Medication smells like Fish

[Holly In RI]

I have the generic metformin from Wal Mart. Just this past week I noticed when I opened the bottle, this nasty fishy smell comes out. It was not like that last week when I started this bottle...

Does anyone else have this problem? It turns my stomach:puke:

[hannahanne]

I've never noticed much of an odor from metformin, and I've been taking metformin for over three years. I just went and sniffed mine, and I didn't notice anything. If your metformin has an odd smell, you might take it to your pharmacist and ask if there's something wrong with it.

[Dan Gato]

I've never noticed much of an odor from metformin, and I've been taking metformin for over three years. I just went and sniffed mine, and I didn't notice anything. If your metformin has an odd smell, you might take it to your pharmacist and ask if there's something wrong with it.

Holly, I agree with Hanna, return it pronto !

& try a different pharmacy, maybe a different chain.

[Holly In RI]

Can I just go in there and return it? WIll it mess up my prescription refills?

I just called CVS because I had them for my first prescription, but transferred it to wal mart because it was so much cheaper...

and the pharmacist who answered at cvs was so cocky to me. he said metformin has a distictive smell. Thats BS. The one I had from CVS had no distinct smell at all. I was really calling there to explain my situation and to say I wanted to transfer my prescription back, and how do I go about getting X amount of pills (the amount I have left in my bottle)

This just sucks. I have not ever been on any medication in my life, so this is all new to me as it is, and I feel like there is no guidance thru the pharmacy..

Thank god I found this forum, it gives me some reassurance.

[notme]

If you don't get an answer that is satisfactory go and talk to another pharmacist. I go to Savon even though most of my meds come mail order. They are always helpful. Tell them your concerns and see if they can answer your questions.

[grace girl]

I would take the bottle back to the walmart you bought them from and speak to the pharmacist there. I can't imagine that they would give you a problem. The pharmacist that I use actually fussed at me for not returned three needles that I got that the plunger didn't work correctly. It never occured to me to even try to return them.

[ladytaz]

Well, I never smelled my meds before, but seeing this post, I did open up mine, which I just got on tuesday, from walmart (for the first time from them) and when ya take a wiff, it does smell like fish. I have a few pills left from my last refill, from somewhere else, and I don't smell that in those. Altho they are both from different makers. AND I've had the last one for 3 months, so maybe it wore off?? *shrugs* I'm not overly concerned about it tho. As I said, I didn't notice it from the one from walmart until I just stuck my nose in to take a wiff! Upon opening it, I don't smell it tho, gotta stick my nose in it! LOL

[lilituc]

It depends on the manufacturer. The generic I was on did smell, although I thought it was less fishy and more like...uh...moldy pee.

[ladytaz]

Well, I never smelled my meds before, but seeing this post, I did open up mine, which I just got on tuesday, from walmart (for the first time from them) and when ya take a wiff, it does smell like fish. I have a few pills left from my last refill, from somewhere else, and I don't smell that in those. Altho they are both from different makers. AND I've had the last one for 3 months, so maybe it wore off?? *shrugs* I'm not overly concerned about it tho. As I said, I didn't notice it from the one from walmart until I just stuck my nose in to take a wiff! Upon opening it, I don't smell it tho, gotta stick my nose in it! LOL

Correction, I got them from Sam's .... same difference, but still :wink:

[ladytaz]

It depends on the manufacturer. The generic I was on did smell, although I thought it was less fishy and more like...uh...moldy pee.


eW ... that's gotta be worse than fishy smell! BLECH!

[sweetcheeks]

well i got generic form of metformin from a local pharmacy, doesnt smell

i got fortamet from a mail order pharmacy it does smell, i dont think she has anything to worry about, cause if i remember correctly alot of pills smell when i open the bottle maybe its got something to do with the powder they use to form the pill??

if your really concerned take them back and let them compare to the original bottle they came from... if they say not to worry, dont...

[Holly In RI]

well i got generic form of metformin from a local pharmacy, doesnt smell

i got fortamet from a mail order pharmacy it does smell, i dont think she has anything to worry about, cause if i remember correctly alot of pills smell when i open the bottle maybe its got something to do with the powder they use to form the pill??

if your really concerned take them back and let them compare to the original bottle they came from... if they say not to worry, dont...

I am not so worried about the pill....but the smell turns my stomach and makes me gag...

[lilituc]

I used to hold my nose while taking them.

[shanda]

I've been taking Metformin for almost a year now and it has never smelled. I just got a new prescription filled the other day and just sniffed it......... nothing, no smell at all.

I would return them where you got them and ask nicely that they replace them. If they don't want to when you ask nicely, then DEMAND that they do. Believe me, they don't want anyone standing in front of their pharmacy desk loudly complaining about sour pills ;)

[lilituc]

I've been taking Metformin for almost a year now and it has never smelled. I just got a new prescription filled the other day and just sniffed it......... nothing, no smell at all.

I would return them where you got them and ask nicely that they replace them. If they don't want to when you ask nicely, then DEMAND that they do. Believe me, they don't want anyone standing in front of their pharmacy desk loudly complaining about sour pills ;)

I agree, although this will only work if they carry a different brand of generic. If they replace them with the same brand, they will still smell. I should have clarified: I was on metformin er for over five months and every single bottle I ever got smelled like that. I think I still have some.

They're made by Andrx (now owned by Watson). So, um, don't get those.

[princesslinda]

When I read this, I had to go and sniff my Rx bottle....and it does have an "odd smell." I don't taste it though. I usually put my pills for the week in a pill reminder box and don't notice any smell there.

[dacruzer]

Return it, like yesterday.

[slipperyelm]

When I was on metformin, I always bought whichever generic brand the pharmacy had gotten their own best deal on. Yes, sometimes they smelled bad; other times they did not. The first time my metformin smelled notable, it was actually like the smell of inexpensive chocolate! I did check back with the pharmacist about that. He confirmed that it was indeed metformin. It worked just fine for me.

Besides using different binding agents in the pills, pills can be coated differently, or not coated at all, which can also effect the smell.

I would not be fearful of the pills, as long as you confirm with the pharmacist that you actually do have metformin in your bottle.

[Mister Q]

Over 3 years on metormin and I have never noticed any odour at all from the pills personally, although I will have a quick sniff next time I take some.

[Holly In RI]

Well, when I was in Wal Mart tonight, I stopped by the pharmacy to ask them about the pill. I jsut said my medication had a strong smell, and she said is it metformin? Its not made with anything that is fish, but it smells like it.

I will finish this bottle and then go right bavk to my cvs prescription. So I pay an extra 10.00..at least it does not stink!:frown:

[lewsterr]

I never recalled smelling anything unusual when opening my bottle of Metformin from Walmart, so, I just opened the bottle and took a couple of big sniffs. I couldn't detect any odor at all.

With this in mind, if I ever detect an ordor, fishy or otherwise, I would immediately return it to the pharmacy. Has anyone contacted the pharmaceutical company's customer service regarding this?

[trekbear]

I just switched to Wal-Mart Generic Metformin and YES THEY DO STINK :vroam: . I myself just hold my breath, briefly, when opening the bottle. To me it's worth the $180.00 A year in savings over my copay for generics now...

I have been on them now for about 2 weeks and I can't tell any difference EXCEPT the smell. BGL are the same and like I said for $180.00 in savings I can put up w/ a smell like that for a few mins a day. The suggestion to put them in a pill box/reminder is an excellent one, that I will be using tonight when I get home.. Thanks for that !!!!