Is It Safe To Have Grapes Along With Amoxicillin And Vagifem?

Posted on Sun, 8 Feb 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 8 Feb 2015 Answered on

Wed, 25 Feb 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi-- I am an almost 80 yr. old in generally excellent health. The only prescription drugs i take currently are Vagifem, 10 mics 2x per wk., advair discus 50/100, 1 puff per day; montelukast, 10 mgs, 1 tab per day. I also love to eat a whole grapefruit every day in season (now), and I recently needed to take a 5 day course of amoxicillan for pneumonia ( I was not very sick, and over it by the end of the 5 days). Also before any dental cleaning or procedure, the dentists insist that I must take 4 caps of amoxicillan 1 hour before each appointment. I am wondering if grapefruit can have a reaction to any of these substances?

Thank you. XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
No serious interactions probably

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

none of the drugs you've mentioned have serious interactions. Grape fruit consumption also won't cause serious trouble either.

Vagifem is a topical regimen, so interactions are not expected anyway.
The same applies for advair discus.
Montelukast metabolism can be affected by grape fruit, particularly when too much grape fruit is consumed. If your doctor thinks you can avoid taking montelukast or if he thinks that 5mg are adequate, you'd be safer but there is no clear contraindication. Grape fruit does increase montelukast effect on your body and can cause side-effects.
Amoxicillin is safe to use.

So in conclusion, serious interactions are not expected but they can't be excluded either.

I hope I've helped!
If you'd like further clarifications, please let me know and I'll be glad to provide them for you.

Kind Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar