Let's Talk About It

There is an excellent Gluten Free Site entitled "glutenfreedrugs  Some drug companies have been telling people that some of the drugs that they manufacture contain gluten. When I investigated these claims, as many have, it appears that the reason they are blatantly claim that their drugs are contaminated is because they have used a sugar alcohol as an excipient. Sugar alcohols are not truly sugars or alcohols, rather they are carbohydrates that provide A source of calories. The sugar alcohols are naturally found in a number of fruits and vegetables and may be extracted many sources including any starch, and including wheat! The widely used sugar alcohols used in prescription drug manufacturing are Mannitol and  agents in the solid dose forms.. Both of these products are used as either information about you  sweeteners in liquid drug products or as bulking. Sugar alcohols are used in many diabetic as well as in many health foods such as nutrition bars, {Take special note of the nutrition bars, which we often grab for our coffee breaks at work). Any person who consumes one of the sugar alcohols in significant quantities can experience gastrointestinal dIsturbances, and diarrhea which may mimic symptoms celiac patients may suffer after being exposed to gluten. .National Celiac Organizations such as The Gluten Intolerance Group of North America. Additionally if you go to the celiac.com website 11/29/07 you will find also find list of items safe for the celiac patient to consume, manitol, lactilol and isomalt.such as mannitol and xylitol as the following sugar alcohols sorbitol, IF YOU HAPPEN TO CONTACT A DRUG COMPANY FOR INFORMATION AND YOU ARE TOLD THAT A DRUG CONTAINS GLUEN you really need to push them to tell you which excipient in that drug products considered the source of the gluten contamination. It is turns out to be one sugar alcohols you may wish to re-evaluate their response. The Disease Centre at Columbia University have a survey they are asking people to take five minutes to fill out your celiac disease experience, and your struggles with Dermatitis Herpetiformis. You really aren't alone in this connective tissue anathema.

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In the meantime, stay with a trusted Pharmacy and tell them you are a brittle celiac with dermatitis herpetiformis, and can become quite ill upon ingesting gluten and could they put it on your records at the Pharmacy with regards to drugs, and sugar alcohols and ask them kindly to check what bulking agents are used in the medications you have been prescribed. I have been caught by a few because I have many medications, but take control of your own body, read the helpful articles in the Celiac Journal and keep a notebook and some laminated sheets for when you grocery shop.

Vonnie Mostat,

Retired RN, Freelance Journalist