When we are healthy, it is easier to take time to find something that is gluten free for us. It is not easy, it is just easier than when we are sick.
Thankfully, a pharmacist has stepped in where Congress and the FDA has not. This mystery person created www.glutenfreedrugs.com with a link within for lists: http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/list.html .
The pharmacist's contact info/email is on there as well, so if you're prescribed something you're not seeing on the list, you can email the person and get a call back.
I know that most --not all--but most prescription drugs in the USA are made with corn starch as a filler. This is helpful unless you have a corn allergy!
For short term prescriptions I have stressed over it, not worried about it, and also found out ahead of time. My most memorable is when I verified an antibiotic post acral lentiginous melanoma toe surgery was gluten free only to have a reaction to it/hives within days and have to go off it instead.
I've not worried about some medicines that are short term (like Diflucan) since I figure it's going to mess with the digestive tract anyway :-P
This is the only place I've found for verifying prescriptions ahead of time. I have also called the drug companies from the pharmacy which can be done during the day, but not after hours. It can be frustrating, but the pharmacists don't know this information any more than others. Sometimes they'll hand you the long, small print, package insert. Sometimes I've been handed the bottle, other times I have requested the information so I can call.
Information needed to call:
Prescription name, strength of dose, type of medicine (liquid, tablets, capsules, etc), NDC number, Lot and Expiration dates from the bottle, as well as the name of the manufacturer, and the phone number of the manufacturer. When I've called, it's taken no more than maybe five minutes to get the information.
I worked at a pharmacy in college and recall people asking then about ingredients (before 'everyone' having a cell phone) and the pharmacist would hand the customer the patient insert. Pharmacists don't know what is gluten free and what is not. I appreciated the Target pharmacist who was always wanting to learn. She appreciated hearing about the gluten free drugs list created above and liked having that as a source of information, but not all pharmacists or pharmacies are open to this. I miss Target having a pharmacy.
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| The cat's medicine. The bottles are great to reuse for storage. In this case, the pins from men's dress shirts! |
I currently use Walgreens and have had them switch a long time maintenance drug from brand to generic without my knowledge --and which I refused--that my prescribing doctor had no clue had even been released (the patent isn't up for a couple more years, so go figure on that FDA!) I was upset that the law allows them to sub out a generic on a prescription that is already being filled (I know they can fill generic from a brand new script), that they essentially canceled my actual brand prescription, and they didn't contact my doctor to get a new prescription right away--I had to do that the next week when I found out. I have had a couple friendly pharmacists at this location but I think they aren't there any longer.
For over the counter medicine I have called the companies from the aisle at Target and asked. I called on Mucinex a couple years ago. They don't add gluten, but don't test for gluten. Some say on them.
I can't give any recommendations on here, since I have to avoid soy oil and sucralose as well. I ended up ordering my throat lozenges from Amazon earlier this month as Target no longer was carrying the brand I had gotten (Zarbees). My throat was so raw, I just kept drinking hot tea all day long and added honey. I went through a whole 'bear' of honey in one week.
Be well! Stay hydrated. Wash your hands well. Wash your gloves and scarves, or use Purell or Clorox wipes on your leather or vinyl gloves that can't be washed. I keep a container of purell in the car that I use after being in public places and before driving away in the car. Sometimes I forget, and I start the car and touch the steering wheel, so I slather the purell on the hands and wipe the wheel down and the the start button.
