Why is it that MAOi's can't be taken with so many different drugs, even ibuprofen? I am not on any but it seems like every pill ive ever been prescribed has a warning in the info that says something like "do not take within 14 days of taking a MAO inhibitor, dangerous side effects may result." does anyone know what happens/ what the dangerous side effects actually are?


Drugs are metablolized on certain pathways. Some drugs will inhibit the metabloism of other drugs. This means it will increase the concentration of that drug in the blood. Some are substrates, wich means they can decrease the absorption of other drugs. For an example, if you take Lipitor with dilatizem (a calcium channel blocker) the Lipitor, concentration will be increased by 3.9 times. So if you take 20 mg of lipitor, it will effectively be increased to an equivalent of 80 mg. It also will continue to build up in your body. Think of a 2 lane interstate. The drugs get in on the same ramp, however at the next exit a car is in the lane blocking your car getting off the interstate, so you continue to the next exit, that car blocks you again. You're now way past your exit, and at the next exit it happens again. Not only has this happened to you but the same thing happened to other people behind you. Finally you are able to get off the interstate, but you are very late. The same happens with the medications, they have stayed in the body for too long. creating a massive tie up in traffic. You might do some research on drug pathways. Try the cytochrome 450 3a4.