Folic Acid can help with nausea....

[nomore]

according to my peri that I saw this week. He gave me a script for 4000mgs (800 is the normal amount taken). Apparently, too little folic acid can make you nauseated. Folic acid helps with the building of red blood cells, which are an rampant production in the begining of pregnancy. If you become "depeleted" of these, you can become nasueted and anmeic. I thought this was very interesting. He wants me to take this prior to TTC and into the beginning of pregnancy.

This struck me as so interesting, as I had never heard of this. I looked it up on the web and he is right! Its also interesting that my Mom has always had a B vitamin definecy. (Folic acid is another B viatmin). Another hereditary trait that could play into HG!

I will post my protocol and more info on my consult with the Peri later. It did go great though!

Robin

[bibliojo]

Hey Robin,

My mother (who had HG too) has also mentioned this to me. Anemia can make HG worse! But I must warn you...I've heard that taking higher doses of folic acid and TTC can result in multiples! It happened to my mom! But I seem to recall reading another one of your posts where you wished for twins!

Glad to hear that your dr appt went great. Looking forward to reading your protocol and hearing what your peri had to add to it!

Joanna

[nomore]

Joanna,

Oh MY!!!!! I did not realize that! Nor did my DR mention that could happen! I half heartedly wish for twins... as I would love 3 kids and only want 2 pregnancies... but not sure if I want the financial responsbility of more than 2 kids.... they are SO SO expensive... especially here in fairfield county CT, where the cost of living is so high! (not to mention I have heard HG can be worse with multiples and that scares me! But... time will tell.

Yes, it sure is intersting anmenia can make HG worse. I suffered as a teenager when I first started menstrating and also when I was pregnant. I will take it, so I hope it helps!

HuGS,

Robin

[bibliojo]

Hey Robin,

Surprisingly enough, my mother was less sick with twins than she was with me her first! (Gives me hope that maybe I won't be as sick the second time around!) And about the taking folic acid and multiples...I don't think that that there is a huge increase in likelihood of that happening. There is just a slightly higher chance of it happening so I wouldn't worry about it too much. I wished for twins my first pregnancy so that I wouldn't ever have to be pregnant again but alas I only had one and here I am planning for my second pregnancy! But I don't think I could have coped with twins the first time round. Having one was (and is) overwhelming enough! My boy is such a busy little bee!

Joanna

[nomore]

Joanna,

They thought I was pregnant with twins my first time... as they run on hubbys side of family... he was a twin, although his twin was stillborn. I didnt want twins then, but I agree, one shot pregnancy with 2 kids would of been WAY better!

I started the increased folic acid today and amaxingly enough, I am less tired after taking it. So, maybe there is some good to this! I have sufferred from amenia off and on for so long and iron doesnt really seem to help much!

1 more month till we TTC, although we were a little careless this month and there is a small chance, so you never know!

HuGS,

Robin

[Kadinga]

Hi Robin,
You've really knocked me sideways with this one.

I have Spina Bifida, and so had to take 5000mcg of folate, which turned out to be for 4 months prior to conception. If what you say is true, then my HG experience wasn't anywhere near as bad as it could have been.

The reason I'm so suddenly confused is that I know so many women who say that the folate made them sicker, particularly when they have to take the higher dose like me. I was actually at an SB seminar where one woman was saying that she would prefer
not to take the folate next time, which to me is incredible as I'd rather turn myself inside out 10 times a day for 40 weeks straight than raise the risks of my child living every day of their entire lives with an avoidable disability.

I was also wanting to start ttc for number 2 in May/June, and had been wondering if there was going to be any way to get around my Neurologist's insistance that I take the folate for the entire pregnancy, as I honestly believed that this was what made me so sick. My OB said to me last time that he thought I should be able to come off it, agreeing that it was probably not helping.

Now, as I said, I'm REALLY confused.



cheers

Amanda

[nikki0072004]

Hi Robin,

Hi! I saw your post about twins, and the ways you can try for twins naturally. There are ways that are meant to help.....

