I've just seen a post which worries me about pineapple please be aware folks it contains a substance which reacts to a number of medications. It is possibly dangerous for some. I also simply like pineapple but must not eat it. I'm not saying don't try it just be aware that some antibiotics are affected as we'll as blood agents. For me just not worth the risk.
Sorry if that upsets anyone but some tips are just well intentioned however much I'd like to try it, the possible bad affects make it far to dangerous.
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medway-lady
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I read the contraindications of all my new meds, I would not take them otherwise. We as RD folks need to take care. The GPs don't always know, or just forget to mention things during a busy surgery.
Our local pharmacy is pretty good too about mentioning contraindications.
So do I Mmrr as your right GP"S don't always know as things change quickly. I'm not sure they even look up stuff now as so busy. It gets worse when more than one condition is being treated too. x
Hi ML, Do you have to check every piece of food daily for your health? Or does your medical team provide you with a list of foods you must not eat? Just interested how you know what's ok and not ok for you?
Yes I do have a long list and its on the PIL. And the phone number of my assigned Pharmacist at the specialist County Renal hospital who oks medications too as interactions are common ie Ad Cal and Doxycycline. When a kidney patient your given loads of advice, and they advise the RA team too so all meds are ok'd by Renal Pharmacist even those prescribed by GP are checked with latest info. So yes I'm probably quite well informed about effects. Its like Benapli does not affect kidneys at all but Omeprazole can do. Some can also affect the kidney really badly and I would hate myself if anyone else had this happen if it could be avoided with proper informed advice.
Understand your concern totally however with due respect, the post wasn't to do with renal failure or kidney problems or associated meds. It was to do with inflammation in people with Rheumatoid Disease. Again, I was sharing information on a article I read in the same way others share links on here. I think food is the hardest to work out what's good and what's not. I think if the implications were very bad then a GP would be expected to let his patient know. It's an interesting subject which I will explore further with GP and Rheumy.
Please do but in that case you really should reread what I said on the OP which does not mention kidneys at all it is a personal observation. And left out that it can also cause some medications to react. Please do share the whole story not a selected bit. I'm sorry you were unaware of links to other issues with Pineapple and I'd say the same if someone said about Runner Beans, Grapefruit, Grapes and Bananas for example all being able to have an effect on RA inflammation. I can think of a few more but not going to get into a long discussion. I'm interested in the effects of a lot of essentially food stuff and think that the answer to a lot of problems lay in diet just not RA.
I found this in an article about RA - the link is underneath.
Bromelain. This enzyme derived from pineapples may help reduce inflammation and pain. Bromelain increases the risk of bleeding, especially if you also take blood thinners, such as clopidogrel (Plavix), warfarin (Coumadin), or aspirin. People with stomach ulcers should avoid bromelain. Turmeric is sometimes combined with bromelain because it makes the effects of bromelain stronger.
I remember reading in another article about RA that oranges should not be eaten. I have not been able to find it again, probably because I have read so many and cannot remember which one it was. I asked my Rheumy doctor about it last Wednesday and he said oranges are fine to eat and that he had not heard of that before. My husband asked him about other fruit too and he said fruit is fine, everything in moderation. It would be good if the manufacturers could put a list on the internet so people could look up when needed.
I have read about not having grapefruit with Amlodipine and another BP med and I think I have read it about RA too, but again can't remember where (it's the old brain cells what done it 😏). x
It was a contraindications about one of the drugs I used to be on, but am not now, but as someone who does not take grapefruit I instantly forgot about it !
My BP med Amlodipine has highlighted not not to eat grapefruit......I haven’t checked but I think there are other meds you shouldn’t eat it with too.....some osteoporosis meds I think.
I think if possible it’s good to stick with the same pharmacist.
When I had shingles a locum GP either didn’t check my regular meds, or just didn’t know the antivirals he prescribed were a NoNo with one of my regular meds,
In all fairness to Healthy locked it always says these are not professional doctors here and all information should be checked with GP. Administrators are good but should never be used instead of GPs.
Wow thanks for info.I am on lot of meds including warfarin. Knew I could not eat grapefruit or drink cranberry juice but will now stay clear of pineapple
Many of us are aware of not taking some herbs with our meds, but every day foodstuffs can have potent effects on meds too. I always check.
I knew about grapefruit and interactions. I had no idea about pineapple! The only time docs have told me about food and drug interactions is when I was taking an MAOI drug a million years ago. Fermented and aged foods are an absolute no no with this type of drug. Otherwise food and drug interactions have never been mentioned.
