Daily schedule of rilutek

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pecas

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Jul 31, 2014
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78
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
07/2014
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US
State
TX
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Central
I searched, but there are so many threads on rilutek and I couldn't find anything about the daily schedule. I'm finding that I can either reliably take it every 12 hours or I can reliably take it on an empty stomach, but not both. I can get close, but not bang on. So has anyone gotten feedback from their doc or pharmacist on which is most important? Is it more important to maintain the stable blood titer, or is is most important for absorption to take it on an empty stomach? My pharmacist had never dispensed rilutek before, so he's not a great resource for me.

Thanks!
 
My directions say no sooner than 8 hours apart ideally 12 hours so I have concentrated on the empty stomach rule. The issue is really fat as fat interferes with absorption. I was told off the record if I ate something totally fat free it would be ok. I have not done that though. 12 hours will give the steadiest state but it is hard for sure!
Good luck
 
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My pals was told the most important rule was empty stomach. At least one hour before food or two hours after food. He takes it first thing he gets up and waits an hour to eat. Then he takes it at bedtime...his last snack is always at least 2 hours before.
 
Oh, perfect. That's exactly what I was looking for. My family has never been great at schedules. So I'm having trouble balancing the 12 hour meds schedule. This helps tremendously. Thanks, Nikki.
 
I take it at 11 and 11. An hour before lunch and at bed time. Seems to work best for me.
Vincent
 
My PALS targets 8:30AM... and then eat anything no sooner than about 9:30AM. And the nightly dose happens between 8:30PM and 9:00PM. Good luck with your own scheduling!

Jim
 
Well, I thought 10 and 10 would work, like Vincent (I go to bed earlier than you!), but the last two days I've eaten breakfast at 9 or 9:30 for various reasons. So I think I'm going to try first thing in the morning (usually 6ish), then work around dinner as needed (usually anywhere between 6 and 8). Just worried about forgetting when doing it this way. With a strict 12 hour schedule, my phone alarm goes off and I take it. But I tend to get busy with work and forget to eat, shower, look up, walk around, notice anything outside of my own little world, so anything that's not on my calendar or on an alarm is likely to slip. I even sometimes see my calendar text message notifications sent 30 minutes before appointments and get so absorbed in work in the intervening half hour that I'll *still* miss leaving on time. So "I'll remember" doesn't work well with me.
 
My doc said to eat with each dose even though the bottle says empty stomach, I take it a 10AM and 9 PM riluzole generic, I just have a little snack with it, I mentioned to him that the bottle said empty stomach but he told me to eat.
 
Interesting Janie. Did he tell you to eat fat free with it? Highfat interferes with the absorption quite a lot. Was the conversation in the context of it upsetting your stomach? Or does he just think it is ok to eat? Each little pill is so expensive I want to get biggest effect I can!
 
Huh. I just can't imagine they'd put that restriction on the bottle if it didn't make a big difference. I'm also wondering if that was in the context of it upsetting your stomach, in the vein of "better something than nothing". I only get a vague sense of nausea that doesn't last very long, so I'm OK on an empty stomach.
 
The real question is how does one know if it is even working? I'm about 3 weeks in and have not felt any side effect.... I could be taking a sugar pill for all I know.
 
Nikki J,
I never heard about the empty stomach thing until I saw it here. I remember commenting that the bottle said to take with food and empty stomach. He asked if I was eating with it and I said yes, no mention of low fat but I will keep it in mind. Reputable doctor one of the top four ALS clinics. I trust him.
Janie H
 
fwiw, Sandy gives 'em all to me w/smoothie in AM and water at night ...
 
Digging around, found this:

Riluzole is well absorbed (approximately 90%), and has an absolute bioavailability of about 60%. Administration with a high fat meal decreases absorption, decreasing the area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) by about 20% and decreasing peak blood levels by about 45%.

I'm going to shoot for maximum availability. But it sounds like the fat issue is what's at play here. So if you're going to take it with a snack, make it crackers or something.
 
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