5mg of folic acid - prescibtion?

[NoCallerID]

Hi,

We've recently had a loss, the baby had chromosomal issues and Omphalocele (intestines growing outside) and were told I'd have to take 5mg of folic acid. Can I just self medicate this or do I have to get a prescription for it? Thanks

It’s £1 ish in the chemist

For 5mg dose you need a prescription

5milligrams you need a prescription for. The dosage that you can buy over the counter is 400micrograms.

You can buy 5mg on Amazon with no prescription

@GreenTulips- WRONG! Its not £1 at a chemist for the 5mg version.

Its prescription only at £9.15, or off the internet. I got 3mths worth on 1 script. Once you get a maternity exception certificate, they are supposed to refund the cost of prescription. I did this, as some internet sites are dubious, and I'd prefer a medication come from a pharmacy based in the UK.

Sorry OP for your loss. Our 1st pregnancy had trisomy 13, (also a genetic issue). I was never prescribed a higher dose of folic acid, and no one ever mention it. I just continued with the usual 400mcg. My next pregnancy MC.

Its only with current, IVF pregnancy that the consultant mentioned I should have been on the 5mg version already! best of luck next time around x

I get mine on prescription, advised to take following MMC in September.

Thank you for your replies.

@Elouera sorry about your losses. I think in our case the 5mg are due to the Omphalocele. I was actually so far into my pregnancy that I had the exception certificate...

Surely I'm supposed to take prenatal vitamins too - which includes folic acid...? Am I still taking all this stuff?

Sorry if these are stupid questions, I don't have an allocated midwife (don't ask...)

Not stupid questions at all! I don't have a midwife yet either- only 7 weeks with current pregnancy. I just take either asda or Tesco pregnancy multivitamin- much cheaper than pregnacare and other expensive brands, yet almost the exact ingredients! I know it already contains 400mcg folic acid, but the 5mg dose is already 10x that amount, so 1 tiny bit extra isn't an issue. Dr said it was fine to have both.

@elouera just bear in mind prenatal vitamins exclude stuff that multi vitamins contain which can be harmful to the foetus. Eg too much vitamin A can cause birth defects so vits like pregnacare won't even include them.

@Lellochip have you bought them? I'd never have thought of looking there but I'm ttc and almost out of prescription.

@Juno231- Exactly. That is why I take the pregnancy specific multivitamin- which doesn't contain Vit A.

Sorry to hear of the loss. I've recently purchased 5mg methyl folate from Amazon.

I know that methyl folate is more readily absorbed than folic acid, however, I was wondering if anyone knows if it makes much difference whether you take folic acid Vs methyl folate when it's at such a high dosage?

@PainintheholeSIL Yep, wasn't for ttc but I had a folate deficiency and they did the job, raised my levels back up

@Dia12 thanks, I looked at the stuff on amazon but was unsure whether I could self medicate.

@Elouera I've emailed my previous midwife team earlier and they said to just take 5mg from the pharmacy and prenatal vitamins. I'll call my GP and ask for a prescription anyway I think...

@Lellochip thank you. I'll order some now!

OP I'm so sorry for your loss. My son was stillborn in June and had Pataus. I have started taking 5mg folic acid too. Can I ask how you're getting on with it? I'm TTC again and hope it will make a difference for us. I've heard it helps prevent t21 so I hope it can do the same for t13.