Clarithromycin and Percocet, is it safe?

[cottonxcandy]

Clarithromycin is an antibiotic that blocks CYP3A4 in the liver. From the internet research I've done, it blocks CYP3A4 more than grapefruit juice. Has anyone tried using it with percocet, or been prescribed the two medications at the same time? I'm not looking to potentiate the percocet, I just want to make sure I'm not going to have some sort of major issue mixing the two. I would be taking moderate amounts of percocet, 10-15 mg at the most. I'm not new to opiates and I used to take large amounts of oxycodone, but I haven't had any opiates in well over a month. Any advice on safety?

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

As long as you are on the antibiotics for a reason.

You should be fine mixing the two but if you feel like 10-15mg is going to get you pretty buzzed then you might want to start at the lower end of that scale. If i remember correctly i think CYP3a4 converts hydro/oxy into an inactive metabolite so inhibiting this enzyme might cause a prolonged or possibly a higher peak.

 

[cottonxcandy]

I used to take like 100mg oxy a few months ago so I'm doubting that 15mg will even do much for me...I'm on the Clarithromycin for an ear infection. I don't quite understand how the CYP3a4 works so I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to harm myself. I found a chart that says grapefruit juice inhibits it by 50-80% and that Clarithromycin inhibits it >80% so I was just a little worried that it could be dangerous if it was completely inhibited or something. Thank you very much for the fast response.

 

[kleinerkiffer]

Percocet = oxycodone and acetaminophen, right?
Oxycodone is metabolized into Nor-Oxycodone via CYP3A4. Nor-Oxycodone is active itself, but less potent than oxycodone, so by inhibiting oxycodones metabolism you'll increase the bioavailability (which means that you need less oxy for the same effects as you're used to) and maybe will increase the duration of action