Hi ladies;

Even on the lowest dose iron prenatal vitamin my body wants nothing to do with it. It has made me incredibly ill and spent 4 hours in emergency yesterday with severe abdominal pain and vomitting. In pregnancy #2 I could take the prenatal vitamin but no other iron supplementation for my low iron stores...this time around my sensitivity has increased x10 and I cannot even take the vitamin LOL.

So I am off them completely and just taking folic acid.

Anyone else had a severe sensitivity to iron in their prenatal vitamins?

Hi ladies;

Even on the lowest dose iron prenatal vitamin my body wants nothing to do with it. It has made me incredibly ill and spent 4 hours in emergency yesterday with severe abdominal pain and vomitting. In pregnancy #2 I could take the prenatal vitamin but no other iron supplementation for my low iron stores...this time around my sensitivity has increased x10 and I cannot even take the vitamin LOL.

So I am off them completely and just taking folic acid.

Anyone else had a severe sensitivity to iron in their prenatal vitamins?

I can take my vitamins now, but only at night - if I take them in the morning forget about - I will be throwing up all day. In the beginning I couldn't take them at all bec they made me so sick, so I just took a regular multivitamin instead or a low iron prenatal I picked up at the store (my regular prenatal is an Rx and has more iron in it).
I think that they do make prenatal vitamins without any iron at all - maybe if you ask your doctor he or she can point you in the right direction for those or write a prescription for them.

I am glad you are able to tolerate them at night at least :). I can't even do that LOL. I am not aware of any pre-natals without iron here in Canada...My doc couldn't think of any to recommend.

Praying I can get through this pregnancy without needing any extra iron supplements. I had low iron stores last time (even while taking the prenatal vitamin) so I wonder how my energy levels etc will be by the third trimester with no extra iron.

I am glad to know I am not the only one who has such a mega-sensitive tummy!

OH sweetie.. totally understand you! I couldn't take prenatals or the iron supplements I was supposed to take for my low iron levels. I had to take B-6 and Folic Acid... both of which also made me sick :( I hope you are able to get some vitamins in your system.. if not just be sure to eat well!

GNC sells prenatals without any iron in them:
http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2133884&cp&kw=prenatals+without+iron&origkw=prenatals+without+iron&sr=1

I think they have locations in Canada, but not 100% sure if the website ships there also...

Thanks Christine! We have GNC's all over here :)

I had this problem with my first pregnancy. I wasn't able to take prenatal vitamins due to the iron. The doctor told me to stop taking them for a month or two and then try again later when the morning sickness was gone. She said she'd rather me be able to eat then to take the pills and throw up my food.

Some people say the iron may be why I had such horrible morning sickness. I am a vegetarian to begin with, so I have always been borderline anemic. The extra iron in the vitamins really jolted my body (I believe). I find that the OTC vitamins are the only ones I can stomach. The prescription ones made me really sick (which I don't know if it is from the iron or the stool softener) - I had really bad intestinal cramping and I would vomit up the pill most of the time.

I hope you find something that works for you. (((HUGS)))

No sensitivity here, but I don't take iron. I've read bad things about iron supplements. (which I could look up and post if wanted) Just do your best to eat healthy and iron rich foods.

I'm sorry you can't take your iron. My doctor actually doesn't recommend taking vitamins while pregnant. He said they only make you feel sick. I know in your case you do need your iron though.

Well the doctor will continue to check my hemoglobin and feratin levels - all is within normal range right now.

He really recommends I start eating red meat again - even just for pregnancy - because it is the best way to absorb iron (over lentils and spinach etc which are good but not as good) but he feels I better ante up and eat a steak once in awhile.

I am not vegetarian or anything, I just decided to stop eating it 5 yrs ago hehe.

if you have to take iron supplements due to anemia and I did....(all vitamins made me soooo sick)....take slow fe iron pills....it releases slowly so the side effects are minimal and disgestion is much easier!! They come in low dose too!

Yah i tried that last pregnancy - the toddler version of ferous fumerate on the lowest dose, with food etc and I still landed in the hospital with starvation ketosis and on IV for two days LOL. When I say I am sensitive, I mean ridiculous haha :)