Xofluza interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

Sometimes, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Xofluza due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. The contraindications of Xofluza include:

Having had an allergic reaction to Xofluza or any of its ingredients

If you have had an allergic reaction to Xofluza or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Xofluza. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be more suitable for you.

Note: Before you start treatment with Xofluza, it’s important to tell your doctor if this contraindication applies to you. They can determine whether to prescribe Xofluza.

There’s no known interaction between Xofluza and alcohol.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor before taking Xofluza. They can recommend whether you should limit the amount of alcohol you consume while taking the drug.

Before you start treatment with Xofluza, tell your doctor and pharmacist which prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Xofluza interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Xofluza and other interactions” section below.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Xofluza. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Xofluza. Some of these interactions are described in detail just below in “Drug interactions in depth.”

Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Xofluza.

Certain antacids

Antacids are used to ease symptoms of conditions such as heartburn and indigestion.

Interaction result. Taking Xofluza with certain antacids can make Xofluza less effective. This includes antacids that contain aluminum, calcium, or magnesium.

Interaction explained. When you take Xofluza with an antacid, the aluminum, calcium, or magnesium in the antacid may attach to Xofluza. This could prevent your body from absorbing Xofluza, which could reduce the level of the drug in your body. Having a low level of Xofluza could keep the drug from working as well as it should.

Examples of antacid drugs. Here are some antacids that may interact with Xofluza:

• aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide (Maalox)
• aluminum hydroxide/magnesium trisilicate (Gaviscon)
• calcium carbonate (TUMS)
• calcium carbonate/magnesium hydroxide (Rolaids)

Steps you or your doctor may take. Due to this risk, you should avoid taking Xofluza with antacids that contain aluminum, calcium, or magnesium.

Keep in mind that Xofluza is typically taken as a single dose. If possible, you should avoid taking these antacids for at least one day before and after your dose of Xofluza. (To learn more about Xofluza’s dosage, see this article.)

When you receive your prescription, ask your doctor or pharmacist what you should do if you have heartburn or indigestion around the time you take Xofluza. They can recommend treatment options that do not contain aluminum, calcium, or magnesium.

Certain laxatives

Laxatives are used to ease symptoms of constipation.

Interaction result. Taking Xofluza with certain laxatives can make Xofluza less effective. This includes laxatives that contain magnesium.

Interaction explained. If you take Xofluza with a laxative that contains magnesium, the magnesium may attach to Xofluza. This could prevent your body from absorbing Xofluza, which could lower the level of the drug in your system. Having a reduced level of Xofluza could keep the drug from working as well as it should.

Examples of laxative drugs. Laxatives that may interact with Xofluza include magnesium citrate (Citroma) and magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia).

Steps you or your doctor may take. Due to this risk, you should avoid taking Xofluza with laxatives that contain magnesium.

Xofluza is typically taken as a single dose. To help the drug work most effectively, you should avoid taking a magnesium-containing laxative for at least one day before and after your Xofluza dose. (To learn more about Xofluza’s dosage, see this article.)

When you receive your prescription, ask your doctor or pharmacist what you should do if you have constipation around the time you take Xofluza. They can recommend treatment options that do not contain magnesium.

Xofluza may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all other possible interactions with Xofluza.

Xofluza interactions with supplements

Before you start treatment with Xofluza, tell your doctor and pharmacist which supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Xofluza and herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Xofluza. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Xofluza treatment.

Xofluza interactions with vitamins and minerals

Below are details about Xofluza, minerals, and vitamins.

Minerals

Mineral supplements such as iron, calcium, selenium, zinc, and magnesium may interact with Xofluza. Taking these minerals with Xofluza could lower the level of the drug in your body. This could make Xofluza less effective.

Due to this risk, you should avoid taking Xofluza with iron, calcium, selenium, zinc, or magnesium supplements.

Xofluza is typically taken as a single dose. If possible, you should avoid taking these minerals for at least one day before and after your Xofluza dose. (To learn more about Xofluza’s dosage, refer to this article.)

