Two different Manufacturers

[Jackie]

Last week I was taking my Warfarin and I found two different shape and color pills in my hand. I put the lite color one back and got the purple one out. When I went for a blood test yesterday I took the bottle to the pharmacy and was told that it was OK, just different manufactures. Does anyone know if this is proper procedure to fill in with another manufacturer. It scared me to see these as I am not sure if I had taken something that was not warfarin. Do you think it is worth a call to a supervisor?

My home test came out 3.1 yesterday and my lab came back 3.8, I know it is within the boundary of acceptable correlation between the two, however the anti-coagulation clinic will freak. What is a good argument that it is acceptable. Which one should they base my dose on. I personally would leave alone, mime goes up and down all the time without any changes in food, activity, dose, etc.
Who knows??

 

[Ross]

If they are different colors, they are different strengths. What do each of them say on it?

Taro
Warfarin Sodium Tablets, USP for oral use also contain:
All strengths: Anhydrous lactose, corn starch and magnesium stearate
1 mg: D&C red #6 Barium Lake.
2 mg: FD&C blue #2 Aluminum Lake, FD&C red #40 Aluminum Lake.
2.5 mg: FD&C blue #2 Aluminum Lake, D&C yellow #10 Aluminum Lake.
3 mg: FD&C blue #2 Aluminum Lake, FD&C red #40 Aluminum Lake, D&C yellow #10 Aluminum Lake.
4 mg: FD&C blue #1 Aluminum Lake.
5 mg: D&C yellow #10 Aluminum Lake, D&C red #6 Barium Lake.
6 mg: D&C yellow #10 Aluminum Lake, FD&C blue #2 Aluminum Lake.
7.5 mg: D&C yellow #10 Aluminum Lake.
10 mg: Dye Free

Barr
http://www.barrproductguide.com/

Taro is oblong
Barr is shaped like a football
Jantoven is Round

 

[escargome]

I would ask your doctor or the pharmacist. I thought when they had to change a manufacturer they had to tell you when you picked up the prescription. Good Luck

 

[Ross]

I would ask your doctor or the pharmacist. I thought when they had to change a manufacturer they had to tell you when you picked up the prescription. Good Luck

If she got two different color pills, she got different strengths and I question whether they filled the prescription properly or if it was written for a different strength.

 

[Jackie]

If she got two different color pills, she got different strengths and I question whether they filled the prescription properly or if it was written for a different strength.

When I took them to the Pharmacy I was told that two are Barr 2mg and the rest is Toro 2mg. When I inspect them they to day Barr 2 and Toro 2mg, Should they be mixing manufactures?

 

[njean]

Last week I was taking my Warfarin and I found two different shape and color pills in my hand. I put the lite color one back and got the purple one out. When I went for a blood test yesterday I took the bottle to the pharmacy and was told that it was OK, just different manufactures. Does anyone know if this is proper procedure to fill in with another manufacturer. It scared me to see these as I am not sure if I had taken something that was not warfarin. Do you think it is worth a call to a supervisor?

My home test came out 3.1 yesterday and my lab came back 3.8, I know it is within the boundary of acceptable correlation between the two, however the anti-coagulation clinic will freak. What is a good argument that it is acceptable. Which one should they base my dose on. I personally would leave alone, mime goes up and down all the time without any changes in food, activity, dose, etc.
Who knows??

This is something new to me Jackie --- Like Ross, I always thought that the different color tablets were different strengths! So, this is definitely an eye opener! Kind of worrisome I would think!

 

[Ross]

Taro 2mg tablet

Barr 2mg tablet

It doesn't matter if you mix them so long as it's warfarin/coumadin. Makes no difference. I just wanted to be sure they didn't change strengths on you. While they should be the same color, obviously one uses more dye then the other.

Trust the 3.1 your machine gave you, not the 3.8 that the lab got.

 

[njean]

Taro 2mg tablet

Barr 2mg tablet

I guess patients are going to have to be more vigilant when taking their anticoagulant meds. You can't rely on a specific color for a specific strength any longer! Geewhiz, why do manufacturers do this?!!!

 

[Ross]

I never knew there were so many different drug companies that make warfarin but:

Which american drug companies are producing Warfarin Sodium?
Apothecon Inc, Barr Laboratories Inc, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Caremark Inc, DispenseXpress Inc, IVAX Corporation, Physicians Total Care, Sandoz Inc, Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S.A. Inc, UDL Laboratories Inc, Vangard Labs Inc

 

[Jackie]

It doesn't matter if you mix them so long as it's warfarin/coumadin. Makes no difference. I just wanted to be sure they didn't change strengths on you. While they should be the same color, obviously one uses more dye then the other.

Trust the 3.1 your machine gave you, not the 3.8 that the lab got.

Those are the one's!! I trust the 3.1 but the anticoagulation clinic won't. What should my argument be to them. They always freek out and I am not always sure how to word things so they will understand why I don['t want to change my dose.

 

[Ross]

I guess patients are going to have to be more vigilant when taking their anticoagulant meds. You can't rely on a specific color for a specific strength any longer! Geewhiz, why do manufacturers do this?!!!

There both Lavender, but one looks darker then the other.

 

[Ross]

Those are the one's!! I trust the 3.1 but the anticoagulation clinic won't. What should my argument be to them. They always freek out and I am not always sure how to word things so they will understand why I don['t want to change my dose.

They should already know, different reagents yield different results. Challenge them to test your blood twice and come up with the exact same result!

Your machine has an ISI of 1, their lab likely has an ISI of 2 or more. It's like comparing apples to oranges.

They shouldn't be changing your dose for 3.8 anyhow!!!!!