arg dammit

[telophase]

just learned, after nuking my frozen tv-dinner-type lunch but before eating it, that pineapple has the same effect as grapefruit on antibiotics, especially those in the family that the I'm taking is in. Cooking may denature the enzyme that has the effect, but I can't get a specific answer as to whether or not 3 minutes of nuking (and whatever prep it might have had before) would destroy it.

Given that I'm allergic to a cousin of this AB* and that the bad effect is that it slows the elimination of it from the body, it's very much not worth risking it, especially as the last bad AB reaction I had kept me out of work for a very unhappy week. Dammit, it smells so good, too.


* both doc and pharmacist are well aware, and I have been given strict instructions to keep an eye on certain symptoms and phone immediately if they show up.

eta: and of course the library cafe isn't carrying the usual salads and sushi since it's summer. so i have a thing of instant oatmeal for lunch. I also brought cheese sticks, so it's not all I'm having, and we start our conversational Italian class tonight through campus' extended ed program, so we'll be eating dinner early. It's just Not Satisfying when I had my heart set on black bean chicken with pineapple sauce. Bah.

Comments

thanks for the heads up. truly and honestly, thanks. don't mind the tone of the comment.

[alexseanchai]

pineapple has the same effect as grapefruit on antibiotics

I know grapefruit is a no-go if taking Certain Meds but I am not sure which meds except that at least one of my regulars is on the list. (Don't recall which. >_< brains.)

I fucking love pineapple pizza. In fact I have twelve more slices in the fridge right now.

I am now having myself an anxiety. JOY.

...

sympathy on the Not Satisfying.

Re: thanks for the heads up. truly and honestly, thanks. don't mind the tone of the comment.

[telophase]

There's a good list on this page if you scroll down to "Interactions." Bromelain is the offending enzyme in both grapefruit and pineapple, although I gather it's worse in pineapple stems than in the fruit itself.

Right there with you on the anxiety--I'm glad it occurred to me to check before I ate it and annoyed it didn't occur to me to check before I heated it up. :/

Re: thanks for the heads up. truly and honestly, thanks. don't mind the tone of the comment.

[alexseanchai]

"some antidepressants" gee thanks that's specific

okay now that I have a name for the particular trouble spot I am going to poke at drugs dot com

thank you!

Re: thanks for the heads up. truly and honestly, thanks. don't mind the tone of the comment.

[alexseanchai]

well my antidepressant is safe, apparently, by which I mean I found it on no lists of interactions with either grapefruit or generalized citrus

I am pretty sure the med I was thinking of is omeprazole because I was not surprised to find it on the grapefruit interactions list

but HOO BOY AM I SURPRISED TO FIND ADDERALL

(fuck)

Re: thanks for the heads up. truly and honestly, thanks. don't mind the tone of the comment.

[chomiji]

One of the main problems with these meds and grapefruit is that the fruit increases the absorption of the medication, so your functional dose is higher.

You might want to ask your doctor. My cardiologist said I'd have to consume a big glass of grapefruit juice for it to be a problem with the drugs *he* prescribes (a statin and a blood pressure med), but that doesn't cover the other meds I'm on. I do sometimes indulge in a little grapefruit as part of another dish.