Blue Fluoxetine Causes Heartburn (Page 5) (Top voted first)

Recently my pharmacy began giving me a new version of fluoxetine, which I have taken for MANY years with no problems.... however the blue fluoxetine gives me horrible heart burn. I use to take them at night before bed, but couldn't sleep, so decided to start taking them in the morning and still get the heartburn. I don't take them with any other meds. I tried an empty stomach, and after eating, but the results are still the same. I also get a bad headache (I think from the heartburn.) Has anyone figured out how to avoid this problem?

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REPORT

After seeing your message last night, I decided to report to the FDA. I just did this. Below was my report. Anyone reading this, please go to this link and report your problems so we can get to the bottom of this issue, whatever it is. I have been on fluoxetine for 5 years and it works, except when I don't take it. This problem keeps me from takign it like I should.
accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/consumer.reporting

Here was my post: On 01/31/14 and 02/04/14 I took 2 x 20 mg capusules of Fluoxetine by Pliva. On both occasions, I began to feel this pressure, tingling or burning sensation in my throat. I produced lots of saliva. I burped and I could taste the fluoxetine. I gagged and had chills from the intensity of the particles of the medication travelign through my nose. It was awfully bitter. Then, I felt more pressure in my chest. On the first occasion, I had intense painful pressure after drinking hot tea, thinking that would dislodge the pill(s) if they were stuck in my throat. On the second occasion, I also tried drinking a warmer water and three big gulps after getting the same symptoms, hoping it would flush any pill taht was stuck. I don't know if a pill is actually getting stuck, but it feels like it. What occurred after both instances is painful heartburn, burping, pressure, and then my esophagus or organ that closes over my stomach feels damaged, like it was burnt. Right now, after last nights episode, this location burns slightly and hurts a little more when I eat, when the food passes that area. Also, its the same area where I feel like the pill got stuck. Finally, I chose to report this because these two occurences were not isolated. I have been taking 20mg Fluoxetine capsules since 2009. I began getting the heartburn on occasion about two months after taking Fluoxetine. I would estimate I have had around 15-20 instances where I have gotten this unbearable heartburn that always felt like a pill was stuck in my throat. I have tried different things to avoid this, such as making sure that I drink plenty of lukewame (not cold water) when I take the pills, not taking on a full or empty stomach, taking at different times of the day. It seems that it is not associated with any of these things except maybe cold water. It seems taking it with cold water definitely is not a good idea. I usually get the white capsule with the green stripe made by Pliva, but I have had others on occasion. I never found a correlation over the years between what generic brand I was taking and getting this heartburn. Also, I do not get heartburn for any other reason. I have had heartburn less than five times in my life before taking fluoxetine. I am a female, Caucasian, age 30. I do not take any other prescriptions at this time. Besides the cold water, I suspect two other thigns that could cause this. On both of the dates I listed, I took the fluoxetine with orange gatorade. In the past, I ate a lot of pumpkin bread for breakfast. I would eat a large slice of pumpkin bread and then take my meds, which at the time was fluoxetine and Ritalin. I would get heartburn every time with the pumpkin bread, so I stop taking that with my pills. As of today, I am calling my doctor to see if I can be switched to a non-capsule pill.

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Megan, I have gone off my meds several times and would not be able get out of bed. I was on 40 and 60 mg daily at that time. If you had no withdrawal symptoms, it makes me suspicious of whether the pills were even working or if you couldn't take it bc of the heartburn, you had probably already weaned yourself off. Every body is different though.

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Megan, I was takeng fluoxetine because I felt the positives of it far out weighed the negatives and will probably pusue a prescription for something else to replace it with like Viibryd, not because I need it now but because I know I will need it in the future when I get in stressful times with work or life just throws it's punches. Here is the deal, I have a mild form of dyslexia that was never diagnosed as a child because I am atypical. I have excellent verbal skills where my brother struggled to read and write. As adults with dyslexia, we bothstruggle with work life balance and maintaining healthy relationships, like my dad.. Check out the symptoms of adults with dyslexia. When one cannot hold down a job and the work life balance begins to be such a struggle that relationships and just tnctioning become a problem, then I think taking a pill is wise, just like a diabetic taking insulin treatment because depression, anxiety, and ice disorders are all related to brain chemical imbalances just as diabetes is an imbalance in insulin levels. Anxiety that makes you lose a day sounds pretty serious. I hope you will continue to seek out answers to your problem in this area. A mind, body, spirit apoach is good. I just want to encourage you to not throw out the possibility that along with other good habits or counseling to help you that taking a pill may have enough pros that outweigh cons to help you get a leg up out of whatever challenge you are dealingg with in life and your health and could be a part of the foundation of you building a healthy life, even if it means only for a little while. For me, fluoxetne helped me not obsess about making decisions. It was as if I could think without being in a hazy cloud. It made my emotional hghs less high but the best part, my lows were not so low so I could get out of bed and be a functional person on the really low days, which may not happen very often now that I am in a healthy job situation and also not under the stresses of studying. Good luck to you.

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I take my fluoxetine with applesauce in the mornings. Works like a charm. No heartburn.

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I have exactly the same problem as your. I figured out the the blue cover of the capsule haste creating the severe heart burn. I changed this pill to orange blue or green one.
FDA should take strong action on this. This company should be banned.

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Glad I found this page, I was having severe pain from fluoxetine as well, called the pharmacy and they said that the tablets even before insurance are cash price only 10 dollars more, I will gladly pay another dollar or two a month if I can keep the benefits minus the reflux.

