Anti-Depressants!

[pixiegamer]

I have celiac disease, as well as a gluten allergy (also allergic to dairy {casein and all forms of lactose}, soy, and sugar). My sensitivity for gluten is so minute, even products that say "made in the same factory as wheat but good techniques are used to avoid cross contamination" make me ill. My allergies give me the worst headaches ever when I ingest them, like debilitating and for days.

So. With all that in mind, here's my problem. I need to be on anti-depressants and I'm nervous about taking a new pill (can't even find safe vitamins right now) and my research shows generic Prozac is "supposedly" gluten free. Doesn't say if its dairy free or anything else. Does anyone else take anti-depressants and can help?

[kareng]

Maybe you could call the manufacturer and quiz them about ingredients and manufacturing practices? That's my suggestion, I don't really know much about these medications.

[GF Lover]

These are the inactive ingredients in Fluoxetine (Generic Prozac).  Looks OK to me.

 

 

CROSPOVIDONE

HYPROMELLOSES

MAGNESIUM STEARATE

STARCH, CORN

CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE

POLYETHYLENE GLYCOLS

SILICON DIOXIDE

TITANIUM DIOXIDE

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

Colleen

[ravenwoodglass]

I don't know the gluten statis of Prozac but do be aware that some folks have negative effects from it. Not saying you will but if you notice any problems call your doctor right away as it can make some suicidal. It is a good idea to look up adverse and side effects of any drug IMHO so that you can be aware if any are happening. 

Do read the link provided by Colleen as it also had adverse interactions with many other drugs and even some supplements. 

[pixiegamer]

I took a generic Prozac an hour ago and now I'm dizzy :/ I hate being this sensitive. But thanks for the help!

[cyclinglady]

I have lots of allergies and reactions, especially to meds. I am small too, so my doctor weans me ON to any medication. I might split the pill or take it every other day for a week until I get used to it. Discuss this with your doctor as this might NOT be a good strategy in your case. Can you email him?

[etbtbfs]

You might want to check glutenfreedrugs.com.

Many celiacs have hypothyroidism. Make sure yours is checked by a doc competent to diagnose hypoT (many are not). Keep in mind that T3 is a better anti-depressant than all of the Big Pharma anti-depressants.

[arrrghMatey]

hi,

 

I take dopa mucuna to increase dopamine levels.  Ashwaganda for anxiety, and biotin/niacin/D3/C vitamins with magnesium to keep nerves and cellular respiration up.  I did prozac 20 years ago and it helped a lot.  3 years ago I started back on it, but it gave me black diarrhea and made me paranoid.  I hated it.  

 

From what I understand, prozac affects your electrolytes in the brain so people like us with absorbsion problems could have serious side effects.  I have my hormones checked annually and have no thyroid problems at all.  I just notice that I do better with meditation and good nutrition. 

[knitty kitty]

I tried Ashwaganda, but I quit taking it when I found out that it has anticholinergic properties, as do a lot of antidepressants. I find Passion Flower much better. I take a B-complex, D3, and flaxseed oil for the omega-3 which helps build the myelin sheath of the nerves.

[beth01]

Best advise, call the manufacturer.  Glutenfreedrugs.com hasn't been updated in over a year and manufacturers change ingredients or wholesalers all the time.  I call on every prescription, every month. It's a pain in the ass, but up to date information.  The last thing I want to do is take the word of a website that hasn't updated their info for over a year.

[Lisa Hearne Smith]

Any info on taking Zoloft?....Thanks in advance....

[mareahf]

I am taking sertraline the generic of Zoloft and I called greenstone/Pfizer to ask if they are gluten free and soy free and they said the medications might contain both gluten and soy! One of the ingredients could be made with wheat and they don't know what the manufacturer uses. The same for soy.

I have bad anxiety when I get glutened and I recently have been sick over and over and I don't know why. I now suspect it might be my meds. I don't know if I should stop the meds and put up with the anxiety until I get better or stay on the meds and hope it is something else and I get better.

If you find an antidepressant that is gluten free let me know. I can't believe medications still contain allergens. It doesn't make sense.

