Prescriptions

[LilyR]

Has anyone had trouble with any prescriptions they take that you then found out had gluten in them, or corn or soy products (or any other ingredient) that bothers you?  

Just when I was working on lifting my mood up (after starting to feel overwhelmed with all this), I now am realizing I could be having problems with some prescriptions I have been taking.  I need to stay positive and not sink into frustration, but wow ,this is getting hard.  It seems every time I think I am getting there, it's another step backwards. I am on four prescriptions and so far only one has been said to have no gluten, soy, or corn in it.  One has pregelatinized starch, which I guess is made from corn.  The other two have corn ingredients. 

One that has no gluten though will not claim to be gluten-free, they will only say they have no wheat, rye, barley, or oats in it, but will not give an actual gluten-free claim. But it has two corn ingredients anyway, corn starch and polysorbate 80. The other RX's would say no gluten, no soy, etc (but some have corn).  

Has anyone had issues like this?  I was taking some of these many months ago when my stomach actually was starting to get back to normal and starting to feel better (when I first stopped eating gluten, took a few months but I was starting to feel better).  Slowly it started having issues again (although not as severe as when I was eating gluten). I then started a new RX, and I felt it made my stomach worse, told my dr, but she just seemed to think it "should not" bother me.  I wonder if that one is the culprit?  In other words, could the other 3 I am on not be enough of the corn ingredients to have been bothering me?  I am wondering if it's possible to have small traces of some corn ingredients (or whatever ingredients bother you, no counting gluten) without it bothering you?  Has anyone noticed a prescription they are on that does have an ingredient that tends to bother them (other than gluten), but in such a small pill, it does not seem to be enough to bother you?  I suppose it could be different for different people. 

I am ready to start an elimination diet, but it feels like I still won't be able to know what bothers me or not until I am off any RX's that bother me.  This could take some time and research though.  I doubt I can just immediately stop all the RX's suddenly since some are for blood pressure.  Has anyone been through this?  I take my RX's every night at dinner so it would make sense that for a while now (especially since starting the newest RX) I feel like I am constantly having issues every night. 

So far a pharmacist said that sometimes they can find different versions of a pill that won't contain the ingredients that bother you, but it does not sound like a guarantee, of course, and takes them some time to look into.  I guess I might have to start with that.  The newest pill though, the one I did suspect was causing me some stomach problems, I'll call my dr tomorrow (they are not in today) and see if I can stop taking that one.  Hopefully so, asap, and then continue to look into the other RX's.  

I am trying to feel like once I get this straightened out it will get easier, but the pharmacist also said that companies can change their ingredients all the time, and even they sometimes change manufacturers they use.  I was just curious how many people deal with this, and does it get easier? Does your dr work with you and are understanding or do they get an attitude?  Because it almost feels to me like sometimes they get frustrated. And that just is aggravating. They think it's frustrating for them? It's no picnic for us either. They are quick to tell you what foods not to eat, but when it comes to a prescription they act like, oh, it shouldn't bother you.  I wish it were that easy.  I would think they would know better though?? 

 

 

[RMJ]

Drug manufacturers cannot change their ingredients easily, a new formula would require new FDA approvals.  They can easily change suppliers of most ingredients.

[LilyR]

On 6/25/2018 at 6:13 PM, RMJ said:

Drug manufacturers cannot change their ingredients easily, a new formula would require new FDA approvals.  They can easily change suppliers of most ingredients.

I would imagine it is not an easy situation. I know they can't make a new pill just like that, and most companies aren't going to care about a small percentage of people with ingredient issues like this.  Although there actually is an apothecary in town who I heard does things like that, but I am guessing I could not afford that.  That will be a last resort option.  I need to call my regular pharmacist back. She said they have had this happen a few times before and they can look to see if there is a different pill by a different company that does not have the ingredients in it.  So we'll have to check into that.  But no guarantee, of course. 

My dr got back to me yesterday and so far I am going off one of the meds (the newest one which I have noticed worse stomach since taking it). Hoping I am okay without it (it was causing other side effects too though, that I was hating, so I think it's a good thing all around to come off that one). Two others though, I hope the pharmacist has good luck with those.  

I would guess this can be a big issue for people with several food sensitivities?