Marmalade and other citrus fruits: Those like me... - CLL Support

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Marmalade and other citrus fruits

quizzical profile image
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Those like me taking ibrutinib are advised to avoid grapefruit and Seville oranges. The patient information sheet is very clear on this point. But does anyone know if it's OK to eat marmalade made from sweet oranges or lemon and lime? Desperately missing my usual breakfast marmalade (home made from Sevilles) and looking for a tangy substitute.

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quizzical
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starsafta profile image
starsafta

Yes, oranges other than Seville are okay, as are lemons and limes.

Seville oranges and grapefruit are processed by the same enzymes in the liver as Imbruvica, thus affecting the effects of the drug. Other citrus fruits are processed through a different pathway and have no impact on the drug.

On both Idelalisib and now Imbruvica, I have honored the ban on grapefruit and Seville oranges, and happily eaten other oranges, lemons and limes with no ill effect.

quizzical profile image
quizzical in reply to starsafta

Thanks for your advice Starsafta, this is good news. Tomorrow I'm going to make a batch of sweet orange and lemon marmalade. Can't wait for a tangy taste hit with my morning toast!

starsafta profile image
starsafta in reply to quizzical

Yum! I would need it really tart and tangy, though, because I eat no sugar.

RJR1 profile image
RJR1 in reply to starsafta

I've been meaning to call my specialty pharmacy and ask that very question. I love nothing better than orange marmalade and I've missed it terribly these past 6 months since starting imbruvica. Hopefully I've still got the marmalade recipe I picked up in Spain last year. I'll substitute California Navels from here in Redlands

MsLockYourPosts profile image
MsLockYourPostsPassed Volunteer

I believe it is the Seville Oranges that are an issue, not marmalade made from other citrus. I recall a discussion about this some time back - maybe about lime marmalade as a replacement. I think it was posted by someone who made their own.

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