Blue Fluoxetine Causes Heartburn (Page 7)

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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I have conducted extensive testing and have come to the conclusion that the heartburn is not caused by the Fluoxetine itself, but rather by the ingredients in the capsule. I tried three different brands of generic Fluoxetine and the name brand (DAW on the script). Each of the generic brands caused some level of heartburn, one of them more severe than the others. I had purchased empty vegetarian capsules and removed the cap from the original capsule and simply poured the contents into the vegetarian capsule. When taking the Fluoxetine with the vegetarian capsule there was no heartburn for any of the generic brands. I would suggest that those who are experiencing heartburn find empty capsules of the vegetarian variety and simply transfer the medication from the original capsules into the new ones.

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My pharmacy switched suppliers as well to the blue and orange pill by Teva. I have been getting the worst heartburn ever since taking this medication. I googled it this afternoon, then followed this forum and what a relief and what help it has been knowing I'm not the only one. I called around several pharmacies and found another that carried a different supplier. They contacted my insurance company and explained the side effects that I was having (the horrible heartburn). I actually felt like I could possibly be having a heart attack. They got my prescription transferred and got my insurance company to cover it. Thank goodness.

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I got blue pills. I was fine until last night and tonight. It's amazing what you find on the internet.

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Thank u so very much. I too thought I was having a more serious problem than heartburn. Also, thanx for ur experience. I will also contact other pharmacies.
At first, I asked my Dr. to change to the capsulettes ( no plastic) but it seemed to be less potent. I then went back to the capsules (plastic green/orange) but I DO NOT SWALLOW THE PLASTIC. I open them, put the powder and a lil water in a table sized spoon.
The taste is horrible but NO MORE PAIN.

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I am taking Fluoxetine Capsules. Two 40 mg pills each morning. They are: mint green and orange plastic capsules with E92 printed on the capsules. Manufactured for Aurobindo Pharma USA by Aurobindo Pharma Limited/ India
I also take, two 150 mg of bupropion. Round purple pill E415 etched on one side (wellbutrin)

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Same problem here. Especially if taking right before bed. I've learned to take with food and earlier in the day so I am upright and not laying down. Feels like the pill is stuck in the esophagus other wise.

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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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The two most popular solutions that people have discovered is to either pop open the capsule and pour the powder onto food, or put the powder into an empty non-gelatin vegetarian capsule and take it that way. The heartburn is caused by the dye and the gelatin in the capsule material itself, not the actual drug.

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It's not the drug, it's the capsule that it comes in. They use a heavy grade gelatin capsule in most generic versions of the drug. There are two ways to prevent the heartburn: either (1) open the capsule and dump the powder into some food mixed with a little sugar, or (2) buy some empty vegetarian food-grade capsules and transfer the powder from the old capsule to the empty one. This is the option I follow and it eliminates all heartburn. Although pills do go down when you swallow them, what happens for many people is that the gelatin capsules float to the top of the stomach and the gelatin gets smeared on the upper part of the stomach at the junction of the esophagus just above the lower esophageal sphincter which is of course unnatural and the acid tries to dissolve it, but it can't do it easily so the acid will reflux (flow backwards by going up instead of down). However, people with hiatal hernias will experience this much more severely.

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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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I have been having this EXACT same issue with the white capsulettes with orange stripes. (40 mg fluoxetine) It feels like it gets stuck in my chest and the heartburn is unbearable. I also have the orange/blue ones and do not remember having the issue with those. I lost a full bottle of those and refilled to the white and orange. I recently found the blue/orange ones and will try those again to see. I cannot take this medicine if I can't find a way around this issue.

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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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Holy Hell... I am laying on the floor right now after taking two blue capsules on empty stomach... This is the third time in last month and I thought I was just swallowing them wrong. Thank you for all your information so now I don't have to be basically zombified for a couple hours while it passes...btw... Had someone get me some Apple cider vinegar and it seems to be working. Thanks again!

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I am experiencing a blocked tight burning pain in my chest/throat. I have never before suffered from this sensation before. Just 4 days into a new box of fluroxatine blue. I threw up yesterday. Tell me what will the cider vinegar do?

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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 spoke to my doctor today and she has prescribed me tablets instead of the caps. She says do not break open the caps when taking Fluroxatine as you may get a spike in the active ingredients. Today I try the tablets. Hopefully no throat pain all day night long.

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Yes, you should notice a difference in the pills rather than capsules. It's the gelatin in the capsules which is causing the problems for people. When a person can only afford to take the capsules the better way to take it is to switch the drug from inside the gelatin capsule to a non-gelatin capsule. If a person has vitamins in capsules they can simply dump out the vitamin and dump the Fluoxetine into that capsule, cover it back up with the top, and take it that way. It will still dissolve in the stomach, but will not create the heartburn.

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I have experienced the same horrible heartburn and came to this site seeking solutions. One solution posted (forgot who it was) suggested I ask my pharmacist to switch pharmaceutical companies. Worked like a charm. Can't remember old company. New company: Teva.

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If I don't take my 20mg Prozac with a lot of pop it gets stuck in my throat and I experience the absolute worst pain I've ever felt. I'm not religious but all I could do was pray for some relief. The only thing I could compare the pain to is the feeling you get when you have gallstones. Horrendous incredible pain that's impossible to ease with anything but time.

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Another sight I went to suggest putting your neck down instead of back when swallowing. This actually helps. I have never exlerienced a pain as bad as stuck prozac. Id rather be depressed!My pill is green and orange. Good luck to every one!

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