Ignorant Pharmacist

[Eddierickles]

I picked up my prescription at Walgreens yesterday.  I informed the pharmacist that I have celiac disease and need to make sure the pills do not contain gluten.  She checked with the manufacturer and said that it DOES contain gluten, but "it is a small amount and a small pill", and that I "wouldn't even feel it."  (I have to take these pills up to 4x daily) She also said it is almost impossible to find a pill without a small amount of gluten. I was shocked.  This is coming from a professional pharmacist.

 

Needless to say I am reluctant to even try the pills to see if I will "feel" the gluten.

 

Please advise.  Thanks!

[kareng]

Pharmacists have no idea. You should contact the manufacturer. A lot of them will not want to say they are gluten-free because they don't test them. I just make sure they have no obvious gluten ingredients. That said, there are very few meds that actually have gluten.

There is a website - glutenfreedrugs.com Which lists some meds. You might check there.

[Eddierickles]

Pharmacists have no idea. You should contact the manufacturer. A lot of them will not want to say they are gluten-free because they don't test them. I just make sure they have no obvious gluten ingredients. That said, there are very few meds that actually have gluten.

There is a website - glutenfreedrugs.com Which lists some meds. You might check there.

Thanks for the reply.  The pharmacist already contacted the manufacturer and they confirmed the pill does contain gluten.  My question is:  is it such a small amount (under 20 ppm?) that it won't cause symptoms or damage?

[kareng]

Thanks for the reply. The pharmacist already contacted the manufacturer and they confirmed the pill does contain gluten. My question is: is it such a small amount (under 20 ppm?) that it won't cause symptoms or damage?

I wouldn't trust the pharmacist. I bet he got a CYA statement like I mentioned. You need to check these things yourself before you pick up the medications to be safe. But, that is my advice & how I do it... You may do as you wish.

[Adalaide]

I agree with Karen. The pharmacist is probably a complete moron and has no actual clue what the actual heck they are talking about. Call the manufacturer yourself on Tuesday and see what they say. It is extremely rare for a pill to contain gluten, but almost all manufacturers will say something along the lines of "we don't actually test for it so while it doesn't contain any gluten ingredients we won't say it's actually gluten free blah blah blah" which is what we all refer to as a CYA statement. These drugs are perfectly safe to take. Keep in mind, a significant number of people (pharmacists included, I've had one I dealt with) think gluten and glucose are the same thing. Don't ask me how a pharmacist could possibly think that, but I've seen it happen.

[Wi11ow]

This is good info to know. I asked my pharmacist last week. He looked them all up. Told me there were no ingredients that contained gluten. That they were mostly found in the capsules. Mine are all tablets. He really seemed to understand. But he also gave me manufactures numbers. I'm taking enough I guess I really need to call and find out - thanks

[Georgia-guy]

He really seemed to understand. But he also gave me manufactures numbers. I'm taking enough I guess I really need to call and find out - thanks

Wi11ow, it's nice to know there are some medical professionals that do seem to know, and aren't too cocky to give you the manufacturer's numbers without you asking. I have a cocktail of drugs I cannot take, and recently moved all my Rx to a new pharmacy because they handed me a Rx that was straight up I couldn't take...then refused to do anything like give me my $25 copay back when I was still standing at the counter (I did not realize they switched it from brand name to generic when I signed and paid). Then I have had a doctor try to give me a shot that the last time I got that Rx he had to call 911 as I started having severe cardiac issues. That doc is no longer one I see or recommend, and the state medical board and the large practice he works for that has 8 hospitals got a nice letter from me which they appreciated. Which brings up the question, does anyone know if Tylenol's Rx Acetaminophen, Vimovo, or injected steroids contain gluten?

[Wi11ow]

Wi11ow, it's nice to know there are some medical professionals that do seem to know, and aren't too cocky to give you the manufacturer's numbers without you asking. I have a cocktail of drugs I cannot take, and recently moved all my Rx to a new pharmacy because they handed me a Rx that was straight up I couldn't take...then refused to do anything like give me my $25 copay back when I was still standing at the counter (I did not realize they switched it from brand name to generic when I signed and paid). Then I have had a doctor try to give me a shot that the last time I got that Rx he had to call 911 as I started having severe cardiac issues. That doc is no longer one I see or recommend, and the state medical board and the large practice he works for that has 8 hospitals got a nice letter from me which they appreciated. Which brings up the question, does anyone know if Tylenol's Rx Acetaminophen, Vimovo, or injected steroids contain gluten?

Holy Cow!! How do you ever trust anyone??!?

