Drug Interactions between methadone and st. john's wort
This report displays the potential drug interactions for the following 2 drugs:
- methadone
- st. john's wort
Interactions between your drugs
methadone St. John's wort
Applies to: methadone and st. john's wort
St. John's wort may reduce the blood levels of methadone, which may make the medication less effective in treating your pain. If you have been receiving treatment with methadone, adding St. John's wort may cause you to experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, yawning, excessive sweating, goose bumps, fever, chills, flushing, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, depression, pupil dilation, tremor, rapid heartbeat, body aches, involuntary twitching and kicking, abdominal cramping, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. On the other hand, if you have been receiving both medications, discontinuing St. John's wort may increase the blood levels of methadone, which could increase the risk of toxicity. In addition, using methadone in combination with St. John's wort may increase the risk of a serious but uncommon side effect called serotonin syndrome. Symptoms of serotonin syndrome include confusion, hallucination, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death. You should contact your doctor immediately if you experience these symptoms while taking the medications. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. You may need more frequent monitoring to safely use both medications. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.
Drug and food interactions
methadone food
Applies to: methadone
Do not use alcohol or medications that contain alcohol while you are receiving treatment with methadone. This may increase nervous system side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, difficulty concentrating, and impairment in thinking and judgment. In severe cases, low blood pressure, respiratory distress, fainting, coma, or even death may occur. You should also avoid consuming grapefruit and grapefruit juice, as this may increase the blood levels and effects of oral methadone. High blood levels of methadone can also occasionally cause an irregular heart rhythm that may be serious. You should seek immediate medical attention if you develop sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, shortness of breath, or fast or pounding heartbeats. Do not exceed the dose of methadone prescribed for you or use the medication more frequently or for a longer duration than prescribed by your doctor. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions on how to take this or other medications you are prescribed. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medication without first talking to your doctor.
St. John's wort food
Applies to: st. john's wort
While you are taking St. John's wort, you must not eat or drink certain foods and beverages that are high in tyramine. Eating these foods while you are taking St. John's wort can raise your blood pressure to dangerous levels. This may cause life threatening symptoms such as sudden and severe headache, confusion, blurred vision, problems with speech or balance, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, seizure (convulsions), and sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body). Call your doctor at once if you have any of these symptoms. Foods that are high in tyramine include: air dried meats, aged or fermented meats, sausage or salami, pickled herring, and any spoiled or improperly stored beef, poultry, fish, or liver, red wine, beer from a tap, beer that has not been pasteurize, aged cheeses, including blue, brick, brie, cheddar, parmesan, romano, and swiss, sauerkraut, over the counter supplements or cough and cold medicines that contain tyramine, soy beans, soy sauce, tofu, miso soup, bean curd, fava beans, or yeast extracts (such as Marmite). Caffeine intake should be limited as well. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with St. John's wort. Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of St. John's wort such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.
Therapeutic duplication warnings
No warnings were found for your selected drugs.
Therapeutic duplication warnings are only returned when drugs within the same group exceed the recommended therapeutic duplication maximum.
See also
Drug Interaction Classification
Highly clinically significant. Avoid combinations; the risk of the interaction outweighs the benefit. | |
Moderately clinically significant. Usually avoid combinations; use it only under special circumstances. | |
Minimally clinically significant. Minimize risk; assess risk and consider an alternative drug, take steps to circumvent the interaction risk and/or institute a monitoring plan. | |
No interaction information available. |
Further information
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.
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