Xanax Not gluten-free

[bklyn]

I called Phizer Pharmaceuticals to check on the generic brand of Xanax (Alprazolam). The person told me that neither drug is gluten-free. I was shocked because it is listed on glutenfreedrugs.com as gluten-free. Also, I've been taking this drug on occasion.

Any comments?

Thanks

Kathy

[ravenwoodglass]

I called Phizer Pharmaceuticals to check on the generic brand of Xanax (Alprazolam). The person told me that neither drug is gluten-free. I was shocked because it is listed on glutenfreedrugs.com as gluten-free. Also, I've been taking this drug on occasion.

Any comments?

Thanks

Kathy

They may have changed the binders in the drug. They can do this any time they want to. Gluten is pretty common in meds, especially generics. Kind of makes it obvious why almost all drugs say they may cause stomach upset. IMHO no gluten containing components should be in any medication or product designed for the use in any patients.

[Guest cassidy]

I am very careful about meds and I check them before I take anything. I took generic xanax up until last June and it was definitely gluten-free. I'm very sensitive and I would have had a reaction if it wasn't. I haven't taken it since then, so maybe things changed, but I know it used to be gluten-free.

[lovegrov]

First, did Pfizer say the medication definitely had gluten, or did they say they wouldn't guarantee it? There's a HUGE difference. Every Xanax product I've ever seen or checked has been gluten-free.

Second, I disagree that gluten is common in medications. In five years I've almost NEVER found a medication with gluten. It is in fact fairly common for a company to issue a legal CYA, but that's completely different from a medication definitely containing gluten. Medications cause stomach upset in a huge number of people who do not have cleiac or gluten sensitivity.

If I'm wrong about this, I'd be interested in seeing a list of medications that DEFINITELY have gluten. I can't name even one prescription one right now.

richard

[bklyn]

First, did Pfizer say the medication definitely had gluten, or did they say they wouldn't guarantee it? There's a HUGE difference. Every Xanax product I've ever seen or checked has been gluten-free.

Second, I disagree that gluten is common in medications. In five years I've almost NEVER found a medication with gluten. It is in fact fairly common for a company to issue a legal CYA, but that's completely different from a medication definitely containing gluten. Medications cause stomach upset in a huge number of people who do not have cleiac or gluten sensitivity.

If I'm wrong about this, I'd be interested in seeing a list of medications that DEFINITELY have gluten. I can't name even one prescription one right now.

richard

[bklyn]

Lovegrov,

The person I spoke to said "Both the generic and original forms of Xanax were not gluten free". I don't know what to do since they are listed as gluten free on the lists I checked.

Should I continue to take it?

Thanks

Kathy

[BRUMI1968]

What about valium. Can you get your doc to switch you to it? Is it gluten free?

[Guest cassidy]

I thought of something else. Most of the time there is more than one company that manufactures the generic of a drug. I'm a drug rep and one of my products recently went generic. There are now 8 companies making the generic of that drug. Xanax is fairly common and has been around for a long time, so there may be several companies that make the generic. You may have to try another drug store chain because Walgreens may buy from a certain company and Walmart may buy from another company, so if the Pfizer one isn't gluten-free, that doesn't mean that all of them are not.

The easiest thing to do may be to go to a pharmacy and ask to see the stock bottle or it the pharmacist will print out the sheet that comes with the prescription. It has all the fillers on there and you can pick out any words that look like gluten (or bring a list of the common ones used in prescriptions).

You may also want to call Pfizer again and ask the question to someone else. Sometimes I call a place several times and get several different answers, so you could see if anyone else gives you the same answer.

Good luck! Xanax really helped with the anxiety I get when I'm glutened so I hope there is still an gluten-free version out there because I may need it in the future.

[ravenwoodglass]

First, did Pfizer say the medication definitely had gluten, or did they say they wouldn't guarantee it? There's a HUGE difference. Every Xanax product I've ever seen or checked has been gluten-free.

