Statins and grapefruit

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lucy123

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi All

A while ago on a thread I learnt that we shouldn't drink grapefruit juice if taking statins. I went to the chemist yesterday to collect my new Atorvastatin prescription - and yet again not a word was said when I was given my prescription.

So - I asked the pharmacist if I was okay to drink this. He looked confused, got his book out and read it for about ten minutes, then came back and said not to have grapefruit juice or any alcohol at all if on statin or it would 'make me high'!!! that it.

I am astonished that he didn't point this out to me and I had to ask.

He also tried telling me I didn't need to pay for my prescriptions as I was diabetic and went to look that up too when I told him I had to pay as not on meds.

I would have thought a chemist would have known these things - he wasn't young as in newly qualified either.

I thought it was worth posting this in case others aren't informed correctly too.
 
I'd have kept quiet about the paying bit 😉

I know that there are lots of medications out there and chemists cannot possibly remember them all but I would think that statins were quite common meds actually and this is something I believe he should have known or at least known that there was something about statins and he should know to look up. Very poor.
 
When i collected my first simvastatin prescription the chemist told me not to have grapefruit before she handed over my tablets. It's a pity really after recently reading how grapefruit is proving to be very beneficial. I will ask my DN and GP next time i see them to find out if, in light of this new revelation about grapefuit, whether it will still be a No No if taking statins.
 
Just wondered what the patient information leaflet supplied with individual statin tablets says about grapefruit / juice? The advice to avoid grapefruit / juice only applies to some statins, not all. The effect is to prevent breakdown of the drug by the body, leading to potential liver / kidney / muscle damage, but no direct effect on blood glucose, as far as I know, so I'm not sure what kind of "high" Lucy's pharmacist was refering to.

There is a set selection of 32 "recommended label wording" on BNF website (you have to sgn in, which is why I'm not giving a URL, nor cut & pasting) that can be added to prescription labels. Several wordings mention alcohol(ic drinks) but none mention grapefruit / juice.

Personally, I always read the patient information leaflet whenever faced with a new drug or even a new batch of drugs I've had before, as advice does change over time.
 
I find it helpful to read the patient information leaflet that comes with the pills. The only time I was given any information was in Boots at Kings Cross Underground Station where they assume every one is stupid or on drugs.

As for paying, I would have kept quiet too. Everyone on meds for diabetes is exempt from paying. There are other exemptions too, like my hubby because he is over 60.
 
I'd be very careful about effectively committing fraud by saying you're entitled to free prescriptions when you're not. I was chased by NHS fraud investigation department (can't remember the exact name) a few years back. On the only time I ever used the recommended chemist with a link to my GP surgery, the pharmacy assistant ticked the prescription to say I was on income support, which I've never even applied for, instead of ticking the medical exemption certificate reason for free prescriptions. As I never saw the prescription form to check myself, the first I knew of the error was some months later, when I received a formal letter. Fortunately, situation was resolved when I wrote back with a photocopy of my medical exemption card. However, it does show that false claims are investigated.
Sadly, people with diabetes who are diet / exercise control can not get a medical exemption certificate for free prescriptions, although as other have said, there are other reasons (mainly age or income related benefits) that can give free prescriptions.
 
As a pharmacy student, I am shocked to hear this.

As diabetes and cardiovascular disease is on the increase, education to health professionals on the subjects has increased also.

The statin-Grapefruit/alcohol interaction is very well known.

Good thing you pointed it out, guess next time they're going to be more cautious and help other people.

You may have saved someone's life indirectly!
 
I know you are not supposed to drink while on statins but what exactly are the side effects then?
 
I think this basically explains the drink link to statins, the page is for simvastatin but I would presume the basic issue is the same with all statins

http://drugs.emedtv.com/simvastatin/simvastatin-and-alcohol.html

It basically says you can drink alcohol with statins, but NOT to excess since this can cause liver issues that affects the metabolisation of statins a bit like grapefruit does.
I would guess that most of us don't drink to excess anyway as alcohol has undesirable
affects no the blood sugar, even if it does have desirable effects on the brain ;-)
 
I was warned about grapefruit when statins were first introduced but no-one said a word about not drinking! Mind you I'd given up alcohol years before as an unnecessary expense since I was on benefits and it would have been a choice between eating and drinking.
 
The label on my Simvastatin box carries the warning not to take with Grapefruit - but I always wondered if that was just not to swallow the tab with grapefruit juice or to stay away from grapefruit completely. Don't like grapefruit so not a big deal to me.

News that we are not supposed to drink alcohol either. I enjoy a glass of wine when out for a meal which sadly only happens perhaps 10 times a year max.
 
Hi Marg,

That is only what the pharmacist says, so I wouldn't take it as gospel as he seemed a bit unclear about things generally. I would say 10 times a year isn't going to hurt.
 
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