My Pill Popping Pregnancy
I am pretty sure that I should have invested in one of those pill organizer systems for this pregnancy.
Taking so many pills was not something I anticipated being a part of my daily routine. Very few probably do. However, the MTHFR diagnosis more than doubled my pill consumption this pregnancy.
Prenatal Vitamin.
DHA Supplement.
2400 mcg of Folic Acid.
I didn’t want to take them all at once so when I found out I needed to take three separate types of pills—totaling five pills per day—I decided to split up when I would take them. Each morning around 11:00 I would take the Folic acid. At 4:00 in the afternoon I would take the DHA supplement. Ten o’clock at night I would choke down the prenatal vitamin. Those were the ones that made me the most nauseous so I thought it would be best to take them at the end of the day. I would be home from work by that point and nearing bedtime which for me decreased the chances that I would have to run to the bathroom and vomit that vitamin right back up.
It was a glorious plan.
In theory.
I did really well with that schedule for months. Then something happened. I’m going to go ahead and blame it on pregnancy brain. I would just forget to take the Folic acid. Next thing I knew it was late afternoon and I still needed to take that first round of pills. I still didn’t want to mix all my medications together at once so I would push back the DHA supplement until later.
Later became closer to bedtime. Thirty minutes after that I would take the prenatal vitamin.
A few weeks ago I found myself taking all of them within an hour of each other. Taking them during the day just slipped my mind. My schedule no longer existed.
I think that pill organizer set out in a prominent place may have helped. Even if it would make me feel like a little old lady.
In the beginning I was taking six different medications. Luckily I’m down to four. I purchased a pill organizer which helped me keep track of everything. They have ones with slots for AM and PM. Yes, I felt rather geriatric, however, it helped to remember to take everything.
Nicole—First, yay to the reduction in medications! Second, I really think a pill organizer would have been helpful. I’m nearing the end of my pregnancy now so I probably won’t get one. But I like organization and knowing what is going on so I could see really embracing the idea.
Hmmm, prenatal vitamins, dha supplements and folic acid supplements aren’t what I would really call “medications.” It sounds like you’re taking a few supplements, not having a “medicated” pregnancy. Am I missing something?
I was told to take prenatal vitamin plus extra Folic Acid twice daily, and I already take fish oil caps, plus now a progesterone supplement twice daily. As soon as I remember to go to the store and get one, I’m all about getting a fancy pill box. Before now, I’d only ever taken a vitamin, so I can sympathize with the sudden pill shock – they’re hard to remember when you’re not used to them!
And LK, a pill’s a pill’s a pill when you’re not used to taking many, and she does state that she’s taking them because she has a condition. No need to talk down to her.
LK- for MTHFR the supplements are part of the treatment. Usually a baby aspirin is included in their also. I had a medicated pregnancy due to cholestasis of pregnancy. I took actigall and vitamin k in addition to my vitamin and Thyroid medication and extra iron for anemia. I had a spread sheet for when I had to take them cause some were on empty stomach, some after meals, many interacted with each other. It was nerve wracking.
“123 Samples” is promoting a new line of detergent, tooth paste, lotion etc by giving away free samples. It’s more of the “try it before buy it” marketing model and who can resist a free useful household product like detergent? This free sample is limited to one per household and only available while supplies last.
The best treatment for MTHFR is L-methylfolate (brand name is Metafolin), not folic acid.
Wasn’t trying to talk down or be rude. Just pointing out what I thought was a misuse of the term “medicated”. I know several women (including myself) who have had to take serious prescription drugs during pregnancy for various conditions and that would be what I would call a “medicated” pregnancy. I take several supplements regularly including a multi-vitamin, fish oil, calcium, etc., and I wouldn’t say I’m “medicating” myself by taking those.
I guess I should get one of those… I’ve been thinking it for the last few weeks. I have my prenatal, 4 omega-3 supplements, iron supplement, and for the last week I’ve been taking tylenol every 4 hours because of my sciatica. It’s hard to remember if I’ve taken them or all or not… But I really don’t want to feel like an old person, lol.
Seriously, my husband just went out and bought me an “old lady pill organizer”. Every day he’d ask me if I took my prenatal and other meds I have to have this pregnancy and I was like…uhhhhh….???? LOL Having it has helped SO much. Pregnancy brain has really got to me this time!