When it comes to eating fresh fruit, it seems you can't go wrong. Grapefruits, for example, are low in calories and high in vitamins A and C. They even have the American Heart Association's "heart check" mark, which means the AHA considers them a heart-healthy addition to your diet. Even so, grapefruits aren't a good choice if you take certain medications for high blood pressure or cholesterol. Grapefruits are safe to eat, however, if you take Lyrica.
Lyrica
Lyrica is an anticonvulsant drug that works by slowing nerve impulses in the brain that cause seizures. In addition, Lyrica also affects the chemicals in the brain that signal pain to your nervous system. Lyrica is prescribed to help control seizures, or alleviate pain associated with nerve damage, such as diabetic neuropathy and herpes zoster. It is also used to treat the pain in individuals suffering from fibromyalgia, a disorder that causes pain all over the body.
Grapefruit and Medication
Whenever you are prescribed a new medication you should discuss the possible food and drug interactions with your doctor. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice interact with a number of medications, including for example the blood-pressure medication Procardia, the cholesterol-lowering medication Lipitor and the anti-anxiety medication Valium. There is a substance in grapefruits and its juice called furanocoumarin that binds with an enzyme, CYP3A4, that reduces the absorption of certain medications. This, in turn, causes you to absorb a large quantity of medication in a short period of time, causing a dangerously rapid rise in your bloodstream.
Food and Lyrica
While you must avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking a number of different types of medications, it is not necessary to avoid while taking Lyrica, according to Drugs.com. You should, however, consult with your physician before eating grapefruit or drinking its juice when initially starting the medication. There are no other foods you need to avoid, and Lyrica can be taken with or without food.
Considerations
While you may not have to avoid any foods while taking Lyrica, there are a number of other precautions. Lyrica can cause suicidal thoughts, and it is necessary that you have regular follow-up visits with your physician when taking the medication. It is unknown whether Lyrica can cause harm to a baby if taken by a pregnant mother. However, men taking Lyrica can father children with birth defects and it is recommended that they wear a condom to prevent pregnancy.