I'm guessing one would have to eat an awful lot of pineapple for there to be a serious interaction?
I'd have thought so but its really about being aware of all the facts we are not medical and I found out the hard way as took my usual AD Cal (and been on that for over 2 years) and had a bug so antibiotics prescribed, I was so sick ! It was complacency in my case as I'd taken Doxyclcline before going on Ad Cal. So thought it was ok to just take and never read the leaflet .
Now I do check everything as no way to I want to be that sick again. And to make it worse my GP gave me another course in case the first lot had come up. a lesson learnt methinks!
Indeed. These days I research everything, and read all drug leaflets. To be fair I never used to. I just assumed docs would tell me if there was the possibility of a serious drug interaction. Then I had a serious drug interaction!
I'm rather proactive these days. Mistakes happen.
Interesting about the pineapple though. I think often we dismiss both the positive and negative effects of food.
This troubled me a little as I would hate for anyone to suffer further problems due to my post on Pineapple. I spoke to GP this morning. Doctor said, people on warfarin and other blood thinners are given dietary instructions/guidance by their hospital as protocol. Doctor said there is very minimal interaction with an antibiotic.
She encouraged to eat 2 x fruit 3x veg each day including Pineapple. Everything in moderation. Oh and Pineapple is excellent in reducing inflammation so if you can take it, enjoy!
Everyone is different and if your doctor is giving advice like this to all of us is she going to take responsibility if an antibiotic does do harm ? This type of medical advice from a third party is not within the NRAS host guidelines only that which we experience ourselves is my understanding. I'm sorry Shalf but this doesn't make sense apart from the fact I was correct in my warning so thank you for clarifying. Oh and Riveroxaban / Apixaban does NOT thin the blood like however Warfarin works which I 've never taken so don't have any experience of..
It is great that you followed up on this issue thank you as here our GP's are so busy all patients are being screened for the virus by phone before anyone can see them. It's going to be that case across the rest of the country it said on the radio this morning so no doubt will be the same everywhere soon. So your very, very lucky to have this chat with your doctor who like the rest must be simply very hard pressed with emergencies and the virus problems.
Hi ML , a few assumptions there! I didn't particularly go to see doctor about food😂 you made me laugh. Nope, I already had a medical appointment.
I'm just letting members know what a medical professional said that's all. No one gets told to do anything on here so 'responsibility?' We are not idiots you know.
Maybe all our doctor's are different.
Meds that can cause interaction with certain food types, patients are handed information about it. How else would they know?? Us ADULTS come on here for support and understanding and to share experiences not to ask if medications interact. That is a question for a medical professional. How do you know YOU are correct with your information? Like you say , everyone is different.
' Just check with your doctor' would have been sufficient reply to Pineapple post in my opinion.
I followed it up as I like to keep myself right. ' Dangerous' is a strong word.
My information comes from a reputable source (doctor) not the Internet. The article re Pineapple was in a Health magazine. In the support of others who are suffering chronic inflammation I shared what I read. I think it's a thoughtful thing to do.
Then you're even luckier as we are only one condition per appointment. And I made no assumptions I just said chat no idea if it was face to face or on the phone.
I knew I was correct as I said I do have the information from a Haemotologist and Renal Team. Your GP would presumably know that antibiotics are adjusted in dosage for some medical reasons thus increasing the dose is not minimal for everyone but could and as I said before could harm. Do not try to put words into my posts or imply I'm scare mongering as it is about being responsible and aware that we have a responsibility not to just share stuff as thats not personal experience.
And please don't put words like 'TIPS' on my post either. I never advised anyone or gave anyone a tip! I shared some information I read in a health magazine for controlling inflammation.
Doctors prescribe as they see fit for each unique person. What YOU were given could be different from the next person couldn't it? The patient may take some other medication that allows them to eat Pineapple. How do you know they don't ML?
I will check with the administrator if members are permitted to share such information and hopefully that will put Pineapples to bed.
Please just stop this is getting silly I did not mention specific medications just made people aware of possible interactions which you OP did not mention. As you say up to the individual but then you didn't know did you ?
