Generic Drugs

[bincongo]

I am hearing more talk of having to check out the manufacturer's of the generic drugs. I get mine mail ordered so I don't have direct pharmacy access. Does anyone know if Sandoz or Richmond Pharmacy only make gluten free drugs. I am not getting an answer on line. I take Levothyroxine, Clonidine and Fosinopril generic.

[psawyer]

I don't know where you are. In Canada, Apotex is a large manufacturer of generic prescription medications. They have told me that none of their products contain gluten.

[ravenwoodglass]

I only take one med and it is by Sandoz. I know that is gluten free but don't know if all of them are. If you do a search with "Sandoz and contact info" you will find their contact info to call and ask them.

[cassP]

ya- it's probably best to call each company yourself about each particular med. im in the process of doing that myself... it can be quite complicated when you're using different pharmacies- and some brand names & some generic

[bincongo]

I live in the USA. My Sandoz medicines checked out ok but it turns out the Richmond pharmacy is not listed anywhere as a drug maker so someone in Richmond is trying to help me out. And now I am not sure about Nexium. My mail order pharmacy that is government run(Tricare) doesn't like to give me anything but generics.

[bincongo]

I talked to the makers of Nexium today and now they say that their inactive ingredients come from outside sources and can not be guaranteed to be without CC issues. I see that Nexium on the gluten free durg sites is still listed as gluten free. Is this something new? Should I change medicines and if so which one? Is this something all the drug makers have to deal with?

[mushroom]

Yes, a lot of the problem with drugs is that the manufacturers source their ingredients from outside companies, and while they do not use or add gluten to their product themselves they find it hard to verify if the ingredients from other companies are gluten free.

[ravenwoodglass]

Re the Nexium. Are you still having heartburn? If your not you may want to talk to your doctor about weaning off the heartburn meds. It is important not to stop this med suddenly as it can have a rebound effect if you do. If you are you may want to make sure you don't have an additional intolerance. Oddly enough soy gives me awful heartburn, which liquid Pepto Bismal takes care of in one dose, gluten doesn't give me heartburn at all but does give me awful cramping. Everyone is different though.

[bincongo]

Re the Nexium. Are you still having heartburn? If your not you may want to talk to your doctor about weaning off the heartburn meds. It is important not to stop this med suddenly as it can have a rebound effect if you do. If you are you may want to make sure you don't have an additional intolerance. Oddly enough soy gives me awful heartburn, which liquid Pepto Bismal takes care of in one dose, gluten doesn't give me heartburn at all but does give me awful cramping. Everyone is different though.

My GI doctor wanted me to be on Nexium for a year which isn't recommended from what I have researched. I said I would do it for 6 months. I am in the process of weaning myself off it but I am doing it slowly. I never really had a lot of heartburn but my endoscopy showed a lot of stomach problems. I am sure being gluten free will help that too. I just am trying to be very careful and having to worry about the medicines I take should not be an issue but it is.