Blond Psyllium

Are there any interactions with medications?

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Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Blond psyllium contains large amounts of fiber. Fiber can decrease how much carbamazepine (Tegretol) the body absorbs. By decreasing how much carbamazepine (Tegretol) the body absorbs blond psyllium might decrease the effectiveness of carbamazepine (Tegretol).

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Lithium
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Blond psyllium contains large amounts of fiber. Fiber can decrease how much lithium the body absorbs. Taking lithium along with blond psyllium might decrease the effectiveness of lithium. To avoid his interaction take blond psyllium at least one hour after lithium.

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Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs)
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Blond psyllium might decrease blood sugar by decreasing the absorption of sugars from food. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking blond psyllium with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to be too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.

Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.

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Warfarin (Coumadin)
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Warfarin (Coumadin) is used to slow blood clotting. Some people worry that blond psyllium may decrease warfarin (Coumadin) absorption and its effectiveness, which could increase the risk of clotting. But blond psyllium does NOT seem to affect warfarin (Coumadin) absorption or effectiveness.

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Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Interaction Rating: Minor Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Blond psyllium is high in fiber. Fiber can decrease the absorption and decrease the effectiveness of digoxin (Lanoxin). As a general rule, any medications taken by mouth should be taken one hour before or four hours after blond psyllium to prevent this interaction.

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Ethinyl estradiol
Interaction Rating: Minor Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Ethinyl estradiol is a form of estrogen that's in some estrogen products and birth control pills. Some people worry that psyllium can decrease how much ethinyl estradiol the body absorbs. But it is unlikely that psyllium will significantly affect ethinyl estradiol absorption.

Dosing considerations for Blond Psyllium.

It's important to take enough water when taking blond psyllium. Not taking enough fluid could lead to choking or obstruction of the esophagus (the food passage connecting the throat and the stomach) or bowel. Take at least 240 mL per 5 grams or less of blond psyllium husk or 7 grams of blond psyllium seed. To minimize some of the common GI side effects, start with a low dose and increase to the needed amount.

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

• As a laxative for constipation: 7-40 grams of blond psyllium seed per day, in 2-4 divided doses.
• For diarrhea: 7-18 grams of blond psyllium, in 2-3 divided doses or 5 grams of a combination of blond psyllium, calcium carbonate, and calcium phosphate (in ratio of 4:1:1 by weight).
• For decreasing diarrhea in patients receiving tube feedings: up to 30 grams of blond psyllium daily in divided doses of 2.5-7.5 grams per dose. It may be given through the feeding tube, either mixed with the nutritional formula or all at once followed by a flush with water. However, use care, because psyllium might clog the feeding tube.
• For chronic diarrhea after gall bladder surgery: 6.5 grams of blond psyllium three times daily.
• For diarrhea that sometimes accompanies the use of a medicine called misoprostol: 3.4 grams of blond psyllium twice daily.
• For irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): 10-30 grams of blond psyllium seed husk in two to three divided doses daily. 10 grams of blond psyllium seed husk twice daily with 15 mg of propantheline three times daily has also been used.
• For reducing the gastrointestinal (GI) side effects of a medicine called orlistat: 6 grams of blond psyllium three times daily with each orlistat dose.
• For keeping symptoms of ulcerative colitis under control: 10 grams of blond psyllium seeds, taken twice daily.
• For relieving bleeding from hemorrhoids: 3.5 grams of psyllium seed husk, twice daily for three months.
• For high cholesterol: 3.4 grams of blond psyllium seed husk three times daily or 5.1 grams twice daily. However, doses up to 20.4 grams per day have been tried. Cereal with added psyllium that provides 12 grams of soluble fiber per day has also been used. A mixture of 2.1 grams of psyllium, 1.3 grams of pectin, 1.1 grams of guar gum and 0.5 grams of locust bean gum has been used three times daily. A combination of 2.5 grams of blond psyllium powder (Metamucil) with 2.5 grams of colestipol, taken three times daily has also been used. A combination of simvastatin (Zocor) 10 mg and blond psyllium (Metamucil) 15 grams daily has also been used. In children with high cholesterol: cereal containing 5-10 grams of psyllium daily.
• For type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol: 15 grams of blond psyllium in three divided doses.
• For reducing the glycemic index of food in patients with type 2 diabetes: 15 grams of blond psyllium in three divided doses with a carbohydrate meal has been used.
• For high blood pressure: 15 grams of blond psyllium husks daily for 8 weeks.