Anyone else see this?

NancyM · 10-06-2006, 02:56 PM

From Clan Thompson newsletter:

Quote:

Hi, I just tried to get information from GlaxoSmithKline on whether their product Flonase is gluten free and was told they could not give that information out to consumers, only to healthcare professionals. So today I went to my pcp to help me find a gf allergy medication. She said she couldn't help me out with that as she has no idea what I'm talking about. Then she asked me if I really thought that the tiny amount of gluten present in just one pill would affect me (she was insisting that amount ingested is no big deal). Lastly, she told me that Flonase is not taken orally therefore, it does not matter if gluten is in it, because it won't be going into my digestive track.

First, it's just disturbing that GSK will not give out gluten info to consumers and that I'm left having to rely on a PCP who really knows very little about celiac disease! But my main question is can a small amount of gluten in a medication (just one pill) cause a reaction? And secondly, is the information my pcp provided about Flonase erroneous (that medication taken through the nose would not cause a gluten reaction)?

I left my doctors office today feeling like a hypochondriac and at the same time wondering whether this woman really knows anything about celiac disease! Thanks, Chantal

Dear Chantal, After doubling over in abdominal pain for 24 hours after trying a digestive enzyme given to me by a dentist not knowing it had barley malt enzyme in it, the answer is yes!! GSK is out of line in not dealing with consumers, and yes any route into the body to react with the immune system: inhaled into lungs, nose, eaten, or on skin or scalp can cause gluten reactions.

We have to accept that the medical profession is dreadfully behind the understanding of these issues.

I would like to see you pursue a dietary regimen that might indeed be less mucus forming or immune stimulating that itself might obviate the need for flonase. This is how I got off that medicine. Be conscious about what foods seem to cause nasal congestion and try to limit or avoid them. generally they are dairy, grains, some nuts, and legumes, among few others.

Good luck. Dr. Ken Fine

Good grief! They won't tell you?

rachelb · 10-06-2006, 05:16 PM

Yeah, that's about as ludicrous of an answer as I can imagine.

Rachel

mistofviolets · 10-06-2006, 05:43 PM

Thats when the words "potentially fatal allergy" come in handy.

(even if its an exageration) You should read my commentary on getting corn andgluten free tylenol.

I get a lot of "ask your dr" and then from my dr "Just call around."

I also once got a "How did you get this number?" (it was for medical professionals only, LOL, but hey...they got me connected to someone who could answer my question right away.)

I've heard that the new labelling laws do not extend to medicine. And that pharmaceutical companies get more leeway for proprietary formulas, but, I can't verify that.

jccgf · 10-06-2006, 06:19 PM

Well, if they don't want to be bothered, then they should be providing a resource with the information.

At least we have figured this out at the dentist. She just doesn't use "product" on my daughter's teeth.

Cara

diamondheart · 10-06-2006, 11:05 PM

I got curious, since I use Flonase myself, and looked around on the internet. I found the ingredients pretty quickly:

http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed...fo.cfm?id=1283

Quote:

FLONASE Nasal Spray, 50 mcg is an aqueous suspension of microfine fluticasone propionate for topical administration to the nasal mucosa by means of a metering, atomizing spray pump. FLONASE Nasal Spray also contains microcrystalline cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose sodium, dextrose, 0.02% w/w benzalkonium chloride, polysorbate 80, and 0.25% w/w phenylethyl alcohol, and has a pH between 5 and 7.

It doesn't look like there is any gluten in it.

Getting one bad answer from a customer service representative doesn't surprise me. I figure I just need to find the right person to talk to.

Anyways, it doesn't look like it's top secret information.

Claire

annelb · 10-06-2006, 11:48 PM

Dextrose is one ingredient that may be made of wheat. This site mentions that the although there may be wheat protein in the dextrose , it is within the 200ppm codex guideline.

The "safe" amount of gluten is still being debated.

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science...nions/681.html

What the ingredients are actually made of may be "secret".
Anne

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