A change of chemicals in Fluoxetine (Prozac generic)

Have been taking Prozac for 20 years now w/o any side effects whatsoever. Then they (drugstores and mfgs) decided to make changes and added chemicals to the capsules (inactive) themselves and coverings on tablets. In Pill Box.com you can find out what they are.

Had terrible reactions to things like ammonia and shellac...sheesh! Throat swelled, etc. But the docs can't stop the mfgs from doing this. AND the drugstores like CVS do not carry the OTHER fluoxetines. They will only fill your persscription with what they are sent. They could care less that I cannot get off of Prozac and cannot take it now.

I'm furious! I need to keep taking Prozac because of my chemical imbalance and yet the generic brands are now filled with toxic chemicals. The mfgs know exactly what they're doing by forcing us to have to change our meds, end up in a mental ward, or pay the price for the real thing.

So what are the dr's wives doing and how are they getting their Prozac is my question?

You're in a tough situation. I have not run into this problem before because I have the option of both generic and brand name. However, there has been a couple times where it seemed like I felt a bit worse on generic, so I was switched back over to brand.

Have you discussed this with your doctor?

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SHERRY
Moderator-Allergies/Asthma and Alzheimer's, Co-moderator-UC
~Left sided Uc-'92**Unable to tolerate ALL mesalamines**
Colazal(9 daily)/6mp(50mgs)/Bentyl-Prilosec~allergies-Singulair/Zyrtec~Reynauds~OA-Tylonel Arthritis~Scoliosis~Sacroilitis~Dry eye-Restasis~GAD-Klonopin (.25mgs)~Rosacea-Metrogel/Elidel

I don't take Prozac, but I have had trouble with some other generic drugs. and I've been able to switch.

Can you find out the manufacturers who made the switches? Are there any generic companies still using the old formula? My small pharmacy will get me a different brand of generic if I ask.

You may have to go so far as to contact the manufacturers - or possibly get a friendly, helpful pharmacist who knows you to help you do the research. Pharmacists have lots of manufacturers they can order from, usually go with the cheapest so their profit is higher, but if you have a problem they are often willing to order things specifically for you.

If you have to go to a hospital make sure to take your own meds with you. Hospitals often give you whatever they want to, but your doc can write an order for you to take your own meds.

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Alcie

I've searched but am having trouble finding the website to which you refer. Is it thepillbox.com? That's a Canadian pharmacy. Just pillbox.com is an art website.

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Alcie

I know I'm not suppose to do this but we consumers have rights too. Here's the website: pillbox.nlm.nih.gov/index.html

Thanks so much! I understand it's OK to publish websites if they aren't selling stuff or advertizing something you profit from. This one's a government website, but it was a little hard to google to the right page of it.

This is a very helpful website for those of us who are allergic to "inactive ingredients." Now when I have a bad reaction I won't be so quick to drop drugs. I can first see if it's one of the many things I don't tolerate - like I've found in many OTCs. My pharmacist will order a different brand of generic if it's available.

I was previously looking up drugs one at a time, but only finding the general inactive ingredients, not necessarily the ones in the medicines I was getting. I think I'll look them up before I take in the prescription and see if there's anything I have to watch for. I've had incidences in the past of the pharmacist changing suppliers and the drug working differently or getting different side effects.

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Alcie