Second, I disagree that gluten is common in medications. In five years I've almost NEVER found a medication with gluten. It is in fact fairly common for a company to issue a legal CYA, but that's completely different from a medication definitely containing gluten. Medications cause stomach upset in a huge number of people who do not have cleiac or gluten sensitivity.

If I'm wrong about this, I'd be interested in seeing a list of medications that DEFINITELY have gluten. I can't name even one prescription one right now.

richard

I have had more than one script that my pharmacist has had to call my doctor and change because it wasn't safe. The most recent was Triazolan, my dentist was going to use it for sedation, there is no gluten-free form of this so Dr. substituted with name brand Valium, the generic form of the valium was again not safe. I have also had experience before diagnosis with a generic seizure drug (valporic acid) that caused severe symptoms when the name brand didn't because of the binders. This sort of misinformation can leave people suffering with side effects they don't need to suffer with because they 'assume' the drug has to be safe when another form would be. CYA statements would not be needed if there was no chance that items were not gluten-free, the companies would just say yes they are.

[lovegrov]

"CYA statements would not be needed if there was no chance that items were not gluten-free, the companies would just say yes they are."

In a perfect world you'd be right, but this isn't a perfect world. Pharmaceutical companies get sued so much that many won't guarantee anybody anything at all. And the stark reality is that almost NO company of any kind can really absolutely 100 percent guarantee there's no chance at all of accidental contamination.

Just my opinion, but if a drug company tells me that a medication is formulated not to contain gluten, but that they won't guarantee that a vendor won't mess up and mistakenly allow gluten (this what almost all the CYAs say), I'll take the medication without hesitation. IMO that medication is MUCH, MUCH less likely to be contaminated than most commercially prepared foods and virtually any restaurant food.

In more than 5 years I've run into very, very few prescription drugs that were formulated to actually have gluten. In one case it was actually CORN gluten and in another the company quickly reformulated to remove the gluten. I have, however, run into many CYAs. And if I've ever been glutened by one of those CYA medications, I'm unaware of it.

richard

[lovegrov]

Lovegrov,

The person I spoke to said "Both the generic and original forms of Xanax were not gluten free". I don't know what to do since they are listed as gluten free on the lists I checked.

Should I continue to take it?

Thanks

Kathy

If the company rep told you that both definitely have gluten, I would not take them. But I would also call back and double check. Note carefully exactly what the rep says. I'd be interested to know exactly where the gluten is. The binders in Xanax are cellulose and corn starch, both of which are gluten-free.

richard

[ebrbetty]

I take it in small does everyday, this really upsets me, I need the Xanax for my anxiety, guess I have to take it anyway can't go wothout

[ravenwoodglass]

I take it in small does everyday, this really upsets me, I need the Xanax for my anxiety, guess I have to take it anyway can't go wothout

Is there any way you could switch to something that is gluten-free? If this med does have gluten it could be contributing to the anxiety. You could be creating a cycle where you are taking the med to relieve symptoms that are then being brought back by the reaction to the binders in the med itself. You may want to get the info that comes with it and call the company yourself to check to check the gluten statis and perhaps ask your pharmacist and doctor about alternatives.

[ebrbetty]

hi, I just called them, it does have gluten in it. my Drs office has no idea which anti anxiety meds are gluten-free..does anyone know what I could take as a replacement?

[lovegrov]

Zoloft is gluten-free. For something that works more quickly, Ativan.

richard

[ebrbetty]

Zoloft is gluten-free.

richard

Hi Richard,

Is that a anti-anxiety? I thought it was a depression med?

[lovegrov]

Zoloft is anti-depression but also ani-anxiety. However, I realize now you probably want something more like Ativan. Generic is lorazepam.

richard

[ebrbetty]

hi again richard, thanks for trying to help me..I can't take SSRI'S..allergic to all of them. I will look in Ativan

[lovegrov]

First let me be clear -- becauase of Pfizer's response, nobody should take Xanax.

