POSSIBLE DRUG INTERACTIONS WITH ANTIDEPRESSANTS, BENZODIAZEPINES AND SLEEPING PILLS

DRUG INTERACTIONS

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Many have the mistaken notion that all herbs and foods are safe to combine with medications because they are natural. However, everything you put in your mouth has the potential to interact since it travels the digestive system in similar ways to medications. Some drugs interfere with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, and certain herbs and foods can speed up or slow down the action of a medication.

Interaction symptoms can include headaches, flu-like symptoms, increased anxiety, insomnia, nausea and some can be life threatening.

The team at Point of Return specialize in this field and know that an interaction can create unnecessary discomfort or pose a danger. Our program outlines herb, food and over-the-counter medications that may interact with Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines and Sleeping Pills. Each medication is listed in the Point of Return workbook with a list of Items to Avoid in your diet while on the program. And our Pocket Interaction Guide in a compact size that includes Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines, Sleeping Pills and Anti-Psychotic medications.

Whether you are withdrawing from medications or not, it is critical to understand how many items can affect your prescriptions or heavily deplete the body. Below is just a sampling of items to avoid such as Passionflower, St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, Caffeine, Barley Grass, Ginseng, Chinese Herbs and others. For a complete list of items to avoid, please review both the Point of Return workbook (not sold separately but included in the program) and the Pocket Interaction Guide, which is sold separately.

Some items such as artificial sweeteners should be avoided when possible, whereas specific herbs should be gradually tapered versus an abrupt discontinuation.

A FEW EXAMPLES: (references at bottom)

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS & FLAVORINGS		OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS
Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) Common side effects may include headaches/migraines, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, sleep problems, vision problems, depression, asthma and anxiety attacks. [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9] MORE....		Antihistamines (Benadryl, Dimetapp, NyQuil, Alka-Seltzer Night-Time Cold, Thera Flu, ect.) Antihistamines may increase the effect of benzodiazepines and sleeping pills and can cause cognitive deficits, dangerous drops in blood pressure, suppression of the lungs and extreme sedation. [15, 16] MORE....
Saccharin (Sweet-and-Low, SugarTwin) Common side effects may include nausea, headaches, diarrhea, eczema, hives, itching, wheezing and excessive urination. [10] MORE....		Nasal Decongestants (Afrin, Sudafed, ect.) Can cause increased adrenaline and norepinephrine, which can worsen anxiety and depression. Common side effects are stomach upset, trouble sleeping, dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, nervousness, fast heartbeat, loss of appetite and shaking.[17] MORE....
Sucralose (Splenda) Common side effects may include skin rashes/flushing, agitation, panic attacks, dizziness, numbness, diarrhea, muscle aches, headaches, intestinal cramping, bladder issues, stomach pain, chest pains, acne, bleeding, hair loss, heart palpitations and elevated blood pressure. [11, 12, 13] MORE....		Pain Relievers (Acetaminophen - Tylenol, Excedrin, ect. or Ibuprofen - Motrin, Advil, ect.) Painkillers such as Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are called analgesics, which numb pain. Both can have a profound effect on other medications as well as the absorption of nutrients. [18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23] MORE....
MSG (Monosodium Glutamate or Sodium Glutamate) Side effects may include cardiac issues, swelling, diarrhea, nausea, depression, mood swings, rage, migraine headaches, dizziness, confusion, anxiety, panic attacks, hyperactivity, behavioral changes, lethargy, insomnia, blurred vision and hives. [14] MORE....		Stomach Relievers (Maalox, Tums, Prilosec OTC, Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac, ect.) Can upset the natural balance of healthy bacteria required for good health, and allow unhealthy bacteria to proliferate. May bind to nutrients and prevent proper absorption. [24, 25, 26, 27, 28] MORE....

VITAMINS & HERBS		FOOD & BEVERAGES
5HTP Combining 5-HTP with Antidepressants may cause an unsafe rise in Serotonin. [29] MORE....		Alcohol Alcohol is a drug that interacts with almost every medication. [50] MORE....
Calcium Can over-stimulate the brain neurons and increase anxiety, insomnia and fear. [30, 31, 32] MORE....		Barley Grass May decrease the absorption of medications and prevent their full effects. [51] MORE....
Chinese Herbs Can interact with many medications and either interfere or exaggerate their effects. [33, 34] MORE....		Broccoli With some medications, Broccoli can accelerate the processing of some Antidepressants and leave less amounts to enter the bloodstream. [52] MORE....
Ginseng May over-stimulate the nervous system, resulting in insomnia. [35] MORE....		Caffeine The effects of this stimulant can last up to 20 hours in the body. [53, 54, 55, 56] MORE....
Inositol Has an antidepressant effect and may involve the Serotonin receptors by enhancing or speeding up the response to SSRIs. Side effects are similar to SSRIs. [36, 37] MORE....		Charbroiled Foods Charbroiled foods can alter the metabolization of some Antidepressants and can therefore change the amount of medication in the bloodstream. [57] MORE....
Kava Can cause excess sedation, a lowering of blood pressure, physical depression, suppression of the lungs and cognitive impairment. [38] MORE....		Chamomile Can cause excess sedation, a lowering of blood pressure, depression, suppression of the lungs and cognitive impairment [58] MORE....
Milk Thistle May interfere with many medications and increase them to dangerous levels because the same liver enzymes break down the herb. [39] MORE....		Diet Drinks Diet Beverages contain artificial sweeteners including Aspartame, Splenda and Saccharin, which are all excitotoxins to the CNS. [59] MORE....
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) Side effects reported include nausea, vomiting, headache, dry mouth, dizziness, blurred vision and abdominal pain. [40] MORE....		Grapefruit Grapefruit affects more than 50 prescription medications since it inhibits an enzyme in the intestines. [60] MORE....
Passionflower Combining with certain medications can cause excess sedation, suppression of respiration, and impaired cognitive function. [41, 42, 43] MORE....		Kiwi Kiwi has a naturally high serotonin concentration and can have a synergistic effect when combined with SSRIs. [61] MORE....
St. John's Wort Mixing St. John’s Wort with Antidepressants can cause an overload of Serotonin. [44, 45, 46, 47] MORE....		Tangerines Can interfere with the effectiveness of certain medications. [62, 63] MORE....
Valerian Reported to cause excitability, headaches, stomach upset, uneasiness, unsteadiness, vertigo, low body temperature, and with chronic use, insomnia. [48, 49] MORE....		Tomato Highly acidic, so for anyone prone to heartburn or gastrointestinal issues, removing tomatoes from your diet is recommended. [64] MORE....

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Drug Interaction Pocket Guide
Only $10 and includes Antidepressants, Anti-Anxiety medications, Sleeping Pills and Anti-Psychotics. It is small enough to be carried in a purse or jacket pocket for easy referencing.

REFERENCES:

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Disclaimer:

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional . The products and the statements made about specific products on or through this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease or illness.

You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, before reducing any medication or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. MORE...

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