Brand of Folic Acid
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Category: Planning Pregnancy (trying for baby)
Forum Name: Planning Pregnancy (trying for baby)
Forum Description: Trying to get pregnant? Going through fertility treatment? Just planning your first or second child? There are many people out there in the same boat to help and listen and share with
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Topic: Brand of Folic Acid
Posted By: Peanut
Subject: Brand of Folic Acid
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:20am
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Just another question (!)
Which brand of Folic Acid are you using? as have had two brands now. The first I think was Red Seal (supermarket) and you only had to take two and they were easy to take. I just brought Microgenics (health shop) and you have to take three and they start dissolving and are just yuck. I have brought 2 containers of them also which means I am stuck with them for a long time yet! |
Replies:
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:43am
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I got some prescribed for me $3 with comm serv card and they were little white pills so easy to take. Only had to take 1 a day as they were the 800mg that was needed. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: ginger
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:57am
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I've started taking Elevit which has 800mcg of folic acid in it ($104.95 for 100 tablets from the pharmacy - take 1 per day) and so far it's agreeing with me! Usually vitamins send me completely hyperactive! This stuff seems to be well recommended. ------------- Cuinn Lachlan 23.1.09 - 22:00 Antonia Helene 4.8.11 - 09:41 |
Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 11:15am
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I am using the same as ginger. Elevit has been great and was recommended by my local pharmacy as being the most popular! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 11:27am
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I got mine prescribed the and the doctor said to just ask for them at the pharmacy when I needed a top up. From memory, they cost about $13 for 90 tablets when I went in to get the second lot (first lot was cheaper as I had a prescription then). But they don't have any other vitamins in them.
Mine are little yellow ones and they dissolve really fast too, not too pleasant. |
Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 1:54pm
| I also use elevit and get it online from pharmacy direct...its a little cheaper and I dont have to remember to get it from the pharmacy....preggy brain has kicked in already |
Posted By: WRXnKids
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 5:43pm
Damn it i was going to buy that Elevit stuff cos its sounds good on tv but $100!!! Might wait till i get preg before i fork out that much. Ill stick with my heatheries womans multi and an extra folic acid tab or two until they run out. 
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Posted By: Sarah Beth
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 6:03pm
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the $100 isn't bad when you only take 1 pill a day, so lasts 3 months ------------- "> 
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 6:18pm
| Wow, I really didn't think Elevit would be that much! I keep saying to DF I should go and get some for when we begin TTC, but I just can't afford that. Will be the el cheapos for me I think. |
Posted By: meow
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 7:05pm
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I think it's just branding and marketing, nothing wrong with the prescription pills. I took them when I was pregnant, and I have a lovely little girl to show for it ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 8:17pm
Exactly! My OB tried to con me into Elevit so I bought a 3 mth supply of them only to be told by my uncle who is the president of the Charter of Natural Health Practitioners that it's a crock - aside from the folic acid everything in the Elevit is the same as the generic brands, and it is way cheaper to go with a cheaper brand + extra folic supplement. So I did that, and managed to grow two giant babies (well giant for 37-weeker twins )-------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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meow wrote:Posted By: linda
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:08pm
| I was also told to take Elevit for the duration of my pregnancies but couldn't get over the cost of them so got some from the chemist. |
Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:56pm
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I'm using Apo-folic which are little yellow pills. 120 for about $15 and 800mcg so you only need one per day.
My friend used these when she was TTC and pregnant and is using them again now she's trying for number 2. My Dr reckoned that Elevit while good was expensive given the alternatives which are also good. However I may consider switching onto it once I'm pregnant. |
Posted By: WRXnKids
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:56pm
| $100 for 100 pills doesnt really seem too bad for the pills if they are really good its just having the money to buy them where as the others i can come up with $30 and get 2 months worth which isnt such a strain on my budget |
Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 11:49pm
| you can buy elevit in smaller amounts 30s i think for about $29 |
Posted By: Sarah Beth
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 7:31am
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what I liked about elevit was it was only 1 pill I needed to remember to take, my memory is shocking at the best of times so made it easier for me. ------------- ">
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Posted By: catie
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 12:51pm
| Having worked in a health shop, I've come to believe that the cheap ones, e.g. Red Seal, are just as good as Elevit. As Meow wrote, with elevit your extra $ just goes to their advertising campaigns. I can't remember exactly, but I think with Red seal you pay less than $5 for 60 - take 2 a day to get your 800mg. |
Posted By: RunAlot
Date Posted: 21 May 2007 at 2:20pm
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Hi Ladies
I im a newly TTC on 3rd Cycle now and am using the FF Website - am on day 10 but my cycles have been abit irregular so I'm not sure what's quite wat yet as well as my cycles are getting shorter and lighter! Nice to read familar thoughts on here. 
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Posted By: tashzmum
Date Posted: 21 May 2007 at 2:41pm
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sorry ladies but can i ask a question here-how far before ttc should u start taking folic acid??or do u start as soon as u start ttc??
when i was pg with tash i was on the ones the doc prescribed and only $3 for a script with a com ser card ------------- Natasha Jayde, 1-01-05(7lb3oz) Caroline Elisabeth, 9-04-08 (4lb15oz) Izabella Kate, 9-04-08(6lb7oz) Lexi Brenna, 23-01--2011(6lb6oz) |
Posted By: Redbedrock
Date Posted: 21 May 2007 at 2:47pm
You should start taking them 3 months before you TTC to get all your levels up and be as healthy as you can be before being pregnant ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com"> 
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Posted By: kiwigal
Date Posted: 21 May 2007 at 3:37pm
| I have been taking mircogenics with tuna oil since Jan/Feb 60 capsules for $32.90 so two months worth.The only problem is that it has only got 250mg of folic acid. |
Posted By: catie
Date Posted: 22 May 2007 at 11:28am
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Quote: sorry ladies but can i ask a question here-how far before ttc should u start taking folic acid??or do u start as sson as u start ttc??
You should really start taking folic acid as soon as you start TTC, to ensure you have suffucient stores in you body, but the key date is days 21 - 23 after conception which is when the neural tubes and spinal column is being formed. So whatever you do, make sure you take your 800mg / day as soon as you know you're pregnant. |
Posted By: topcat
Date Posted: 23 May 2007 at 9:34am
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I tried the elevit. You can get in smaller package for about $30, think that is one months worth, but I found they gave me terrible diarrhoea!!! eek TMI!!!
Switched to the apo-folic (little yellow pills). You get 120 tablets for about $12. They are also the 800mg tabs so just need one |
Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 23 May 2007 at 1:49pm
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Can I just add - you can't store folic acid - its a b vit and water soluble, so you p*ss out what you don't need. So you do need to start taking it as soon as you are ttc, but not necessary before that. As Catie said about 21 or so days after conception is the most critical time.
I took blackmores pregnancy vit plus the prescribed folic acid (even though I work for Healtheries! I took blackmores as it has fish oils added to the multi, so easier than taking our multi plus fish oils). I would recommend the prescription folic acid tablets as they are way cheaper and at the exact amount you need. Sorry to butt in! ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 23 May 2007 at 2:23pm
ditto on that one too... |
Posted By: bookwyrm
Date Posted: 29 May 2007 at 10:48am
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I was told by my midwife to take Elevit and she gave me a 5 tablet sample pack. They look good, but I can't swallow them. I have always had issues swallowing capsules and tablets. So I just have to double my Red Seal Folic Acid dosage, as they are small pills and much easier to deal with.
I am such a wuss. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 29 May 2007 at 1:24pm
I was shocked at the size of the Elevit ones too - they're huge. I couldn't swallow any pills until I was about 16-17 yrs old and although I'm not too bad now, these aren't fun. The over-the-counter pharmacy ones were really nice and tiny 
My consulting midwife did really recommend the Elevit though so I am going to gut it out. I feel better knowing that it has heaps of other important vitamins included. I managed to find a place who sell them quite a lot cheaper than others too. -------------  
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