I called and eventually talked to as pharmacist, who told me Xanax has gluten, which "COULD" include wheat, rye or barley. I asked which ingredient contains the gluten and she couldn't tell me. I asked if perhaps the gluten warning was referring to the corn starch. She couldn't tell me but allowed as that could be the case.

My guess is that one day we'll hear that Xanax is indeed gluten-free because the gluten was corn gluten, but for now we'll have to avoid it.

richard.

[ebrbetty]

I'm not going to take it, not worth it. I have been having stomach aches everyday even though I've been eating gluten-free for a little over a year.

going to call my Dr and see about getting Ativan, it seems to be gluten-free from what I found on google

thank you again

[gfp]

Is there any way you could switch to something that is gluten-free? If this med does have gluten it could be contributing to the anxiety. You could be creating a cycle where you are taking the med to relieve symptoms that are then being brought back by the reaction to the binders in the med itself. You may want to get the info that comes with it and call the company yourself to check to check the gluten statis and perhaps ask your pharmacist and doctor about alternatives.

= definition of addictive drug....

(regardless of the gluten in our case)

As I remember and Im in no state to do research ATM Xanax can't be stopped but has to be switched for a less addictive psychotropic and gradually weaned off... if you are on it long term.

Again this is my memory but I think it was xanax which was just banned in Europe last year for under 18's... due to the increased suicide risk which is sky high .. even compared to not having any moderator at all.

Erm... anyway... I wouldn't just stop and I expect their are gluten-free alternatives...

just seen Richards Reply and again from memory but Zoloft is I think one of the medications used to wen people off Xanax.

[ravenwoodglass]

I'm not going to take it, not worth it. I have been having stomach aches everyday even though I've been eating gluten-free for a little over a year.

going to call my Dr and see about getting Ativan, it seems to be gluten-free from what I found on google

thank you again

As GFB said, and this can not be stressed enough for folks on this type of drug, do not stop this suddenly on your own. Your doctor can prescribe something else and then perhaps you can try weaning off of them. You may find that without the daily gluten in the Xantax you don't need an antianxiety med any more. No certainty of corse but you never know.

I was on a number of drugs including muscle relaxers, anticholoragenics and antianxiety prediagnosis, I knew that the drugs I was taking could mask symptoms during the elimination diet (allergist assisted) and in the weeks preceding the diet my doctor aided me in weaning off everything. I knew how much pain I was in for doing this but I felt it needed to be done. To make a long story short I have never had to add anything back stonger than a baby asprin. It did turn out that the form of immodium I took multiple times in a day had gluten. I would have never known the elimination diet worked it I had kept taking it.

[gfp]

As GFB said, and this can not be stressed enough for folks on this type of drug, do not stop this suddenly on your own. Your doctor can prescribe something else and then perhaps you can try weaning off of them. You may find that without the daily gluten in the Xantax you don't need an antianxiety med any more. No certainty of corse but you never know.

I was on a number of drugs including muscle relaxers, anticholoragenics and antianxiety prediagnosis, I knew that the drugs I was taking could mask symptoms during the elimination diet (allergist assisted) and in the weeks preceding the diet my doctor aided me in weaning off everything. I knew how much pain I was in for doing this but I felt it needed to be done. To make a long story short I have never had to add anything back stonger than a baby asprin. It did turn out that the form of immodium I took multiple times in a day had gluten. I would have never known the elimination diet worked it I had kept taking it.

Yep, much better put than me.... (hardly suprising right now)...

But please.... don't just stop Xanax... its a dangerous drug while your taking it but much more dangerous if you just stop....

Given you went on this due to medical advice I would seek medical advice abut coming off.

I VERY VERY rarely tell anyone to keep taking gluten... even for biopsy etc. BUT this is not any occaision. It really is very dangerous to just stop ...

[StrongerToday]

I take a generic for Xanax called alprazolam made by Mylan. I just called them and they tell me that they put no gluten in ANY drugs they make. I did get the typical CYA about the ingredients they get from others, but they do not use it as a binder. They only use corn or potato products.

So, sounds simple to me... get the generic made by Myland, save money and still be gluten-free.