Sprycel Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others

Does Sprycel interact with other drugs?

Before you start taking Sprycel, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter (OTC), or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Sprycel interacts with herbs or vitamins and supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with Sprycel?” section.)

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

The table below lists drugs that may interact with Sprycel. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Sprycel. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section.

Does Sprycel interact with alcohol?

Sprycel is not known to interact with alcohol. But Sprycel and alcohol can cause some similar side effects. These include headache, diarrhea, nausea, and liver problems. So you may be more likely to experience these side effects if you drink alcohol during Sprycel treatment.

If you have questions about consuming alcohol while taking Sprycel, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug interactions explained

Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Sprycel.

Interaction with NSAIDs

Sprycel can interact with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are used to reduce inflammation (swelling) and relieve pain. Some of these drugs are available to buy over the counter (OTC) without a prescription. Examples of NSAID medications include:

• aspirin
• celecoxib (Celebrex, Elyxyb)
• ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• meloxicam
• naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve)

What could happen

Sprycel and NSAIDs both can raise your risk of bleeding, especially bleeding in your digestive system. So taking these drugs together can raise your risk of this side effect even more.

What you can do

If you take NSAIDs, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe for you to do so while taking Sprycel. In some cases, your doctor may recommend an alternative medication that doesn’t interact with Sprycel. An example is acetaminophen (Tylenol).

If you take Sprycel and an NSAID together, tell your doctor right away if you have any unusual bleeding. This includes minor bleeding, such as nosebleeds or bleeding gums. It also includes more serious bleeding. Examples are blood in your urine or stool, black or tarry stools, or vomiting blood.

If you have questions about taking Sprycel with an NSAID, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Interaction with stomach acid reducers

Sprycel can interact with drugs that reduce stomach acid. These may be used to treat conditions such as indigestion, acid reflux, and stomach ulcers. You can buy many of these drugs OTC without a prescription. Examples of acid-reducing medications are:

• antacids, such as:
  • aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide (Maalox)
  • calcium carbonate (Tums)
  • calcium carbonate/magnesium hydroxide (Rolaids, Mylanta)
• H2 blockers, such as:
  • cimetidine (Tagamet HB)
  • famotidine (Pepcid AC)
• proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as:
  • esomeprazole (Nexium)
  • omeprazole (Prilosec)
  • pantoprazole (Protonix)

What could happen

The drugs listed above help reduce stomach acid. In doing so, they can stop Sprycel from being absorbed into your body as well as usual. This can make Sprycel less effective at treating your leukemia.

What you can do

If you take stomach acid reducers, ask your doctor whether it’s safe to continue taking them with Sprycel. Your doctor will likely recommend that you don’t take H2 blockers or PPIs with Sprycel. These particular drugs have a long-lasting effect on your stomach acid and can stop your body from absorbing Sprycel correctly.

Your doctor likely will recommend taking an antacid instead of H2 blockers or PPIs with Sprycel, if needed. But you shouldn’t take antacids at the same time as Sprycel. Instead, take them at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking Sprycel.

If you have questions about taking Sprycel with stomach acid reducers, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Interaction with certain antibiotics

Sprycel can interact with certain antibiotics, which are used to treat bacterial infections. Examples of antibiotics that can interact with Sprycel include:

• azithromycin (Zithromax)
• ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
• clarithromycin
• moxifloxacin (Avelox)

What could happen

Some antibiotics reduce the action of an enzyme (type of protein) that helps clear Sprycel from the body. Taking one of these antibiotics with Sprycel can cause Sprycel to build up in your body. And this buildup can raise your risk of Sprycel’s side effects.

Some other antibiotics can cause a type of abnormal heart rhythm called long QT syndrome. Sprycel also can cause long QT syndrome. So taking these drugs together can raise your risk of this side effect.

Your risk of long QT syndrome may be higher if you take Sprycel with certain antibiotics and:

• you have a heart problem, or
• you have a low potassium level, or
• you have a low magnesium level

What you can do

To treat a bacterial infection while you’re taking Sprycel, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic. They’ll usually prescribe one that doesn’t interact with Sprycel.

If your doctor prescribes an antibiotic that does interact with Sprycel, they may lower your Sprycel dosage temporarily. Or they may monitor you more closely. For example, they may order blood tests to check your potassium and magnesium levels. Or they may order EKGs to check your heart rhythm.

If you have questions about taking antibiotics with Sprycel, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Are there other interactions with Sprycel?

Sprycel may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other interactions possible with Sprycel.