Vitamins

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Xofluza.

However, multivitamins may contain the minerals iron, calcium, selenium, zinc, and magnesium. These minerals are known to interact with Xofluza. (For details, see “Minerals” above.)

Before taking any vitamins with Xofluza, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can help you determine whether a vitamin contains iron, calcium, selenium, zinc, or magnesium.

Keep in mind that Xofluza is typically taken as a single dose. If possible, you should avoid taking vitamins that contain these minerals for at least one day before and after your Xofluza dose. (To learn more about Xofluza’s dosage, see this article.)

Xofluza interactions with food

Certain drinks and foods can lower the level of Xofluza in your body, which could make the drug less effective. These include:

• beverages that are rich in calcium, such as orange juice and almond milk
• dairy products, such as yogurt, milk, and cheese

Due to this risk, you should avoid taking Xofluza with these drinks and foods.

Xofluza is typically taken as a single dose. If possible, you should avoid these foods and drinks before and after your Xofluza dose. You can have dairy products and calcium-rich beverages again the day after taking Xofluza. (To learn more about Xofluza’s dosage, see this article.)

If you have questions about specific drinks, foods, and Xofluza, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Xofluza interactions with vaccines

It is unknown for sure whether Xofluza interacts with the flu vaccine. This interaction hasn’t been studied in clinical trials.

However, it’s possible that getting a particular flu vaccine within a few weeks before or after your Xofluza dose could make the vaccine less effective. This risk applies to the intranasal flu vaccine (FluMist), which is a live vaccine.

The live flu vaccine is made from a weakened form of the influenza virus. Xofluza is used to treat and help prevent influenza in certain situations. It’s possible the drug could kill the live virus from the vaccine if you take it within about 2 weeks before or after the vaccine.

If you’d like to get a flu vaccine around the time of your Xofluza treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may recommend the injected flu vaccine (flu shot) instead of the intranasal vaccine. The flu shot does not contain a live influenza virus, so it is unlikely that Xofluza will affect this vaccine.

If you have questions about getting any vaccines with Xofluza, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Xofluza and lab tests

No interactions have been reported between Xofluza and lab tests. To learn more about having specific lab tests during treatment with Xofluza, talk with your doctor.

XOFLUZA AND CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Xofluza. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Xofluza. The impact of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Xofluza treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Xofluza. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Xofluza may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Xofluza include:

• Pregnancy. It’s not known for certain whether Xofluza is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before you take Xofluza. For details about the medication’s use during pregnancy, see this article.
• Breastfeeding. It’s not known whether Xofluza passes into breast milk or whether the drug causes side effects in a child who is breastfed. For more information about taking the drug while breastfeeding, see this article.
• Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Xofluza or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Xofluza. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be more suitable for you.

Here are some frequently asked questions about Xofluza and possible interactions.

Can I take Xofluza and Nyquil together?

Yes, it should be safe to take Xofluza in combination with Nyquil. These medications aren’t known to interact with each other.

Nyquil is an over-the-counter (OTC) medication, meaning it’s available without a prescription. It contains a combination of ingredients that help treat symptoms of influenza (the flu) and the common cold. These ingredients include:

• acetaminophen, a pain reliever and fever reducer
• the antihistamine doxylamine
• dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant

Xofluza is used to treat and help prevent influenza (the flu) in certain situations. If you take Xofluza to treat influenza, your doctor may recommend Nyquil to help ease your symptoms.

If you have additional questions about Xofluza and Nyquil, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Xofluza. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reach out to them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

• Let them know if you drink alcohol.
• Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
• Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Xofluza label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. And the paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions. (If Xofluza doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy.) If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Xofluza by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Besides learning about interactions, you may want to find out more about Xofluza. These resources might help:

• Overview of Xofluza. For a general overview of Xofluza, you can see this article.
• Dosage specifics. To learn about the dosage of Xofluza, see this article.
• Drug comparison. For information about how Xofluza compares with Tamiflu and Relenza.
• Facts about influenza. To learn more about influenza (flu), see our flu hub.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.