Do your medications have identification markings?

[smilelines]

I am on Leflunimide and the pharmacy has sourced a brand with no identification markings. None. Just a white round pill. I am not very keen on this as I like to check to make sure that my prescription has been filled correctly. Is it normal to have pills with no markings on them?

[helixhelix]

What did the pharmacy say when you asked them? Did they give you a brand name, or an accompanying patient information leaflet?

Generally pills do have some identifier, either shape or colour or imprint (or all three)

[smilelines in reply to helixhelix]

They just said that the insurance company pays for the cheapest of the leflunimide and this one is the cheapest. I have had apo and teva leflunimide but this new one is accell. I asked my doctor if she could write that I want a particular kind as I don't like unmarked pills and she said no. The pharmacy said if I wanted one of the other generic ones I would have to pay for them over and above the insured amount. Honestly, they look almost identical to my vitamin d tablets. So, I was just wondering what is happening in other countries. I am in Canada.

[helixhelix in reply to smilelines]

With the brand name you can check the description, and this is what it says

ACCEL-LEFLUNOMIDE 10 mg film-coated tablets are white, round biconvex tablets with no defects and with a diameter of about 6.1 mm. Each tablet contains 10 mg of leflunomide as active ingredient.

(On page 32 of the product information

pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00046765...

So that sounds right.

[smilelines in reply to helixhelix]

Thanks for sending that link. Says I should have my blood work every two weeks for the first 6 months. My doctor has me go every 5 or 6 weeks. Jeeez 🤷‍♀️

[helixhelix in reply to smilelines]

5 or 6 weeks is not bad....comparatively!

[Hidden]

Not all pills have markings, full stop, it really does vary widely. Generic Leflunomide is actually often unmarked from my own experience - I had several different brands over 9 months, and many were just round, white tablets, particularly if they came in pill bottles - even if the bottles were branded and sealed - rather than strips in boxes.

[bpeal1]

My leflunomide tablets are usually unmarked and look very similar to vitamin D tablets but I keep them in their original pacakaging (which comes sealed) so not a problem to me.

[medway-lady]

I would not worry to much each prescription is double checked and mine used to be little white ones by Arava.

[Mmrr]

In the year I've been on leflunomide I've had several different brands, quite different looking from each other. Some marked some not.I find it all a bit annoying as I take so many meds that great care is needed morning and evening to make sure I am taking the correct wee white and often unmarked tablet.

[smilelines in reply to Mmrr]

Yes!! And how do we even know the pharmacist has given us the correct pills when they are wee white and unmarked.