Stomach Ph and TKI

todd121
todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
in Kidney Cancer #1

I just attended a talk given by a pharmacist at Cedars Sinai on Monday for our monthly Kidney Cancer Support group. One of the most fascinating parts of her talk had to do with how stomach acidity can affect metabolizing the drugs we are being prescribed to treat our cancer. She said that antacids are one of the most common over-the-counter and prescribed medications and that some of the TKI's are quite sensitive to stomach acidity with regards to their metabolization. Taking an antacid near the time of your TKI (or together) may make the drug not be absorbed properly.

I won't try and give the details here. However, she had charts showing sutent, votrient, everolimus, etc. and the stomach ph at which these drugs were affected. She groups antacids into 3 different groups according to how they work and she had a suggested schedule for when to take the drug and the antacid together so as not to affect the drug's metabolization.

She suggested bringing a list of the medications you're taking (including antacids) to your pharmacist and they can help work out a time schedule for you so as to make sure you are getting the correct amount of the drug in your system.

Hope this information is helpful. I know I pop antacids without regards to the medications I'm taking. I'm sorry I can't give details, but I don't have them and I don't want to give incorrect information.

She also emphasized the suggestions about taking sutent and others with/without food based on the suggestion that came with the medication.

Todd

Comments

  • a_oaklee
    a_oaklee Member Posts: 566 Member
    #2
    Thanks

    Todd, Thankyou for sharing this helpful information.  I never thought about antacids, but it makes sense.  

  • angelsnls
    angelsnls Member Posts: 67
    #3
    Antacids

    Thank you for this Todd.

    I was looking for this post as I remembered seeing it earlier, the reason I was looking for it is, my oncologist nurse has once again told me with the pharmacist to start taking my omeprazole with mypazopanib, this I am reluctant to do because when I first started on pazopanib i was taking my omeprazole in the mornings and pazopanib at 10.05 at night, I had shrincage in all lung mets, I had some stomach pain and switched to taking omeprazole with the pazopanib at night, I had slight growth but stayed on the pazopanib. For some reason I asked my local pharmacist to check my meds and he said to take omeprazole at least ten hours before pazopanib, this I have been doingevery second day and have had shrinkage both scans.

    Can you remember the name of the pharmacist that you were listening to.

    Once again thanx Todd hope you are well

    Angela x

  • todd121
    todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
    #4
    angelsnls said:

    Antacids

    Thank you for this Todd.

    I was looking for this post as I remembered seeing it earlier, the reason I was looking for it is, my oncologist nurse has once again told me with the pharmacist to start taking my omeprazole with mypazopanib, this I am reluctant to do because when I first started on pazopanib i was taking my omeprazole in the mornings and pazopanib at 10.05 at night, I had shrincage in all lung mets, I had some stomach pain and switched to taking omeprazole with the pazopanib at night, I had slight growth but stayed on the pazopanib. For some reason I asked my local pharmacist to check my meds and he said to take omeprazole at least ten hours before pazopanib, this I have been doingevery second day and have had shrinkage both scans.

    Can you remember the name of the pharmacist that you were listening to.

    Once again thanx Todd hope you are well

    Angela x

    Cedars Sinai

    She was on staff at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles in the pharmacy services. I can try and find her name if you want to reach her.

    Please private message me here if you want me to research her name. I don't recall off the top of my head, but I think I have the program from the speaker's schedule and can get it for you.

    Todd

  • angelsnls
    angelsnls Member Posts: 67
    #5
    todd121 said:

    Cedars Sinai

    She was on staff at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles in the pharmacy services. I can try and find her name if you want to reach her.

    Please private message me here if you want me to research her name. I don't recall off the top of my head, but I think I have the program from the speaker's schedule and can get it for you.

    Todd

    Thank you

    Thank you Todd I was just going to tell my nurse about her at my next appointment, but acctually I have decided to say nothing as I they think my growth in tumour at time of taking omeprazole and pazopanib together is just a coincidence, I though am not so sure. I stopped taking omeprazole every day and only need it every second day so I take my pazopanib at 10.05 pm and then take my omeprazole two to three hours later that way I can tell them yes I take it at night.

    Hope you are well Todd

    Love

    Angela x

  • todd121
    todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
    #6
    angelsnls said:

    Thank you

    Thank you Todd I was just going to tell my nurse about her at my next appointment, but acctually I have decided to say nothing as I they think my growth in tumour at time of taking omeprazole and pazopanib together is just a coincidence, I though am not so sure. I stopped taking omeprazole every day and only need it every second day so I take my pazopanib at 10.05 pm and then take my omeprazole two to three hours later that way I can tell them yes I take it at night.

    Hope you are well Todd

    Love

    Angela x

    Stomach PH and TKI's

    The pharmacist had some charts with different TKI's (votrient, others) and the affects of stomach ph on absorption and whether you should adjust the time of antacids accordingly.

    I would think a pharmacist in a cancer hospital/center should be able to help you figure this out. It looks like the data was available to know what to tell patients to do. Or your oncologist should know. You might even try contacting the drug manufacturer.

    It also depended on the type of antacids as well as I remember.

    If you want her name, I can look at the event schedule to see if they put her name there. I know the nurse that arranges these events, so I could also email her.

    Thanks and best to you!

    Todd

Discussion Boards