Digestive Enzymes

[MrsLTH]

Hi there

Just wondering if anyone has taken digestive enzymes in pregnancy? I have been suffering from terrible IBS type symptoms since week 18 (I am now on week 33 so starting to lose my mind!) it's particularly bad when eating any fruit and veg at all.

I have been to a natural healer/doctor today who has prescribed me some tablets called 'DigestActiv'which are digestive enzymes amongst other things.

www.sourcenaturals.com/products/GP1781/

He assured me they are safe in pregnancy but I am concious of the fact he isnt a 'real'doctor in the NHS sense so not sure what to do..? What do you think . The back of the bottle says 'if you are pregnant consult your healthcare professional before using this product'

Thanks!

A lot of "real" doctors don't go for herbal remedies in the first place, some actively discourage them.

As the info just says you should consult a Health Care Professional rather than DO NOT use if pregnant, then I'd guess that it's not too bad.

Personally I'd google each ingredient + pregnancy and see if anything negative crops up.

In my opinion (I've worked in an independent health food retailer) most of the ingredients look fairly harmless, but there are a few I'm not familiar with.

Check with a pharmacist. Their degrees take 4 years and involve the chemical basis of medicine composition. I think most people don't really how highly skilled they are, doctors know which drug to prescribe but aren't trained as much in how or why it works.

I take digestive enzymes for heartburn and acid reflux instead of gaviscon and it works. The ones I take are derived from fruit(bromlaine(from pineapples), papain(from papaya)
I cant comment on the ones you are taking but mine were prescribed by a "real doctor" who is also a naturopath.

OOh, that's a thought....
Bromelain is the enzyme which softens the cervix and bring on labour, hence the tales about eating pineapples, so those tablets might be best avoided at the moment.

I second HappyCamels idea that you should ask a pharmacist. Have you tried adding apple cider vinegar to your diet? In my last pregnancy I found myself craving it and when I googled found out it had all these health benefits. Maybe worth giving a go?

Poor you, if you are struggling to digest fruit and veggies that must be really bad case. Hope it eases.

My cervix should be as soft as mash now as I have been going through two whole pineapples -my biggest craving- a day plus digestive enzymes
I ate a lot of pineapples with my first DD as well and it didnt make her come any earlier.
I thought labour was brought on by the baby producing hormones when it was ready to be born.

Quick google says there is 40mg of bromelain in a pineapple and you should take 320 - 1000mg a day to "encourage" labour. That's a LOT of pineapples!

i asked my consultant and he said absolutely not!