Pre-Natal Vitamins Making Me Sick???

[TerriP]

Did/does anyone else have trouble taking pre-natal vitamins? My doctor advised me to buy some "over the counter" pre-natal vitamins and take them with an additional dose of folic acid. I've tried taking these two pills together, separately, with food, and without, but no matter what I do, they make me sick. About 30 minutes after I take one, I have to run to the rest room. Then, when I take the other, it happens again.

Is this really common? I will call my doctor just to be safe, but I thought I might ask first if it isn't something that happens to lots of women.

TIA for any advice/comments.

 

[Beth76]

Have you tried taking them at night, before bed? That might help. My biggest problem with prenatals is remembering to take them.

 

[MrsJackSparrow]

Happened to me. Try taking them at night, just before you go to bed. I was able to keep them down then.

 

[wvrevy]

My DW couldn't take those at all. She got violently ill while taking them, and (I swear this is true) ended up taking Flintstone vitamins the rest of her pregnancy...and yes, that was on orders from her doctor.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Yes that can happen. I took some wiht my last pregnancy that made me nauceated. I know it was the vitamins becasue it happened every time. I finally switched brands and felt better.

I ended up using the pre-natals from GNC w/out iron. I take my iron separately. For that I take liquid Floridix. It is the BEST stuff!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Originally posted by wvrevy
My DW couldn't take those at all. She got violently ill while taking them, and (I swear this is true) ended up taking Flintstone vitamins the rest of her pregnancy...and yes, that was on orders from her doctor.

I take Flintstones vitamins now.

 

[onecoolmama]

Take them right before you go to bed. If you have to stay up later so you fall asleep faster do it.

That is what I am doing. If I know I wont fall asleep with in twenty minutes I saty up and wait until I am going to lay down before I take them.

 

[pjlla]

They didn't make me sick during my pregnancy, but I was nursing so I was instructed to continue to take them after DD was born.

Welll..... VERY SHORTLY after her birth I developed an odd, itchy rash on my legs. I thought it may be fleas from some hand-me-down baby stuff I had received. But my OB sent me to the dermatologist who told me it was my prenatal vitamins. I thought he was a crackpot, as I had been taking them for over 9 months! But low and behold, the moment I stopped taking them the rash disappeared! Weird, huh?...................P

 

[Laurabearz]

They were very hard for me to take also... esp in my first trimenster. Barforific!

Flintstones came to the rescue until my second trimester, then I was able to gag the prenates down.

I kept thinking... how could something so small (less than a limabean, the baby was at that point) mess up my whole body so much. A miracle for sure.

 

[castlegazer]

OH YEAH! But I am on a different variety this pregnancy that doesn't seem to be making as sick. I always take prescription pre-natals, though. Ask your doctor if there is a better version for you to take. There are many different varieties - prior to pregnancy I took the GNC women's ultra that had the required 400 mg of folic acid in it and it never made me sick - I just go onto a prescription variety of vitamin after learning of pregnancy to make sure I am getting everything I need.

I learned very fast that I had to take them on a very full stomach, at the end of a meal. Not just putting a little something in my tummy - having a full blown meal prior to taking it. That may help you.

 

[elgerber]

Yes, they made me sick too, when I was pregnant. I never got physically sick, but all day long I wished I would, so that I could feel better. Very unpleasant.

Erika

 

[TerriP]

I'm sorry you all got so sick...but, "yeah", I'm glad it's not just me! <lol>

I think I'll give my doctor a call and see if there is something else I can take. I tried taking them before bed this past weekend and, well, there will never be any *romance* in my life if I do that. It's hard to be romantic when you're running for the bathroom!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Didn't make me sick but made me constipated like you wouldn't believe! My doc prescribed some prenatals for me that had enough iron in them to constipate an elephant.

TOV

 

[oogieboogie]

I have that problem too during both pregnancies. I had such severe headaches I couldn't function most days. I finally stopped taking them and voila... headaches gone.

We finally traced it to my low tolerance of the iron and folic acid in the vitamins. The doctor finally said just as long as you eat your leafy greens and food high in iron that should be enough.

My 2 kids were born just fine and to this day I still can't take any multi-vitamins.

 

[Pin Wizard]

No problem here. I took Prenate-90 vitamins and Slow FE iron. Never had a problem. I felt so great with the vitamins that I kept them up for a couple years after giving birth! My multi-vitamin OTC just isn't the same.

 

[Desiree]

I couldn't take them at all during my pregnancy either. My doc just prescribed other vitamins.

To this day I still cannot stomach anything that smells like vanilla! Blech!

 

[SandrainNC]

I had trouble taking my prenatal vitamins and the doctor wrote me a prescription for a chewable prenatal vitamin. It tasted very similar to Flinstones but was just a big round vitamin. I didn't feel bad after taking them like I did the others.

Sandra

 

[Disney Enthusiast]

Yep. Got sick w/ both kids. I think they had too much iron or something in them. The doctor just prescribed another brand for me. Then no problems.

 

[Annette_VA]

I took Prenate w/ my 1st DS & they left the nastiest sulfur taste in my mouth. I switched to taking them at night & that helped.

I'm taking PrimaCare now (nursing) & they don't bother me at all. They just annoy me because they're 2 pills a day - like I have the memory left to take 2 pills a day. LOL

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

They didn't make me sick, but I couldn't swallow them..my gag reflex was in overdrive!!

My dr. said as long as I ate well, don't worry about it!! My DD is 6yo and healthy as a horse!! She was 8lbs at birth.....guess I REALLY ate well!! LOL!