[kareng]

Wi11ow, it's nice to know there are some medical professionals that do seem to know, and aren't too cocky to give you the manufacturer's numbers without you asking. I have a cocktail of drugs I cannot take, and recently moved all my Rx to a new pharmacy because they handed me a Rx that was straight up I couldn't take...then refused to do anything like give me my $25 copay back when I was still standing at the counter (I did not realize they switched it from brand name to generic when I signed and paid). Then I have had a doctor try to give me a shot that the last time I got that Rx he had to call 911 as I started having severe cardiac issues. That doc is no longer one I see or recommend, and the state medical board and the large practice he works for that has 8 hospitals got a nice letter from me which they appreciated. Which brings up the question, does anyone know if Tylenol's Rx Acetaminophen, Vimovo, or injected steroids contain gluten?

I can't find the link right now...but gluten is not used in injections, IVs etc.

Did you check the gluten-free drug site? I think the Rx Tylenol was gluten-free before. Your pharmacy may give you a generic. Before you pick it up, find out what company makes it. I have had some luck with googling companies and actually finding the info on line. But some have CYA statements because they don't test for gluten but use no gluten ingredients.

[treesahope]

I need to call the manufacturer every time I get a new RX.  I had to take a med, and investigated it down to the manufacturer, but the ingredients the manufacturer buys are processed at yet another place and from there I lost my trail of securing my pill was gluten free.  It was the anti-acid purple pill.  I was so ill with inflammation due to gluten from one of the two pills I was taking, I had pain in my joints for the first time ever.  It depends how badly you need the RX to take the risk, I am next going to a compounding Pharmacy to get a safer liquid form or injection of meds if I need them in the future.  Sorry, Pharmacists don't require a Celiac class (YET).  As more of "us" come out of the woodworks, newer measures will and should come to be.  Yes we have an interesting life checking for Gluten, have you made sure your shampoo is gluten free.   uuugggh I know right!

[africanqueen99]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but we use CVS for our pharmacy and the pharmacist hands me the box that the medication comes in (without the medication in it, of course) and I stand there and call the manufacturer with the appropriate codes.  My kids' notes say they can't have gluten and I just explain that our entire house is gluten-free.  It's never been an issue.

 

I own these decisions for myself and don't ask the pharmacist about a manufacturer's formulation - which changes.  I also don't think it's fair to call someone a moron or ignorant for not knowing something they're not trained to know.

[Eddierickles]

Everyone is saying to check with the manufacturer.  My pharmacist checked with the manufacturer. (OP)  The manufacturer admitted the pills contain gluten.  So, what the replies are saying, is, maybe the pharmacist and the manufacturer are wrong?

 

I will call the manufacturer on Tuesday myself and scrutinize each ingredient.

[africanqueen99]

^^^ And I'm just saying that I wouldn't trust that information coming from anybody but the manufacturer TO ME.  If the manufacturer says there is gluten in it then find a different medication or have it made at a compounding pharmacy.  As mentioned earlier, they often have a CYA statement that won't say gluten free, but will say there are no gluten ingredients.  For me, that's good enough.

[kareng]

^^^ And I'm just saying that I wouldn't trust that information coming from anybody but the manufacturer TO ME.  If the manufacturer says there is gluten in it then find a different medication or have it made at a compounding pharmacy.  As mentioned earlier, they often have a CYA statement that won't say gluten free, but will say there are no gluten ingredients.  For me, that's good enough.

 

 

Ditto  

[Georgia-guy]

I can't find the link right now...but gluten is not used in injections, IVs etc.

Did you check the gluten-free drug site? I think the Rx Tylenol was gluten-free before. Your pharmacy may give you a generic. Before you pick it up, find out what company makes it. I have had some luck with googling companies and actually finding the info on line. But some have CYA statements because they don't test for gluten but use no gluten ingredients.

I have checked, but it's been a few years and I can remember the exact pill info it was. I know that it was a straight acetaminophen pill (as in not mixed with Codeine etc) which is why the doc said it was the acetaminophen I was reacting to. The reaction to that has had me scared to take any painkillers. The funny thing is, I was given the Rx for pain I now believe is related to gluten.

[kareng]

I have checked, but it's been a few years and I can remember the exact pill info it was. I know that it was a straight acetaminophen pill (as in not mixed with Codeine etc) which is why the doc said it was the acetaminophen I was reacting to. The reaction to that has had me scared to take any painkillers. The funny thing is, I was given the Rx for pain I now believe is related to gluten.

Tylenol with codeine is listed as gluten-free.

[Georgia-guy]

Tylenol with codeine is listed as gluten-free.

This one wasn't mixed, it was straight acetaminophen. I'm not thinking it was gluten though because my reaction was nothing like when I eat gluten.

[Austin Guy]

For drug info check out Open Original Shared Link.