Bystolic Medication? Gluten Free Or Not?

[betty's daughter]

Hi all...first time posting.

My mom, Betty, has been a thriving 79 yr. old, diagnosed Celiac 5 yrs. ago. She adjuster her diet and has been doing well.

Over the past year she has developed more sinus and allergy problems, specifically terrible headaches and nausea. Doctors have run every test, and we

think it all comes back to possible gluten in her blood pressure medication. She hates taking any kind of medication to begin with, and her anxiety concerning NOT feeling well has cut into her quality of life. She's convinced it's possibly her dose of Bystolic, but we can't seem to find a definite gluten component or a generic substitute.

A new doctor just put her on Zoloft for her panic and anxiety about not feeling well most of the time. It's heartbreaking to know she feels bad, but I'm also wondering if she's on the border of obsessing and also creating hypochondriac associations with what could be allergy/sinus issues?

I'm starting to lose my mind!

Anyone have any thoughts?

thanks.

Betty's daughter!

[mushroom]

Yes, on glutenfreedrugs.com, it does list Bystolic as "may contain wheat" unfortunately. As you say, there seems to be no way of knowing. Is this a brand name medication? Is there a generic for it? Oh, I went back and read your post again and you answered that question. Can her doctor come up with an equivalent medication? There are often several drugs in the same class and sometimes one will work just as well as another, although she may not be receptive to trying another -- maybe if you tell her it will make her feel better???

Is the Zoloft helping her at all? Is she on any allergy/sinus medication?

Oh, and by the way, welcome to the forum.

[T.H.]

If your mom is getting gluten, it's also possible that this could be contributing to her anxiety. Many of us have panic attacks, heightened anxiety or sudden depression as a reaction to gluten.

For myself, my emotional symptoms are that everything starts to feel more stressful, more upsetting. My frustration tolerance takes a nosedive, and my ability to concentrate and think clearly crashes. If I get it continually, I'll have a long bout of severe depression until I get the gluten out of my system.

My daughter has full blown panic attacks that will last hours, on and off for days after she's been glutened.

So while your mother's anxiety may be extreme, it may actually have a physical cause as opposed to a metnally induced physical cause (psychosomatic, in other words), if that makes sense?

[Roda]

I just called the manufacture today and as of Feb. 2014 Bystolic still "may contain" gluten.  I was told that the possible source is the inactive ingredient polysorbate.  I've been diagnosed with IST(inappropriate sinus tachycardia) and my cardiologist prescribed this.  I didn't know until I called to check before filling my RX.  There still isn't a generic.