Hepatitis Forums

Hepatitis C Main Forums => On Hepatitis C Treatment => Topic started by: vbirmin on January 25, 2015, 05:09:32 pm

Title: Harvoni & Acid Reflux Medications??
Post by: vbirmin on January 25, 2015, 05:09:32 pm

Is there anyone out there who has GERD or severe acid reflux and has to take meds for same, that is also taking Harvoni?  What kind of medication are you taking and is it a problem?

Title: Re: Harvoni & Acid Reflux Medications??
Post by: DisabledHepcat on January 25, 2015, 09:41:04 pm

http://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/ledipasvir-sofosbuvir,harvoni.html

Title: Re: Harvoni & Acid Reflux Medications??
Post by: Lynn K on January 26, 2015, 12:57:45 am

I have GERD I stopped taking Prilosec while treating. The only way you can take Prilosec or other PPI is at the same time as Harvoni on an empty stomach.

What I do is if I can't sleep from heartburn I take a tums. You can take Tums, Rolaids  as long if it is at east 4 hours after Harvoni and no later than 4 hours before Harvoni. You want to have at least 4 hours seperation between Harvoni and antacids.

Good luck on treatment

Title: Re: Harvoni & Acid Reflux Medications??
Post by: vbirmin on January 26, 2015, 09:31:01 am

Thanks.  Just curious, why did you go the tums route rather than take the prilosec and harvoni at the same time on an empty stomach?  My doc was saying absolutely no on the antacids when I met with him a few weeks ago.  I've had acid reflux for years, but not serious and only about once every month or so (and it went away easily when I sipped on water for a while).  But, have had it every night for the last 9 nights (tums don't seem to help and neither does sipping on water) and I'm due to start Harvoni soon. 

Title: Re: Harvoni & Acid Reflux Medications??
Post by: mikelhc on January 26, 2015, 02:40:42 pm

Harvoni needs a slightly acidic environment to work, and antacids lower acidity.  BTW, read the book "Dropping Acids" by Dr Koufman for ideas on GERD....Mike

Title: Re: Harvoni & Acid Reflux Medications??
Post by: Lynn K on January 26, 2015, 08:05:33 pm

hi vbirmin

Well my guess is Prolisec is stronger than tums and a lot easier to keep the Tums far away from the Harvoni. Just seemed like too much trouble and risk i.e. ok empty stomach, how empty, how long to wait before I eat. If I take Harvoni and Prilosec in the morning first thing how long before I can have something to eat? My sleep is all messed up because I work second so sometimes I wake up at 10 am sometimes at 1 PM. My eating is fairly haphazard I wouldn't take the Tums if I didn't have to but when I cant sleep due to burning in my throat.

But basically the only time I can't take a tums is an 8 hour window. They aren't really a lot of help but sometimes they cut the burn enough so I can sleep.