I have switched medication for my bladder. It says “Take twice a day, 1 hour before or two hours after eating” which seems straight-forward until I started to think about it.
I have switched medication for my bladder. It says “Take twice a day, 1 hour before or two hours after eating” which seems straight-forward until I started to think about it.
In the morning, do I take the pill and then wait another hour before taking my other meds? At niwght, when can I eat again after the two hours and when should I take my other meds?
So let’s take it apart and consider each issue.
One. What am I trying to accomplish?
Research on the web [and I use this phrase lightly and with disdain] indicates that the reason a doctor says 'Take on an empty stomach' is that "…(s)tomach acid and digestive enzymes in the stomach will destroy or damage the contents of the pill. If you take this pill with milk or orange juice, you've started up the digestive process and chances are, the pill is not going to make it to the duodenum without damage."
So if I take the pill when I get up, I shouldn’t eat anything, take other meds, or even drink coffee, for another hour. OK, not happy about that but I got it.
Two. Now, what about the other meds I take in the morning: a vitamin, an herbal supplement and an anti-depressant. Can I just decide to take them on an empty stomach too?
More “research” on the web [killing me!] suggests that I take my vitamin and herbal supplement with food, but not with coffee or any other caffeinated drink. “…The caffeine negates (neutralizes), the effects of the vitamins!…” So decaf, maybe. But doesn't that defeat the purpose?
And that the anti-depressant “won't absorb into the body properly if it doesn't have time to mingle in your stomach long enough…”
So, no. Instead I should take the rest of the morning’s meds with food, but not coffee. Oy!
Three. At night, I need to wait two hours after eating dinner and drinking anything other than water to take pill, then no late-night drinking or munchies for another hour, except for water, which I understand. I never used to eat anything after dinner, anyway.
But then I married OH. And it seems poor form to turn down the half a chocolate bar he tries to share with me at night. Sigh…
Before bed, I take a statin for high cholesterol [genetic] and a different anti-depressant.
Research [aaaargh] shows that I do not have to take the statin at night or on an empty stomach. But I could, with no harmful effect.
So, it seems I should now take both of these with dinner instead since the anti-depressant should be taken with food…
So now, here is my routine:
Wake up.
Get ready for work.
Take bladder med [trospium].
Drink water.
Start work. [working from home now, remember?]
Eat breakfast and take other morning meds. [after half-hour!]
Drink more water or decaf.
Work some more.
Drink real coffee. [after another half-hour!]
Work until end-of-day.
Eat dinner and take other evening meds.
Drink water.
Get ready for bed.
Take bladder med.Phew!!!