Brad asked
Will Cold-EEZE interact with topiramate?
At a glance
- There is no known interaction between Topamax (topiramate) and zinc containing products (e.g. Cold-EEZE).
Answer
It is safe to take Topamax (topiramate) with Cold-EEZE lozenges (zinc gluconate). There are no known interactions between them.
While Cold-EEZE is safe with Topamax, it does interact with many other drugs by potentially decreasing their absorption.
It is important to speak with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Cold-EEZE if you are taking other medication so you can be aware of potential interactions.
Many prescription medications have warnings that they should not be taken with 'divalent or trivalent cations'. Zinc is included in this classification. Divalent and trivalent cations can significantly decrease absorption of susceptible drugs.
On such example is with quinolone antibiotics, which includes ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin.
Studies show that zinc can bind, or 'chelate' with these medications, forming a complex that is far less absorbable. This has the risk of decreasing overall effectiveness of the medication, potentially leading to treatment failure.
In general, it is recommended to separate administration of Zinc, or products that contain zinc like Cold-EEZE, with any medication known to interact with it by several hours at least.
The prescribing information for Cipro states the following:
