WPinVA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33581
posted
I'm just (re)starting Rifampin and I'm concerned because I've heard it can interfere with other meds. I'm especially concerned about it interfering with my thyroid med, but also with other abx.
Is there a way to prevent/reduce this effect? Should I take it an hour or two apart from anything else? (one hour is probably doable, more will be v. hard to do).
thanks!
Posts: 1737 | From Virginia | Registered: Aug 2011
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Marz
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3446
posted
My pharmacist said it would be ok to double up on meds, but my PCP evidently didn't believe pharmacist and had me stop the rifampin.
She had never rxd rifampin before. Not real experienced in lyme
I was feeling tired after 4 weeks on rifampin, but not sure if it was from the herx or because my thyroid med wasn't effective at that point.
My main concern was the fact I couldn't sleep, and she evidently didn't trust the message I relayed to her via the nurse that pharmacist said it would be ok to increase ambien.
I was so disappointed to be taken off of it even though it had been a nightmare because my headache was decreasing.
I had asked pharmacist about taking meds away from rifampin and he said that wouldn't help. He said it was rifampin changing liver enzymes that made utilization of the other drugs less effective.
If it's only the thyroid med you're concerned about, maybe you could get an understanding from your MD ahead of time that you could get TSH tested periodically?
I've read that people need the thyroid med doubled.
Posts: 1302 | From USA | Registered: Dec 2002
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Summer3
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 35286
posted
I take it as far away as I can from other meds. Usually that means taking it when I wake up in the middle of the night (2-3 a.m.) on an empty stomach. I only take it 1x per day.
posted
I took it for over a year. It interfered with my thyroid and sleep meds , although for me it was gradual. I ultimately ended up on 3x the thyrpid meds I started on, and not sleeping alot.
It was defintely worth it. Ypu need to have your liver and thyroid levels checked frequently.
Then you decrease meds (still checking) as you come off rifampin.
Posts: 520 | From Maryland | Registered: Jan 2007
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