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The struggle is REAL with the heartburn/indigestion feeling about 20-30 mins after taking the pill. I find it hard to swallow b/c of the pain. WTF is up with this pill?!?!

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I'm so glad I found these comments. I too just started the nasty blue pills. Horrible heartburn, feeling like my food is stuck in my throat. Been absolutely miserable. I have never suffered with heartburn in my life. I immediately called and had my prescription switched to a pharmacy that carries the white ones with green stripes!

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I am taking the 40mg. orange ,blue and grey colored Fluoxetine. I have been fighting heartburn all morning. Didn't know what was going on until I put two and two together. I have had an " Esophyogal *sp. tie"! "Surgery for my heartburn six years ago. I could have avoided this elective surgery; If I had known it was the Fluoxetine all along. Which I have a very strong feeling it was the cause of all my prior heartburn attacks. Fluoxetine users BEWARE!

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No amount of water helped me with indigestion/pain from the blue ones. The green and white I could take fine, but my pharmacy couldn't get them anymore. Now I take the tablets with no problems.

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Try swallowing the pill next time with a carbonated beverage. Drinking some coke or something now may help, idk. No promises but thats been my experience.

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You need to call your doctor and see if they can rewrite your prescription to brand name Prozac and not the generic fluoxetine.. If you have your doctor do a prior authorization your insurance company will cover it.. My heartburn didn't stop for me until I got back to brand name Prozac.. I have been on Prozac for about 20 years, about 3 to 4 years ago my pharmacy started giving me the generic forms of Prozac which is Fluoxetine.. Immediately I started having severe heartburn with headaches.. It took me 3 years of suffering and just 3 to 4 months ago my doctor changed me back to original brand name Prozac and I have NOT had any heartburn or headaches... I hope you talk with your doctor soon because I know what your going through and its pure misery... Also some people say liquid prozac is easy to take with low side effects.. I don't know about it.. I have better results from brand name Prozac (green & white capsules).. Good Luck and GOD BLESS You... My prayers go out to you

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When I have taken the actual Brand name Prozac I have no obvious side effects. With the generics I sometimes run into problems. The two problems are 1. the pill feels like it is stuck in my throat and wont go down. 2. frequent urination! Like someone mentioned earlier, it has to be the "inactive ingredients" being added that vary between the many different generic fluoxetine manufacturers. Does anyone know of a way to find out all (active and inactive) ingredients in a generic pill (particularly from overseas manufacturers)? The following place lists some but not all manufacturers: dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed

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That happens to me some times. I drink a hot coffee or hot tea to help disolve it.

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I thank you all for sharing your experiences because I didn't know what was happening. It didn't happen every time I took my dose so I didn't know what it was. I told my doctor it caused severe chest pain. He said that he never heard of such side effects while taking Prozac, from his other patients. Today after taking my meds (80mg fluoxetine and 200mg wellbutrin) the pain started, nothing I did helped. Hot coffee...horrible, food...not a chance, it would make the burning sensation worse. Rolaids was no help. My husband finally talked me into sipping some ginger ale. That relieved some of the pain. However, I still could feel exactly where the burning occurred and was very weak and shaky all day. I was scared, it was never that bad. This sent me on an internet search and greatfully, I found this site, that I was not alone and its severe heartburn. 100% relief is when I empty the medicine out of the capsules and take it in a spoon with a lil water. It tastes horrible but no more pain. Tried it mixed in my mashed potatoes. I couldn't eat it. I was rushing yesterday and that's is why I swallowed the capsules whole. So, back to emptying the capsules and taking it in a spoon filled with water. Dr. didn't seem concerned when I told him that how I take it now, but please always speak with your doctor before changing the way your medicine is administered. Now this is the next morning and I still feel a bit weak and can still feel where there was burning. I can now drink coffee and food with little discomfort. Thanks again!

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I'm reading all this post and now realize that I did not have heartburn until I started taking these blue pills instead of the white pills with the green stripes. I have been getting so ill for the last 12 months. I'm miserable as I write this post.

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Add me to the list of heartburn recipients on the blue and white pill! OMG! I usually take 3 qty 10mg a day. Been doing so since 1997. Walmart changed to the blue ones. Headache and the worst heartburn ever. I found this site this morning and I'm grateful. Went to a different Walmart and got my old ones again! Yikes!

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Don't use any capsule that uses gelatin. Most generics use gelatin capsules. To prevent heartburn simply open the capsule and dump the powder into some pudding and eat it that way, or put the powder into another empty capsule and close it and swallow.

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The apple cider vinegar neutralizes the acid that is coming from the stomach and moving up into your esophagus. You take two or three large gulps. It burns as it goes down. After you do this you will have a small cough once or twice because of a muscle spasm that occurs as the acid is being neutralized. After about 15 to 30 seconds drink a few sips of water to wash down the rest of the vinegar and acid. Relief comes in about 15 minutes. Depending upon the severity you may have to follow this procedure one more time after about 20 minutes. Keep in mind that this isn't medicine, it's apple cider vinegar and water which is completely natural substances so you can't "overdose" or "take too much". If you've ever eaten a salad with oil and vinegar then you'll note what it will taste like. Make sure you use apple cider vinegar, not regular vinegar. Apple cider vinegar contains important ingredients which have been filtered out of regular vinegar.

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I'm dead serious about this: CAN WE SUE?
I checked fluoxetine's list of side effects, and Heart Burn is NOT there. So I suffered with this for years until I read these posts, and switched meds altogether to avoid it. It was YEARS of TORTURE. I want to sue the company for not putting this down as a side effect. Is that something we can do??

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