[amandaline]

I know this thread is a few months old, but if you're still having issues, here are some things to know! (Note: these are all from the perspective of a super sensitive celiac; others may not need to worry as much about these things.)

 

1. There are many different generic manufactuers of generic prozac (fluoxetine.) Each one will have different filler ingredients, so you *need* to check with the specific manufacturer of the drug you're taking.

 

2. I have yet to find a drug company that will guarantee their drug is gluten free. While most drug companies don't add gluten to their products, they also don't test for gluten (or vet their suppliers, or account for spelt) so every new drug/manufacturer you take is a gamble when you're a sensitive celiac.

 

3. The good news is that there are many different manufacturers of fluoxetine, so if one makes you sick, ask your doc to try another. You can also check around town at different pharmacies to see what they carry. Target is the best for ordering in the brand you need with no hassle or extra cost, in my experience.

 

I basically do as much research as possible, take my best guess, and then do trial-and-error from there. Make sure your doc knows your situation ahead of time, so they can help you with this.

 

4. The best online resource for sensitive celiacs is www.glutenfreedrugs.com/newlist.htm. It's the most up-to-date, and also includes detailed information about levels of celiac safety for each drug (and includes other allergens!)

 

5. Some pharmacists may also be willing to help you out by calling drug information. It doesn't hurt to ask.

 

~

 

All right! All that aside, I want to mention that most psych meds can affect the gut. SSRI's in particular (like Prozac) are affecting your serotonin, which is synthesized in the gut, so it can have GI side effects for anyone. There are many anti-depressant options out there, and some may be better for you than others. So keep in mind that it might be the med itself, not the gluten, that you're reacting to.

 

If you want more info on different kinds of psych meds, I recommend crazymeds.org.

 

Hope that's helpful! Good luck!

[amandaline]

I am taking sertraline the generic of Zoloft and I called greenstone/Pfizer to ask if they are gluten free and soy free and they said the medications might contain both gluten and soy! One of the ingredients could be made with wheat and they don't know what the manufacturer uses. The same for soy.

I have bad anxiety when I get glutened and I recently have been sick over and over and I don't know why. I now suspect it might be my meds. I don't know if I should stop the meds and put up with the anxiety until I get better or stay on the meds and hope it is something else and I get better.

If you find an antidepressant that is gluten free let me know. I can't believe medications still contain allergens. It doesn't make sense.

 

I would talk to your doc about trying a different generic manufacturer of Zoloft--there are plenty!--or maybe even getting the name brand (if it checks out.) You're probably reacting to the fillers, and every drug company uses different ones. So you're not stuck between Zoloft and no Zoloft...there may be other options to get you the right manufacturer that you need (see my post below too for more info on that.)

 

"If you find an antidepressant that is gluten free let me know." Again, it's not the antidepressants themselves that have gluten, but the filler ingredients. There are tons of manufacturers out there, so I'd let your doc know about the problem, and see if you can try a different drug company. Cheers!

[etbtbfs]

Prozac was a disaster for me.  None of the BigPharma anti-depressants fit well with human biochemistry.  Consider the advice from Kent Holtorf MD: T3 (active thyroid hormone) is the best anti-depressant there is.  Many celiacs have the gluten-triggered autoimmune syndrome Hashimotos, which permanently destroys the thyroid if you have it for a long time.

[Alys]

I prefer the dailymed webpage to glutenfreedrugs.com, but will use both.

Open Original Shared Link

the benefit of daily med by the national institute of health is that you can search by NDC code.  This is a unique number assigned to every single version of a pill.  You can then pull up the data sheet for the specific pill and identify fillers.   So the name brand will have a code, and each generic will have its own code.  So you can always know what you get, even if there are 40 different generics on the market all with the same name.  This shows the differences.

 

I mean sometimes it means means I have to call 5 different pharmacies to get the specific med that declares their starch filler, but it has saved me time and time again.  I have been at the hospital and the nurse tries to give me a pill and my spouse can look it up and know that that particular generic or name brand doesn't declare their stuff.  Hope it helps.

 

[Mallory Lee]

Does anyone know an up to date gluten free anti depressant?