gluten Gluten contamination and other meds

[Jennancognito]

I recently had an attack - something I ate was apparently contaminated with gluten. I went through a period of difficulty eating, pain, and weight loss over a month. But that's not the issue, that's celiac for you. I'm bipolar, and it seems my medications (like my nutrients) didn't absorb as they should. So I went through of month of deep depression, where I could barely move and barely take care of myself. My doctors have no solutions. I'm scared - I can't take a month out of my life because a mistake was made. I am so so so careful.

I've searched online but I just come up with warnings on gluten in pills. My situation is just miserable. What would you do if you were reliant on a medication to live?

I'm not even asking what to do; there's obviously no solution. Just if anyone has this problem, and how they get by without being afraid of everything they eat.

I guess I'm just curious who else worries about this.

[Victoria1234]

I worry a lot. I'm on latuda for bipolar. As far as I know I'm doing well on not getting glutened so I haven't had your exact issue. But I worry I will. I'm currently on 20mg and taking at night with food for absorption. I worked my way down on it as it was making me deadened. Maybe if you switched meds that weren't so sensitive to celiac it would be better? Latuda costs a fortune but I'm using a coupon from their website so it's $15 a month. 

[Ennis-TX]

I had to change over to taking a bunch of B-vitamins, magnesium, and CBD oils for my issues with bipolar and depression. Most of my bipolar issues leveled out once off gluten, still have a few swings every now and then.   But my issue is I am also highly allergic to corn......corn starch is a common binder in medicines so I have to be quite careful. In some cases the starch is processed in a way to remove the proteins that trigger my reaction. I can normally figure out by biting into the pills and chewing and checking for blood blisters in my mouth. Same with other forms of it in other foods etc. Seems quite hit and miss depending on how it is processed and sourced.    

My biggest fear and it has been talked about here before, but when you go to a hospital even if on your record you have celiac they will bring you food with gluten. THIS scares the crap out of me that if I am out of it and eat the stuff. I ended up ordering custom red medical dog tags with my allergens, blood type, AI diseases, and emergency contact info. I also informed my family to bring me a stock of gluten-free protein bars and meal shakes if I get stuck in a hospital.

Funny thing is my depression hits hard every evening, and I end up just eating cups and cups of protein shake, ice cream and indulge in that comfort. >.> feel much better afterwards but sometimes I eat too much lol.

[TexasJen]

You don't mention which medications you are on but several medications come in other forms besides pills:  There are sublingual strips, pills and liquids, injectables, and transdermal skin patches. All of these have their pluses and minuses but they would get around the issue of malabsorption due to a celiac flare.  You might talk to your GP/psychiatrist at your next appointment about these options?

[kareng]

I saw a study ( not really the right word) and posted it before.  Someone looked at about 800 meds and only 11 had any verifiable gluten.  I think gluten is a very low risk in most perscriptiom medications.  

[cyclinglady]

Here is the most current gluten free drug list for 2017.  It is a work in progress, though.  There are fewer drugs on this current list than on his previous list, but I expect  the pharmacist is still working in it.  Check this list, if your medication is not on it, ask your own pharmacist to research for you.  Once he/she has come up with a few acceptable medications, call the manufacturers yourself.  As long as there are no gluten ingredients, you should be fine.  Then ask your doctor to prescribe them.  

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