Does Sprycel interact with supplements?

Before you start taking Sprycel, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs or vitamins and supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.

Sprycel can interact with sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate supplements, which reduce stomach acid. These supplements can lower the amount of Sprycel that’s absorbed into your body. This can make Sprycel less effective at treating your leukemia.

If you take sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate supplements, space them apart from your Sprycel dose. Take them at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking Sprycel. This will help you avoid the interaction.

If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Sprycel interactions with herbs

Sprycel can interact with St. John’s wort, which is used to treat mild depression and some other conditions. This herb can speed up the action of an enzyme (type of protein) that clears Sprycel from the body. Taking St. John’s wort with Sprycel can make Sprycel less effective at treating your leukemia.

Your doctor likely will recommend that you avoid taking St. John’s wort with Sprycel. You can talk with them about alternative options.

Sprycel currently has no reports of interacting with other herbs. But this doesn’t mean that interactions with other herbs won’t be recognized in the future. For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Sprycel.

Sprycel interactions with vitamins

Sprycel currently has no reports of interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future. For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Sprycel.

Does Sprycel interact with food?

Sprycel can interact with grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Grapefruit reduces the action of an enzyme (type of protein) that clears Sprycel from the body. Consuming grapefruit with Sprycel can make Sprycel build up in your body. And this buildup can raise your risk of Sprycel side effects. Because of this, your doctor likely will recommend that you avoid consuming grapefruit while taking Sprycel.

Sprycel can interact with sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate supplements. But it’s unlikely to interact with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or calcium in foods. The amount of baking soda and calcium in food is much lower than what’s in a supplement.

If you have questions about foods to avoid with Sprycel, talk with your doctor.

Does Sprycel interact with vaccines?

Sprycel can weaken your immune system. So if you get vaccines while taking Sprycel, the vaccines may not work as well as usual.

Your doctor likely will recommend bringing your recommended vaccines up-to-date before you start taking Sprycel.

If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your Sprycel treatment, talk with your doctor.

Does Sprycel interact with lab tests?

Sprycel currently has no reports of interacting with lab tests. You might have questions about having certain lab tests during your treatment with Sprycel. If so, talk with the healthcare professional ordering the test.

Does Sprycel interact with cannabis or CBD?

Cannabis (commonly called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have been reported to interact with Sprycel.

Cannabis and cannabis products can either increase or decrease the level of Sprycel in your body. This can raise your risk of side effects from Sprycel or make it less effective at treating your leukemia.

Before you start treatment with Sprycel, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you use cannabis. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

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

Does my health history affect whether I should take Sprycel?

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Sprycel. Before taking Sprycel, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Sprycel is right for you.

Certain factors or conditions might prevent your doctor from prescribing a drug due to the risk of harm. These are called contraindications. Sprycel does not have any contraindications.

But health conditions or other factors that might interact with Sprycel include:

Heart problems: Sprycel can sometimes cause heart problems, including heart attack and abnormal heart rhythms like long QT syndrome. If you already have a heart problem, discuss with your doctor whether Sprycel is right for you.

Low potassium or magnesium levels: A low level of calcium or magnesium in your blood can raise your risk of heart problems with Sprycel. This can include long QT syndrome. If either level is low, your doctor will likely prescribe medication to correct it before you start taking Sprycel.

Liver problems: Sprycel can sometimes cause liver problems. If you already have a liver problem, you may have a higher risk of this side effect. Your doctor likely will monitor your liver function while you’re taking Sprycel.

Lactose intolerance: Sprycel tablets contain lactose. If you have lactose intolerance, talk with your doctor about whether you can take Sprycel.

Pregnancy: Sprycel is not safe to take during pregnancy. The drug can harm a developing fetus. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor about your treatment options. If you or your sexual partner could become pregnant, you should use birth control. You should do so while taking Sprycel and for 30 days after your last dose.

Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to take Sprycel while breastfeeding. Due to the possible risk, your doctor will likely recommend that you don’t breastfeed while taking Sprycel. And it’s likely they’ll also recommend you don’t breastfeed for 2 weeks after your last dose. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your options.

Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Sprycel or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Sprycel. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

How can I prevent interactions?

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Sprycel. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
• other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs (they can also help you fill out a medication list)
• what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Sprycel treatment

It’s also important to understand Sprycel’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. Colored stickers that describe interactions may be on the label. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions. (If you did not get paperwork with Sprycel, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you.)

If you have difficulty reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.

Taking Sprycel exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.

Disclaimer: Healthline 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.