<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

When I got a refill of Triamterene/Hydochlorothiazide (generic Diazide),
the capsules were a different color, and the pharmacist had attached an
extra label saying "This is the same medication you have been getting.
Color, size or shape may appear different."

Warning bells went off in my head, and I asked my pharmacist for a list of
ingredients, so I could check for possible gluten in the fillers. He said
he thought it had to be identical to the name brand, but he wasn't sure;
he's always very cooperative, thank goodness, and pulled out the
informational flyer that comes with every drug.

While I read it, he looked up the Duramed Pharmaceutical's phone number
for me. It is 1-800-543-8338. They also have a website, www.duramed.com (I
haven't checked that yet).

The active ingredients are named above. Inactive ingredients are:
cetylpyridinium chloride, gelatin, lactose monohydrate, magnesium
stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polysorbate 80, pregelatinized
starch, sodium starch glycolate and titatium dioxide.

I called the 800 number and got a very helpful lady named Marianne. She
couldn't find the information about the gluten status or the source of the
starch, and gave me another number, 513-731-9900, which is the
Pharmaceutical company's real number; the 800 number is just to handle
medically related issues (which I thought mine was! but I didn't go into
that with her).

The second number transferred me back to Marianne before I even got a full
sentence out! So she promised to call them herself and get back to me, and
took my day and home phones, and my address. Sure enough, a couple of
hours later I got a call from another nice lady, named Debbie, who assured
me that my new pills were free of any gluten, and that the starch derived
from corn. It took a lot of calls and involved at least 4 people, but the
information finally was available!

So this particular generic blood pressure medication is GF. My pharmacist
wants me to get back to him and let him know what I found out, which I
will surely do.

Have a happy, healthy weekend!

Bobbi in Baltimore