Just started taking Riluzole and have a question

[DW96]

I have been taking Riluzole almost 2 weeks now. It says to take on empty stomach - 2 hours after eating, 1 hour before eating.
take 12 hours apart.
I find it hard to time taking it just right. I can take it at 7 am no problem, and then wait an hour or so to eat breakfast. But then it's at night time where it may interfere with dinner time, because 7pm would be 12 hours later and I will probably will have had dinner before that, so would have to wait longer than 7pm.
Or I have eaten breakfast and then waited 2 hours to take Riluzole, but then I'm taking the 2nd pill late at night and then wouldn't be able to have a bedtime snack or I almost went to bed forgetting to take it.
Is the exact 12 hour timing as important as the empty stomach?

 

[Nikki J]

What I was told was at least 8 hours apart and as close to 12 as you can. I was also told that the issue with food is actually food containing fat which inactivates riluzole sothey said something fat free was ok for a snack in the window around it

 

[DW96]

ok thank you

 

[lisa g]

DW96- I struggled with dosing also since I'm pretty anal on regiment. What I do is take my Riluzole at 9:00 am than at 10:00 am I make a high protein high calorie Smoothie. I make sure to be done with dinner by 7:00 pm and take my 2nd dose of Riluzole at 9:00 pm. It works for me but may not fit everyone's schedule.

 

[wtlpc22]

I have been taking rilitek 15 years l just took it right before meal 12 hours apart.. Now I am on a feeding tube and all together. Be strong and brave! There are many things to improvise in getting through this.

 

[richdees23]

I have been taking riluzole since I was diagnosed in the beginning of 2019 and I was always concerned about the timing of ingesting the drug (one hour before or two hours after eating). When I met with my neurologist last week I inquired about the timing and it's effectiveness. She told me after the studies they've done recently that it is not as critical if you take it on an empty stomach or not. The drug will be effective either way. I just make sure I keep 12 hours between each dose.