Antibiotics With Wheat In Them?

[MissyJoy]

I have been gluten free for over a year, and now have been diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease. As I was taking my 3 antibiotics last night, it suddenly occurred to me that there might be wheat in them. I don't know why I didn't ask 2 months ago when I began taking them! But I'm wondering now! The pharmacist said he didn't have a list of ingredients, and that I needed to contact the laboratory, which I will be doing when they open today.

Does anyone know if these antibiotics contain wheat?

Clarithromycin 500 mg (Biaxin)

Doxycycline Hyclate 100 Mg

Cefuroxime Axetil 500 Mg (Ceftin)

[ravenwoodglass]

They may of may not. The best way to find out is what you are doing, calling the company that makes them. If they are generic you need to call whenever you refill as companys can change binders at will. Some companies do have a not wheat starch policy and they will state so when you call. Since in some places wheat starch is considered gluten free it is a good idea to tell them you have a wheat allergy not just celiac.

[MissyJoy]

Calling the pharmacutical companies was easier than I thought it would be. I looked up their numbers on the internet, and they answered my questions very easily. All of my medications are gluten free.

One of the customer representatives even told me that it would be helpful in my search for information on my medicines to have the pharmacy give me the NDC # for each medication. It is an 11 digit code that will make sure that the pharmacutical company and I are talking about the exact same medication. I appreciated that!

[kareng]

On perscriptions, you want to find out before you buy them and leave the pharmacy if they are gluten-free. Get the info from the pharmacist and call first. If you take them home & they aren't gluten-free, you might be able to get a new script from your doc but your insurance won't pay for the same med twice. The pharm most likely won't take them back and trade them for the new ones. This is especially important with controlled substances like pain killers.

Just another Happy Celiac Thought For The Day!

[MissyJoy]

On perscriptions, you want to find out before you buy them and leave the pharmacy if they are gluten-free. Get the info from the pharmacist and call first. If you take them home & they aren't gluten-free, you might be able to get a new script from your doc but your insurance won't pay for the same med twice. The pharm most likely won't take them back and trade them for the new ones. This is especially important with controlled substances like pain killers.

Just another Happy Celiac Thought For The Day!

I suppose I was blessed this time - since I had already paid for them and taken them!

Dealing with all of these details involving Celiac and Lyme and Medications.... what to eat, when to eat, what not to eat, what to take on an empty stomach, how many hours after eating can I take this supplement.... I was going to use wheat being in my meds as an excuse to quit.... I was going to just eat gluten free meats, veggies and fruits and just forget about the rest. I am just tired and weary from it all. But yeah for me - no wheat in those meds, so I guess I'll have to keep taking them.

[oceangirl]

MissyJoy,

Both my son and daughter (17 and 20) were on doxycycline last year for Lyme and I just want to warn you (as you probably already know) that it can make you a bit sick to your stomach. Just so you don't think it's gluten... Hopefully, you won't have that reaction.

Get better,

lisa

[MissyJoy]

MissyJoy,

Both my son and daughter (17 and 20) were on doxycycline last year for Lyme and I just want to warn you (as you probably already know) that it can make you a bit sick to your stomach. Just so you don't think it's gluten... Hopefully, you won't have that reaction.

Get better,

lisa

Thanks for that! My stomach is doing surprisingly well. It is the fatigue and brain fog that made me wonder about gluten contamination. Unfortunately, Celiac, Lyme and med side effects all share the same symptoms, so it's hard to know what is causing it.

[Dean P Leslie]

Hi Miss Joy and all,

I am a nurse and interestingly had one of my patients that had a severe allergic reaction when he started working in a bakery with a rash all over his body caused from a reaction to wheat. He was of Asian ancestry and did not usually eat any bread in his diet. He stopped working with wheat and stopped eating any bread or noodles made from wheat and the rash stopped. Interestingly, on questioning he recalled the rash occurring 1 year earlier whilst taking Doxycycline hyclate.  So, I did a little investigation and here are the ingredients: Doxycycline hyclate is a yellow crystalline powder soluble in water and in solutions of alkali hydroxides and carbonates. Doxycycline has a high degree of lipid solubility and a low affinity for calcium binding. It is highly stable in normal human serum. Doxycycline will not degrade into an epianhydro form. Inert ingredients in the capsule formulation are: lactose; microcrystalline cellulose; povidone; starch wheat; magnesium stearate; cellulosic polymer coating. The capsule shell and/or band contains FD and C blue No.1; FD and C yellow No. 6; D and C yellow No.10; gelatin, silicon dioxide; sodium lauryl sulfate; titanium dioxide.

In further investigating the topic I have discovered that wheat starch is often used in the pharmaceutical industry as a binder in medications. As an addit, it is also used extensively in the cosmetic industry.

A very informative DVD on the topic of wheat is: What's with wheat? This documentary provides invaluable information into the health issues that have occurred from the modification of wheat types, chemical farming and the use of wheat in the modern world. It also provides solutions to living with wheat intolerance or allergy. I trust this information is of value.

 

[Ennis-TX]

7 hours ago, Dean P Leslie said:

Hi Miss Joy and all,

I am a nurse and interestingly had one of my patients that had a severe allergic reaction when he started working in a bakery with a rash all over his body caused from a reaction to wheat. He was of Asian ancestry and did not usually eat any bread in his diet. He stopped working with wheat and stopped eating any bread or noodles made from wheat and the rash stopped. Interestingly, on questioning he recalled the rash occurring 1 year earlier whilst taking Doxycycline hyclate.  So, I did a little investigation and here are the ingredients: Doxycycline hyclate is a yellow crystalline powder soluble in water and in solutions of alkali hydroxides and carbonates. Doxycycline has a high degree of lipid solubility and a low affinity for calcium binding. It is highly stable in normal human serum. Doxycycline will not degrade into an epianhydro form. Inert ingredients in the capsule formulation are: lactose; microcrystalline cellulose; povidone; starch wheat; magnesium stearate; cellulosic polymer coating. The capsule shell and/or band contains FD and C blue No.1; FD and C yellow No. 6; D and C yellow No.10; gelatin, silicon dioxide; sodium lauryl sulfate; titanium dioxide.

In further investigating the topic I have discovered that wheat starch is often used in the pharmaceutical industry as a binder in medications. As an addit, it is also used extensively in the cosmetic industry.

A very informative DVD on the topic of wheat is: What's with wheat? This documentary provides invaluable information into the health issues that have occurred from the modification of wheat types, chemical farming and the use of wheat in the modern world. It also provides solutions to living with wheat intolerance or allergy. I trust this information is of value.

 

This topic is over 7 years old when the last response was made prior to yours, you brought up some interesting information and a neat story. Many of us here are used to having to contact pill manufactures about ingredients, and there is even a website that someone can link you to that tells you what prescription options are available that are gluten free. OTC meds are another issue of concern but with the increase in people seeking gluten free options for what ever reasons we are seeing a decrease in the use of wheat starch in medications. Sadly a increase in corn starch is occurring which I am also highly allergic to.