Question for mothers/expectant mothers

[Ree]

This isn't for me, but for a young woman I know who is pregnant.
Does anyone else have experience with nausea and taking prenatal vitamins?
She hasn't been able to keep any down at all, because only moments after she takes them, she gets nauseated and throws up.

Does anyone have any tips that worked for them?
She tries taking them with food, but it doesn't seem to help.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of stress going on in her life, so it adds to the nausea and vomiting, and it's hard to say if the vitamin is causing the nausea or it's all just coincidental.

She really needs to find a way to be able to take them, though, because, as I said, her life is really upside down and she isn't always eating right.

Any suggestions?

[XCashier]

There's probably something else going on; perhaps she can't swallow pills for some reason at this time, or there could be something in the pill itself that her body is rejecting. She should really speak to her doctor about what's going on; perhaps he could prescribe her a liquid or chewable form, or adjust her prescription.

[Ree]

She has an appointment in 3 weeks. That was the earliest she could get in.
She will definitely talk to her doctor then.

Was just curious if anyone else had found any tips to help them with that kind of nausea.

She has no trouble swallowing. It's keeping it down that's the problem.

I told her to take them later in the day, perhaps with lunch, so that, hopefully, morning sickness would have passed.
She said she tried that, and it didn't help.
I think I may suggest taking them in the evening to see if that helps.

As far as I know, time of day doesn't really matter all that much with vitamins, but I could be wrong.

Poor little thing. I just feel so bad for her because I suffered from severe emesis when I was pregnant, and had to be admitted several times to deal with dehydration, so I understand completely how she is feeling.

[kpzra]

Yup, months (8) of nausea right after I took my vitamin and now I still cannot take a multivitamin without being nauseous. I found taking them right before I got into bed helped a bit but nothing made it go away altogether. My doctor tried switching brands and even strengths (cut one in half and take at two separate times during the day) which helps some women. I think it was just my daughter being a pain from the get go.

My doctor did put me on prilosec which helped a little if I took them at the same time (bedtime). It helped keep the acid down so I didn't vomit at least.

[NorthernZel]

I had a mild case of nausea during the first trimester of my pregnancy but was still able to take my multivitamins.

Perhaps cutting the pill up in two pieces could help a bit? Also, I've been told that ginger can ease up a bit on the nausea.

EDITED TO ADD: Also, she might try (until she can be seen at the doctor's) to get as much of the vitamines through food and drink intake, like, for instance, fluid herbal remedies. Green beans supply some foline acid (which is important to get during the first trimester).

[Ree]

Yeah, I am definitely going to suggest to her to try and eat better so that she isn't as dependent on the vitamins for nutrition.

I'm not sure what's in a prenatal vitamin that makes it so special.

She said she normally doesn't like milk, but now she can't get enough, and she has been craving red meat, which she also has never been all that fond of.

[Caffienated_Caramel]

I had a mild case of it during my first as well. The pills I took at first were big and made me gag.

It could also be the iron in the prenatal vitamin she's taking. I've been told the iron in the beginning can make some pregnant ladies throw it back up. I know GNC has a prenatal without the iron. During my first trimester, I took vitafusion prenatal gummies along with calcium gummies.

For nausea in general, I recommend sipping on gingerale or sucking on a peppermint.

The reason why a prenatal is important because there is that extra boost of folic acid and DHA that you can't always get in the food you eat. Especially the folic acid.

[Kheldarson]

Yeah, I am definitely going to suggest to her to try and eat better so that she isn't as dependent on the vitamins for nutrition.

I'm not sure what's in a prenatal vitamin that makes it so special.

The prenatal vitamin isn't for nutrition so much as to supplement what you can't find enough of in the foods we normally eat (DHA, folic acid, etc.). Mine's also helping with my iron levels.

As for the nausea, mine was triggered by lack of eating...but I couldn't eat before I was hungry either so...meals were fun. Fortunately, it mostly went away after the first trimester. I helped control it with lots of Tums and ginger root pills. And snacking on crackers. Yay saltines!

Definitely talk to a doc though if the trigger is the prenatal.

[fireheart]

It could also be the iron in the prenatal vitamin she's taking. I've been told the iron in the beginning can make some pregnant ladies throw it back up.
The reason why a prenatal is important because there is that extra boost of folic acid and DHA that you can't always get in the food you eat. Especially the folic acid.

Damn, I'd heard of iron causing stomach upsets, but not actually causing women to spew it up.

And as for the folic acid thing, there are a few studies out there (can't quote them off the top of my head) that show that taking it helps reduce the risk of spina bifida and other birth defects. Something along those lines.

I've heard of women having anything with ginger in it for morning sickness. Also apparently bland crackers BEFORE she gets out of bed help.

[Mishi]

For me, it was the fish oil that was contributing to my morning sickness and it was bad, I dropped 3kg that I didn't need to lose. I'm nearly 30 weeks now and I've only just caught up with the recommended weight gain. All of the prenatal vitamins that I could find contained fish oil, so after consultation with my doctor*, I changed to an Iron complex pill in the morning and a Calcium complex tablet just before bed.

Why that timing? Well, the iron complex tablet that I take also has B vitamins in it, which give energy. The calcium complex tablets have manganese, which helps with leg cramps and restless legs, meaning that I can get a half-decent night's sleep.

(*My doctor informed me that Fish Oil has not actually been okay'd for use in pregnant women in Australia yet, but America is probably different.)

[fireheart]

Mishi, what are the names of those tablets?

Doc has recommended that I go on iron supplements (not preggers) and I want to go in armed with some information before I can find out how much I actually need to take.

[Headset Hellion]

When I was pregnant my OB prescribed me a prenatal vitamin that had an enteric coating on it to prevent nausea. I wasn't able to forgo the extra iron because I'm borderline anemic, and this really helped. I hope your friend feels better soon!

[Mishi]

@Fireheart - I take Cenovis Womens Iron Complex and it seems to be working. I am slightly low on B12, but that's normal for me towards the end of my pregnancies. Yay, shots!

@Ree - My doctor also prescribed Maxolon (Metoclopramide) to help with the nausea and it made a huge difference, so it's worth telling her to ask her doctor if she's able to have it.

[fireheart]

@Fireheart - I take Cenovis Womens Iron Complex and it seems to be working. I am slightly low on B12, but that's normal for me towards the end of my pregnancies. Yay, shots!

@Ree - My doctor also prescribed Maxolon (Metoclopramide) to help with the nausea and it made a huge difference, so it's worth telling her to ask her doctor if she's able to have it.

Thanks Mishi. I might ask the doctor about that (I have a follow-up next week).

Re the Maxolon, a lot of my friends went through really bad morning sickness with their kids and went on it. They said it worked wonders. (the oldest out of the bunch of babies I know of is 4, the youngest is almost 1 week )

Also as far as your B12 goes, I've heard that Spinach is apparently high in that (as well as Iron)

[Seshat]

Check with a doctor/nutritionist/dietician for which foods are high in what; partly because some foods are high in something but not in a form that the body can take in.

That said: no vegetable is as high in iron as meats (if I recall correctly); and red meats are higher than white.
Highest of all (again, iirc) is liver - but be careful how much of that (or of kidney) you eat, as both contain a concentration of toxins that were in the middle of being processed when the animal died.