Questions for any medical folks. My husband is missing not being able to eat grapefruit

K

karennoca

Well-known member
especially now when the Rio Star is out and so delicious. The doctor says, "oh no, mustn't eat it because you take Zorcor and it won't work if you eat it!" I feel that during grapefruit season, if he wants to have 1/2 a grapefruit once a week, it is not going to make any difference, but I am not in medicine.

By the way Zorcor is a generic for Lipitor and he has been on it for years, successfully. He eats a healthy diet.

Any comments for those that may know?

 
I would ask your doctor your specific question, whether 1/2 a week would affect him. I am not a

medical person but the generic for Lipitor is atorvastatin and was just recently put on the market. I believe the generic for Zocor is simvastatin.

 
Karen, Zocor is not generic for Lipitor. The are both brand names and statins but different statins

Zocor is simvastatin and Lipitor is atorvastatin calcium. As much as a glass of grapefruit juice can increase the properties of statins to possible life-threatening levels.

Also, be sure his urine does not turn the color of tea. The brown is his muscles dissolving. If it happens call his doctor immediately. This is what happened to me and why I can't take statins.

What I'm taking is not as good as statins so it's a constant battle.

Good luck.

 
We miss the Rio Star grapefruits too...

I've permitted us the occasional grapefruit, less than one per month...more like 3-4 times a year. Somehow, knowing that I CAN have one occasionally and it won't foul things up desperately, helps keep me from craving them too badly. I doubt any doctor is going to give you the ok to do anything that makes the med's effect diminish though...

 
I am not at all a dr; so ask your dr; but from what I recall, Grapefruit can be a potent inhibitor

of the cytochrome p450 3A enzyme system... In other words, the drugs are not metabolized correctly in your system w/ grapefruit. The entire cholesterol lowering class of drugs are impacted by this.

Unfortunately, it is common with other therapeutic catagories. For some reason, Grapefruit juice can impact alot of drugs.

I would avoid grapefruit, especially if it was a daily thing. Talk to dh's doctor.

 
I stand corrected and I thank you. That is what I get for listening to hubby

and not researching to find out if he knew of what he told me. Most articles refer to grapefruit juice and not eating the sold fruit sections.

 
I used to be on Lipitor, and my dr. never said anything about not eating it, but

that doesn't mean much. I used to also be on a calcium-channel blocker (Pam-something?), and that doctor said "no grapefruit" while you're on this. I'd call your dr. tomorrow and ask.

 
I need a nap. I kept reading that your husband is missing. Seemed odd to worry about grapefruit.

smileys/smile.gif

 
Gah, I'm on 2 statin drugs: lipitor and zetia and nobody every told me this!

I've been on fairly high doses for years. I'm not really a grapefruit fan so I guess I've been lucky.

Now I'm wondering what else I don't know, I was never told to take/avoid anything while on them. I've wondered over the years if statins might be causing other issues.

Thanks for sharing this.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top