BTW- your hubby having twins is his family doesnt make any difference. Its all about your eggies, nothing to do with his spermies!!! SO many people think this, but if you think about it.......

The tipe I got for natural fertility were these:

No dairy. Its can obstruct ovualtion.
No cold drinks or food. It pulls blood from your uterus to your stomach to warm the foods.
Obviously no alcohol. No caffiene.

For some reason, some Reproductive Docs say eating pineapple can increase levels of implanatation. I ate it every day!!! lol.

I also did acupuncture, to increase blood flow to the uterus. 25% of pregnancies begin as a "twin" pregnancy, as in two eggs are fertilised. Howver, in most cases, implantation doesnt occur, and the second twin is lost. So if you can increase your likelihood of implantation, thats going to help.

The thing is, a majority of twins are genetic, and so if you dont have them in YOUR family, your chances are really really low. But I just thought I would share some of the tips I was given with you!!

Good Luck!!!!

Oh one more thing: like someone else said above, a multiple pregnancy is most likely going to make you twice as sick!! For me it didnt, I was insanely lucky. And I actually was pregnant with triplets til week 8!! But I know that if I had had a pregnancy twice as bad as my last, I wouldnt have been able to carry the pregnancy. Then I also see someone else posted that their Moms twin pregnancy was easier, so who knows......

Nikki
HG babies 1+2: Mommys Angels
HG baby 3: Bayden 28mos
HG babies 4+5: twins due July.

[nomore]

Wow, months later my post gets some replies

In regards to the folic acid. I took an increased dosage before TTC this last fall. It did NOT cause me any nausea not-pregnant. Once pregnant, I continued to take it orally until I was unable to take any oral meds (which happened this past time about 5 weeks). I cannot tell you if it would have added more nausea, but NOT taking it, didnt take away from the nausea. (simply kept me from throwing up all the pills I was trying to take!)

I was on a 4 mg dose, plus the folic acid (800mgs in a prenatal). Currently, I am only taking a prenatal sporadically, but will add folic acid very soon. I see my Peri next week for a consult and will adjust the vitamins then. I also think he put me on a high dose as they were concerned my DD had spina bifita when I was pregnant, although I was EXTREMELY thankful she was perfectly healthy.

BAsed on the research I did, if you are defient in B vitamins (which includes folic acid), you can experience more nausea in pregnancy or in general. Sadly, I really dont think this was the cause of my HG

I wish you luck in your prep to TTC. It is not an easy choice to look HG head on. I will be right there along with you, as it looks like we are ttc around the same time

Nikki:

I cant even remember when I posted about the twin pregnancy stuff.. Somewhat of a pipe dream to have 3 kids and only 2 pregnancies lol!

Yes, I know now that my hubby being a twin really isnt a huge factor in if I will have twins. I know you have experienced a better pregnancy with twins, but my PERI told me that he would not want me to carry multiples (and truthfully, I think 2 kids in total is much better finacially for us). I have also heard that many pregnancies start out as the potential for more. I guess I will leave my fate up to God in that department, as I dont want to increase or decrease my odds for twins, but simply want a healthy pregnancy (ok, that may never happen for me..lol), but more IMPORTANTLY, a healthy baby!

Good luck,

Robin

[Kadinga]

HI Robin,



I was interested to read about the Vitamin B idea. Maybe I'll try adding a dose of that to my daily ritual pre-pg. I'm also going to try taking my folic acid on a full (lol... okay, lets try "not completely empty") stomach this time, to see if I can dilute the effects of the acid.

It must have been awful for you worrying about your DD with Spina Bifida. It can be a hideous thing if it's really bad. My husband and I have been to see a genetic counsellor to make sure we're really prepared if I pass it on. I can well imagine how ecstatic you must have been to find out that she was actually healthy.

I think it's the joy of the healthy, beautiful children we get after the HG nightmare that makes trying again seem worth it.

Let me know how you go ttc. It will be good to have people to share with when the HG starts again.

Amanda

Mum to my HG angel, Heather (18 months)