sends me the meds.

[Chubby42 in reply to wpeebles]

Hi wpeeblesThat's how I'll be starting off when I start taking them in the next couple of weeks.

I'm sure I can not eat after dinner and if I do I can still get up for a wee about 2am anyway.

Cheers thanks