Combinations - Stopping tagamet from interfering with oxycontin

[missrogue]

Swim has seen a lot of SWIYs use tagamet to increase or speed up the effects of oral oxycontin {slow release oxycodone hydrochloride}. Swim has just been put on oxycontin for cancer pain but also takes several medications for stomach problems: tagemet and pariet {rabaprezole} for reflux/stomach ulcer and maxolon {metoclopramide} for vomiting and nasusea. Swim is in a large amount of pain and needs the maximum benefit from the oxycontin for pain releif. Swims qu's are, how long should swim wait after taking oxycontin to take the tagemt to prevent it affecting the oxycontins action/effects. And does any swiy know if pariet and maxalon also potentiate the oxycontins action? Any advice greatly appreaciated, a quick reply would be wonderful. For now swim is not taking the tagamet or pariet until swim knows what she should do. The maxalon is a necessisty, but stomach pain will set in within a few days of not taking the meds for stomach probs. Many Thanks

~Life is a LoveParade~

[thebige]

Swim is not sure about brand name antacids in Australia,but any oral antacid that is not Cimetidine,should solve the problem.

[Boca Bitch]

Originally Posted by thebige

Swim is not sure about brand name antacids in Australia,but any oral antacid that is not Cimetidine,should solve the problem.

Tagamet is cimetidine, and sold under that name nearly globally by GalxoSmithKline; google is a wonderful thing. :P

As for the OPs question, unfortunately there is an unavoidable interaction when taken together at any moment..... waiting a specific time before taking drugs won't prevent cimetidine's massive general inhibitory effects over the hepatic (liver) enzyme system: CYP 450 (which includes CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, and CYP3A4 to be specific).
As soon as the cimetidine kicks in to effect, the blood levels of the oxycontin will be dramatically increased, giving way to the undesirable effects SWIY fears.

Who ever did SWIY's prescribing should loose their medical license for prescribing such highly contradicted medications.. it's really a crime in itself. But I'm glad SWIY is aware of said interactions. Unfortunately, as the interaction is nearly unavoidable, if SWIY wishes to numb the pain, it'll be necessary to find an alternative to the Tagamet.. as the ... half-life (length of duration) is anywhere to 3-5hrs. If SWIY can wait that long before taking the Tagamet, although it likely means return of the pain, then go for it, otherwise... I suggest a change in the medication.

[missrogue]

Who ever did SWIY's prescribing should loose their medical license for prescribing such highly contradicted medications.. it's really a crime in itself.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the very informative reply. As for the prescriber of SWIMs medications, once SWIMs specialist heard what SWIMs GP had done, he immediately arranged a transfer to a new GP who took SWIM off the Tagamet {cimitedine} and replaced it it Zantac {ranitidine} straight away. So all is well with this problem, plus as a bonus it has given SWIM a decent dr out of it, lol.

SWIM thanks all those who took the time to reply.

"Life is a LoveParade".