Amitriptyline ingredients help (Albus brand)

[AmiShitsaline]

Hello all, I’m trying to find out some info without having to speak to the GP or pharmacist at this stage.

I have been on Amitriptyline 10mg for 4 years, I believe the brand is Albus - it’s in a purple box. Before Christmas I had to change pharmacy and they gave me a different brand. After reading another mumsnet thread about medication I have twigged that this coincided with me getting really bad tummy issues, extreme bloating, gas and diarrhoea especially at night (I take the pills in an evening). It also seems to happen more when I have not eaten as much although I am trying to take them after food.

if anyone has the ingredients list for these pills I can compare it with my current brand, it would be really helpful for me to have the info before seeing my GP about it. Many thanks in advance for anyone who can help.

It says Brown and Burke, is that the same as Almus?

I will do this but it might turn out the the ingredients are the same so I just want to have my facts straight before bothering to mention, thanks

I’m surprised that wheat - and magrocol - are included in tablets as so many people are sensitive to them.

It’s probably too difficult to read in my photos, but the Flamingo brand does not contain magrocol in the 50mg and 25mg tablets. It’s the last listed ingredient in the 10mg tablets, after titanium dioxide (banned in the EU)(!) and opadry Y-1-7000, which appears to be the film coating.

I understand that, however, I believe with my medication there was a reduction in the active ingredient which gave me the most horrendous withdrawal symptoms. Awful because I had no idea I was withdrawing! It was over a four month period. Good luck.

I’m trying to figure out exactly when I switched meds as I had a few instances where I had vestibular migraines (what I take them for) after not having any for 4 years of being on it! So it’s another thing that’s making me wonder but it could all be coincidence 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s very frightening. Along with (what I found out later) withdrawal symptoms I thought my eyes were in serious trouble and had a check up at the opticians. I could barely see for the black streaks in my vision.

I hope you get this sorted out. It’s on my med notes now that I cannot be given that particular brand. And it could be the smallest thing that’s changed that’s causing you problems. We are all different, what might be okay for one could be quite bad for another. I’m sorry I haven’t read the whole thread but have you spoken to a doctor and pharmacist?

I can't tolerate ACACIA, which unfortunately is an excipient (an added ingredient for binding, filling or coating purposes) in many medications. A lot of manufacturers add it. These are listed in the patient leaflet in the box, in section 6.

It's a right pain in the arse trying to get medications without it, including amitriptyline, thyroid meds, BP meds and pain meds. <Sigh>

It's not even a 'generic vs branded' issue. It's an excipient issue - especially if you are prescribed multiple meds to take daily. If possible, try to identify the excipient that's causing the issues.

Not yet, I’m going to - I’m thinking now if it’s worth just trying to get my original brand back anyway and just see if it makes a difference. I feel like the doctor is just going to say there’s no difference in the pills so I’d rather have the information in front of me if possible. I could call different pharmacies to ask which ones they stock as well.

Thanks everyone that’s commented so far

I think getting your original brand back is a very good idea.

This is what I get given...

Unfortunately you may find that the pharmacy have little or no control over the brand they receive from the wholesaler. Usually a pharmacy (especially a chain) are tied to one wholesaler and the wholesaler will bulk buy from manufacturers based on price so, as prices fluctuate due to all kinds of global factors, the brands they buy (and have available to send to pharmacies) changes.

The very small amounts of lactose in pharmaceuticals are rarely a problem. Lactose intolerance is dose related, many/ most lactose intolerant people can cope with the tiny amounts in tablets;
https://www.drugtopics.com/view/clinical-q-can-lactose-intolerant-patients-use-lactose-containing-medications

This https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/prescribing-in-lactose-intolerance-and-how-to-identify-lactose-free-medicines/
might be helpful for finding a lactose free brand (if one exists) but it's just as likely likely to be another ingredient or something completely unrelated.

Switching brands or taking a short break#* might be the only way to test if it really is something about the new brand that isn't agreeing with you (#*check with your Dr or pharmacist before doing that as it may not be suitable depending on what you take it for and what dose)

If you can isolate the excipient that's the issue, that's really helpful. You can ask your pharmacy to note it on your record they keep (my independent pharmacy does this), and give them a heads-up on which manufacturers' products are OK.

For example, Levothyroxine from Mercury and Teva do contain acacia. Levothyroxine from Accord and Wockhardt don't.

I know I've had similar with amitriptyline.

(You still have to keep an eagle eye out though for mistakes. We have had loads - but double-check and ask for a swap at the counter, so the meds can be taken back by the pharmacy and aren't wasted.)

Some people are sensitive to PEG which macrogol has I think.

Just an update on this, I was due some more of the medication so I decided to sign up for Boots delivery rather than use the local chemist that gave me the brand I believed to affected me badly. (My original tablets were from a Boots).

Luckily when they arrived they were the original brand which I have since been taking for a few weeks now, the issues went away on the first day of taking them and my tummy has been absolutely fine since then! I am still none the wiser what exactly caused the issue but I am convinced it is the tablets whether an ingredient or the amount of an ingredient used.

Thank you to Mumsnet members who helped!

Pleased for you.

So Almus Amitriptyline 10mg was the issue?

What is the original brand, out of interest, that doesn't cause you problems?

No, it’s Almus that are the good ones, my original brand! 😊

It was these ones that caused me issues

One of the differences is pregelatinised starch. Flamingo has it, Almus doesn't? (Check that - I'm tired and need sleep!)

Yeah I saw that was the different ingredient but I would be surprised if that was the problem as it is in lots of foods. 🤷🏻‍♀️