🤔 think specific medications WERE mentioned. I wouldn't know anyone's personal info re health and meds. I was trying to help painful inflammation by way of sharing, you were trying to prevent any problems. As adults, we will make the ultimate decision with of course, our own doctors. Poor Pineapples getting a hard time 😂
Not in original post and yes and I like them too so stop reminding me about them, as I'm going to the supermarket in half an hour and I know they are on offer. lol
I also like grapefruit and think nearly everything that has a benefit can have a down side too. I just wish chocolate had medicinal affects (didn't the Inca's use it as medicine I seem to recall reading)
Just to be clear, are you sure rivaroxaban & apixaban don't thin the blood? I understood them to be anticoagulants, which are commonly known as blood thinners. Maybe check if either are ever prescribed for you so know what you've to be careful about, in the same way you do with warfarin.
No they don't they affect its stretch a( something to do with prostaglandin (but I've no idea what that it just that it makes scabs) and no known antidote yet, so if someone had an ulcer it could bleed. I had a series of the he sat on my bed in the hospital pharmacist talks who explained it all. Anti coagulants is the common term which cover all but the reality is those two meds don't. So no need to have monitoring every week its an intelligent drug and very clever. I'm on it for life as had clots in lungs, legs, arms so it protects me every day. You have to take it with food or it makes some strange colour bodily functions.
He said it was because I understood my already prescribed meds and was sensible that they gave it to me without the Warferin as it can kill someone with normal stretchy blood. My husband did tell our son to ask for a Post Mortum if he went quickly ! lol xxx
I forgot to say when undergoing planned surgery its stopped for Heperin as once taken Riveroban goes in they can't control the blood and I carry a warning card as the normal tests they do for clotting don't work. In an accident the card tells them in basic terms to just keep pumping in the A neg until the Riveroxaban starts to wear down. I don't worry about it now as its just time and about risk management I do bleed a bit more but the corned beef tin hasn't killed me yet. Without the stuff the lungs could have more clots and that is all just part of my RA journey.
I'm healthy in comparison to some and very lucky that I've had so much support and just now want the Benapli to work so I can go bird watching again.
Thank you for posting this. It's an interesting discussion, but I have turned off commenting now, as I think all has been said that probably needs to be.
Just thought I should give some thoughts from NRAS admin so that you can see we have been reading these posts.
You are advised to always check with a healthcare professional (HCP) before taking any supplements, as some can interfere with your medication. However, due to a lack of study data between meds and supplements, even HCPs don't always know what you can and can't take with absolute certainty. Telling someone that they should try a specific supplement can therefore be deemed as giving them medical advice, which would go against the HU forum guidelines and can be potentially dangerous. Remember, not everyone is on the same meds as you or has the same family history, genetic make-up, health conditions etc, so you must always be careful not to tell anyone to try X,Y,Z, though that doesn't mean you can't say 'I tried X and it worked well for me, so maybe ask your HCP if it would be okay for you too.'
When it comes to food, this all becomes a bit trickier. A lot of people know that grapefruit can interact with some medications and in some cases very dangerously, so this is one of the more obvious danger areas (though not everyone knows about it, so it still wouldn't be obvious to all).
Pineapple is clearly another fruit that can be bad for some but have good health benefits for others.
If we were to say that going forward suggesting any foods, even foods that are supposed to be good for anti-inflammatory effects would be considered giving medical advice, I think we would be making conversations on the forum a bit restrictive, and it is very hard for people to know all the possible dangers and interactions with every food!
Having said that, I think often what's considered advice or just discussion is in the way things are worded. You can say for example, 'I've started eating X and found it really helped my symptoms. I found this study, which says X is supposed to help with relieving pain, so thought it might be of interest for others to read'. This wouldn't be medical advice, as you are not TELLING people what to do, just saying what you do and what works for you. Even better if you add that they check with their healthcare team whether X is okay for them!
If on the other hand you say 'Everyone needs to start eating X, because it's the best thing you can take for your pain' that would then cross the line into giving medical advice and telling people what works for them.
Lastly, bear in mind that sometimes people will discuss the merits of something, whether it be food or something else, without knowing there are some mention-worthy cons. If you see someone discussing the benefits of a particular supplement, medication, food etc and you are aware of some of the negatives of taking it, so long as you comment respectfully, adding to the conversation rather than correcting the original post or subsequent comments, I think this would just be adding to the discussion and making the conversation more rounded.
I hope the above makes sense. I understand the concerns expressed on here and thank you all for discussing it. I hope that we can discuss a variety of topics by using some self-moderating, both by being careful with our own wording and in offering constructive caution if we are concerned by anything we read on here.
Kind regards
Victoria
(NRAS)
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