5 replies to this topic

[LLawrence]

Are you able to drink coffee or tea during the "no FOOD for 2 hours before or 1 hour after" time?  It seems silly, but I can't find the answer elsewhere. 

LL

[Trey]

Overall some common sense should be allowed, which is why I look at the total fasting requirement as a lawyer's CYA approach.  The fasting requirement is an attempt to  limit the chances that a patient will eat some specific type of food that will keep Tasigna in the body longer (reduce drug clearance), which effectively increases the dosage by some amount.  An example would be grapefruit.  But since they do not know all the foods that will do this, and they do not trust patients to comply with complex instructions, they default to the lawyer's approach which is total fasting.  If all TKI drugs  consistently applied this theory, then Sprycel would also require fasting, but it does not.  So drinking tea or coffee or a soda or eating something like crackers within the window certainly does not affect Tasigna clearance from the body to a measurable degree, if at all.  And if a person is taking 300mg twice daily, then they are under max dosage anyway, so even less of an issue.  If it were me, with no history of QT issues, I would not be so worried personally about the fasting issue, or at a minimum eat some crackers or other light snack with the Tasigna.  I personally don't like to take any medication on an empty stomach, not even vitamins.  Note that some people who take Tasigna have said eating full meals within the 2 hour window can cause heart racing (which is not likely a QT heart issue), so a little bit of listening to your body can go a long way here. 

[LLawrence]

Thanks.  I hope common sense works here.

LL

[Taylor]

That's true, but FWIW I believe the Tasigna info sheet that comes with the meds says that the tests said that there was an 82% increase in absorption with a high-fat meal.

[triciad]

LL-

I have been on Tasigna for 4 1/2 yrs and while I do adhere to the food fasting I drink whatever I want during those three hours without any issues...even wine!   

[LLawrence]

I must admit, I laughed aloud! I was wondering if I could have my morning coffee or tea while doing the morning one hour count down.  No wine pre-breakfast, but it is good to know it is possible during my evening fast.

Thanks

LL