Medication Interaction?

[Fmljkl]

Help! I need to take antiviral medication long term and I need to take it three times a day. I asked my doctor if I can take acyclovir along with thyroid meds and he said YES. When I asked the pharmacist, they said NO. What should I do? Please help!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

You can Google for interactions between your thyroid medication and acyclovir. Try drugbank.ca/drugs

If it's just liothyronine you take then this shows up on drugbank on page 3 of "interactions" (you have to scroll down for that section)

drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00279

"Acyclovir may decrease the excretion rate of Liothyronine which could result in a higher serum level."

[Fmljkl in reply to SeasideSusie]

I checked drugs.com and see no interactions. I need to ensure cytomel and tirosint have no interactions... I take thyroid three times a day and also have to take acyclovir three times a day. This is going to be a nightmare.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Fmljkl]

Check drugbank.ca/drugs as I said which is not drugs.com

I have already given you a link to liothyronine and quoted what they say about liothyronine and acyclovir. That covers your Cytomel.

Here is the page for acyclovir

drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00787

You need to scroll down quite a long way to "Interactions" then check for anything else.

[HowNowWhatNow]

You need to ask the pharmacist why not and then go back (on phone / in person) to the GP to explain.

I’ve often found that the pharmacist has picked up mistakes made by my GP or pointed out useful info that the GP hasn’t.

[Fmljkl in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

The pharmacist said your stomach has to be empty for thyroid meds bc it works with the ph in your stomach. Some meds throw that off and he said to wait an hour to take acyclovir. Which makes sense for food but not so much antivirals. I just don’t think antivirals upset the ph but I’m obviously not a pharmacist.

[Howard39]

Hi

I take valacyclavir ( which is being discontinued) as an antiviral. I had 2 years of shingles plus other things.

There is no issue that I am aware of.

Aciclovir is v closely related and far cheaper.

I don’t understand why the chemist has said no.

In my experience they overreact in my area and many people have had meds substituted or withdrawn.

Is the chemist tied to the surgery?

Sometimes it’s easier to get meds thro a chemist who has no association to your docs.

Good luck

[Fmljkl in reply to Howard39]

Hi Howard, whoa I had no idea valacyclovir was being discontinued. That’s a bummer. Do you take it at the same time as your thyroid meds?

[Howard39 in reply to Fmljkl]

Hi

No I take it 2 hours away from my meds.

Just as I reduced them from 4 slowly to 1 then half guess what the shingles came back.

Awaiting specialist imput as she gives the prescription.

They were on nhs prescription for oh a week then removed due to cost.

There is nothing on the Internet I can see but I did call two makers and they ( teva was one) confirmed they’d stopped making them.

Let me know how you get on. At least your GPs sounds decent.

My specialist would not prescribe them if the contraindicated with thyroid meds.