Freaking out about Folic Acid

[GEM711]

Hi everyone,

I got my positive last Saturday and have been taking pregnacare daily which has the 400 dose of folic acid.

I’ve booked my booking in appointment on the 14th October, but I’m concerned as I have a BMI of around 35 so I think I might need the higher dose of Folic Acid.

This is my first baby so I’m freaking out a little, as I’ll be around 9 weeks at my booking in appointment by which point, it might be too late for a higher dose to be effective. My doctors is shut until Monday, so I’m going to be stressing over the weekend.

Has anybody doubled up on pregnacare or anything like that (is that even safe) or are there any foods that are packed with Folic Acid I can eat.

I know I’m probably overthinking this massively, but I’m don't have anybody to ask about it as we’ve not shared the news yet!

Hi op my BMI is exactly 35 and I had to take the higher dose of Folic Acid. You will need to take the higher dose and it will do no harm taking the higher does if not required anyway.

Please don’t worry. I have had 2 children and was over the 12 week mark when I found out with both, so never took any Folic Acid at all.
They’re both perfectly healthy.

Don’t double up on any vitamins without advice. It will make no difference over the weekend, plenty of pregnant women forget the odd tablet. Just take a normal dose and ring your GP surgery on Monday.

You can get the 500mg higher dose on Amazon op or boots

I wrote a long post then lost it, sorry. I don't know the detail but I do know you can definitely buy folic acid by itself from Boots and bigger supermarkets so if you do want to take more (somebody who knows more will hopefully reply too) you won't have to eat kale or spend a million quid on pregnacare in the meantime!

Remember many people wouldn't even know they needed to take the higher dose until their booking appt so if you do you are ahead of the 'normal' game anyway, if that helps reassure at all.

Recommendations on Royal College of Gynaecologist.

I rang my GP and for a prescription for the higher dose. It'll certainly be fine until Monday don't stress.

Buy the 400mcg folic acid (available everywhere) and take 12 one day and 13 the next day, that'll be an average of 5mg each day. The tablets are tiny so not too difficult.

1mg = 1000mcg. Therefore

5000mcg /400mcg = 12.5

This is what I did until I could get hold of the 5mg tablets.

I wouldn't double up on the other vitamins!

Thank you everyone, I'm feeling somewhat reassured that it will be okay until Monday. I'll give the GP a call then.

Yes you are overthinking this.

Do not double up on pregnacare or any other low-dose folic acid supplement - the recommended dose with high BMI is 5mg per day so that is 12.5 times what is in the normal pill. It would be dangerous to try to reach that level using OCM without speaking to a Dr.

Bread and breakfast cereals are generally fortified with folic acid, but you'd need to eat an insane amount to reach that dose.

Don't panic though. The 2 days of the weekend aren't going to make a significant difference. You have folic acid in your system from what you are already taking, and can phone the doctor first thing monday morning - you probably don't need an appointment, they will just sort out a prescription.

I dont know how many mg you are supposed to have.

But I have been using pregnacare recently and the iron in it is really fucking with my system (constipation) and I have terrible nausea.

So I have today moved to taking Vitabiotics Ultra Vit B Complex. Much smaller pills and they each have 200ug of Folic Acid in - so I am taking two.

You could get the normal Folic 400 and top up with one of the Vit B's?

Definitely don’t double up on pregnacare. You can buy folic acid supplements separately. See what your GP says, but I’m sure you’ll be fine, don’t worry.

Stop worrying, I was in the same position. Keeping taking the folic acid and the midwife/gp will prescribe the right dosage soon enough. The fact you've been taking it already is good thing, some women don't start with folic acid until they find out there pregnant late on.

The chances of having a baby affected by a NTD are infinitesimally tiny. 0.08%.

Please try not to worry. And definitely don't double up on pregnacare.

You can get normal/high dose folic acid and take however many of those you need to get to 5mg until you get your prescription.

I lost a baby affected by NTD, but it's less than 1000 babies a year born affected. And less than 50 who are very badly affected.

Definitely call your gp on Monday for prescription of 5mg of folic acid ❤️

How many weeks are you just now?x

@Blxo94 I think either 5 or 6, my cycle is irregular and I conceived in my 3rd cycle after coming off the pill so I don't have much to go off in terms of calculations, so possibly, although unlikely, maybe even less.

So the fact you were taking folic acid from when you found out regardless of the dosage, you should be absolutely fine! But definitely call gp Monday for the correct dose. The neural tube closes in your 7th week ❤️

I only know this as I have had 2 babies with anencephaly and know the importance of folic acid in pregnancy. I wouldnt stress too much!x