Statins and grapefruit juice?

I was under the impression that, if one is taking statins, as I am, grapefruit and grapefruit juice were to be avoided at all costs. Imagine, then, my surprise when I accidentally glanced at the pharmacy's label on the box when I was decanting my week's supply along with my other medications - I have been taking them for at least a year, and know to take one tablet at night, so don't usually look - and it said "to take no more than two small glasses of grapefruit juice per day!" That would be gorgeous if true - a small glass would be all I want, but I thought it was completely forbidden. Anybody else know?

[sandybrown]

WE are all different, when it comes to medication we react differently and also fruit juice with medication. I am allergic to many fruits and food and medication therefore I have to be very careful. Allergy medication to control allergy do give me the same reaction as allergy at times.

There is a problem in understanding allergy and food.

What I do is always test the medication , water or juice, write down the reaction.

Allergy medication, cholesterol medication ( took this for a short time 10 years ago), I always took before going to bed with water. I cannot take Jaffa cakes as wells as vit C??

[Hidden in reply to sandybrown]

Thanks. I now find I'm on another medication that doesn't go with grapefruit juice, so it's moot....

[Bikerbabe1200 in reply to sandybrown]

I have half a red grapefruit every morning, I hope it’s ok.

[Hidden in reply to Bikerbabe1200]

I honestly don't know! Check with your pharmacist. But if you are having no side-effects, I expect it is.

[Emma2017]

I am surprised. I was on statins for a short time and stupidly took some grapefruit absentmindedly. Well did I know that! I was so sick, I could not stop throwing up, anything I took was not tolerated including water. My husband kept on ringing 111 who wanted me to go to the hospital but I did not want to move. It lasted for about 5 days and then finally an anti sickness pill stayed down and I got better. So be careful. This was an extreme reaction and you might well be fine but try a very small amount first I would say.

[Hidden in reply to Emma2017]

I think it's moot, because I'm also on amlodipine which is another no-no for grapefruit juice. I'm sorry you were so sick - I think some statins are more prone to a reaction than others. I'm on artavostatin, which does allow a tiny amount of grapefruit, but I believe simvostatin doesn't. Really weird....

[Bet117]

Yes, what I was told and read.

[Hidden]

I am on 5mg rosuvastatin which apparently does not react to grapefruit juice,so you could always switch to rosuvastatin if you wish, some other statins say you should not take any grapefruit product! each statin is different and you need to read very carefully the statin leaflet. Can I point out that when taking a statin you should also avoid coffee, as this may affect the efficiency of the statin, I was hoping to switch to decaffeinated, but I have seen some studies on the internet which suggest this is not heart friendly, so now I just stick to tea!

Once in a blue moon if I'm out, I will have a cappuccino, but its a rare treat!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I don't think one can switch medications just like that in the UK; you would have to convince your GP that it was necessary. And we are not told to avoid coffee here - not that I do drink much. Anyway, tea has as much caffeine as coffee, if not more so. As for grapefruit juice, it's moot, as I'm on other medication which also doesn't mix with it!

[MarymaryA in reply to Hidden]

I'm not sure about that. I think tea has less caffeine than in coffee, but it has tannin. I mainly drink tea, although not usually more than 3 or 4 cups a day and I have coffee occasionally because I enjoy it. I know that coffee is bad for me in the evening as it disrupts my sleep, so morning or afternoon are best. I take Attorvastatin so I must look into what the drugs company leaflet says. I have no problem with grapefruit juice as I don't like it.

[Hidden in reply to MarymaryA]

It seems, though, that for every study proving coffee is bad for you, there is another proving that it is good for you - which seems to be the same for almost everything! Everything in moderation - I usually have 2 cups of tea and one of coffee per day, but if I have an extra one for whatever reason.....

[Hidden]

I was on Atorvastatin which is lipophilic, and having side effects so checked various websites and decided to try a hydrophilic statin, as they supposedly have less side effects, all I did was ask doctor to change prescription and they agreed, no problem! Doctors are here to help us and you must tell your GP if you want to change statin medication, if the GP refuses, then change GP!! the NHS website has lots of useful information on them. I am now on Rosuvastatin a hydrophilic statin at 5mg, had a bit of back pain in third week, but that has now gone and I currently have no side effects at all, hoping I wont develop any! The leaflet for Rosuvastatin does not mention grapefruit at all, so am assuming you don't need to avoid it. As for the coffee thing, apparentlysome types of coffee can raise cholesterol and impair the efficiency of statins, so I prefer to have a coffee occasionally, if you go to the trouble of taking medication its simply common sense to avoid anything that could lessen the benefits!