Magnesium supplements and pregnancy
#355717 - 02/12/10 11:08 PM
|
|
|
|
|
Zara
Reged: 06/07/06
Posts: 883
|
|
|
Hi, I just found out this past Monday that I'm pregnant  . I'm in my 5th week now. Before my pregnancy I was more or less able to handle my IBS with diet and supplements. I was taking 2-3 250mg magnesium pills every night, and that helped with my constipation. However, I am not sure whether these are safe for the baby. I stopped the Mg this week and of course, my constipation's gotten worse.
I have an appointment with my obgyn next week so I will talk to her about it, but meanwhile I would love to hear if anyone's had the same experience.
--------------------
IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Zara, big congratulations to you!! I'm so excited for you!
I know that LisaMarie was able (with her doctor's permission) to take Natural Calm throughout her pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Are you taking Natural Calm or a magnesium supplement pill? Are you taking a prenatal vitamin in addition to the 500-750 mg at night?
--------------------
IBS-C
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thank you, Fen! We're very excited, too .
Yes, I'm taking a prenatal vitamin as well, besides other stuff it also has 20mg of iron which I think may contribute to the C, and it has 100mg of magnesium as well, which isn't that much for me. Right now I'm off the magnesium supplement since last Monday (that's when I learned the big news) because I was afraid to take anything before talking to my doctor. I'd rather be constipated for the next 9 montsh than taking any chances of harming the baby. I have an appointment tomorrow so I'll discuss this with her. I'm glad to hear that LisaMarie was able to take Mg throughout her pregnancy and breastfeeding; personally I don't think that magnesium would be harmful, but like I said, I need to be sure
--------------------
IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
am so happy for you and am sure that with the baby in your mind ibs will be at the back at your mind am really happy for you 
--------------------
ibs c with trapped gas
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thank you, Julie, that's what I'm hoping as well. Happy thoughts now
--------------------
IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Congrats!! And I'm super impressed that Fen remembered me!! 
No worries, magnesium is super safe during pregnancy. You can't imagine how much I was taking near the end!!!! You think the C is bad now, just wait  HOWEVER, I want to REALLY encourage you to breastfeed after your baby is born. I don't know if it's something you've decided yet, but DO give it a try! Not only is it the best, most amazing thing you can do for your baby, it's practically a cure for IBS (and yes, there is a scientific explanation that has to do with the hormones released during breastfeeding). You'll be amazed at how it practically goes into remission. I haven't needed magnesium at all while I've been breastfeeding - and we're going on 14 months now. I've heard similar stories from other moms on this board.
If you do buy the Natural Calm (and in my experience, that is better than any magnesium pill you can buy), make sure to NOT get the kind marketed for expectant moms. It contains extra calcium, which obviously won't help your C!
Good luck to you! You're on an amazing journey!!
--------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Lisa Marie, thanks for the answer! That's really interesting about brestfeeding and IBS. I was planning on breastfeeding anyway so I'll take this added benefit .
I was at the doctor's yesterday and she also said that mg would be ok for me to take, so I took 500mg last night. I'm hoping it'd work tomorrow, it usually works a day later for me. I also have the regular unflavored Natural Calm but for some reason the pills seem to be working better for me. I do take it NC once in a while, though, just to mix things up a bit.
I'm just glad that taking Mg is ok as I don't know what else I'd do
--------------------
IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Zara, I just found out today that I'm pregnant too!
Keep me posted on how everything is going with you! Good luck with the constipation!
--------------------
IBS-C
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Both of you, keep me posted on how pregnancy affects your IBS. I really only noticed symptoms at the transitions between trimesters. And yeah, C is BAD... but it's bad for prego ladies who DON'T have IBS, so we get a double-whammy.
Good luck to both of you!
--------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Zara...I can't offer you any advice on the supplements but just wanted to say congratulations!!!!!!
--------------------
IBS-D & bloating.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
such good news for both of you! congrats Fen!
--------------------
IBS-D & bloating.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
That's really great news! Have you guys been trying for a while? We managed to get lucky during our second month of trying which I found impossible to believe, I always assumed that for some reason it would take a while. Then again, why not, we're both healthy, non-smokers, drink in moderation (and even that's exaggerating in my case ), active...so good things happen .
I'm surprised that I don't feel nauseated in a way that would make me throw up but I do feel sort of "off" and dizzy, I have pretty much from day 3 after getting pregnant. I am also more tired, and I'm only 7 weeks (or 4 weeks really, I never knew that you count from your last period and not the ovulation). I went out last night with a few friend to celebrate two birthdays and it was so hard for me to stay up, I really wanted a coke (yeah, I know I shouldn't mention caffeine on these boards). I made up an excuse about being on antibiotics due to a UTI (we haven't told anyone yet, including family) and drank four non-alcoholic mojitos throughout the night. Those are actually a great option for anyone with IBS, very minty .
The constipation's gotten better since I got back on the magnesium supplements. It's better during the week because it's easier for me to drink lots of water when it the office, I'm always on the go during the weekend.
Fen, I hope you're feeling good and everything's well!
--------------------
IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Quote:
such good news for both of you! congrats Fen!
thank you
--------------------
IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
We were trying for about 8 months and were actually about to start fertility testing when we found out! The standard is to try for a year if you have no known fertility problems, but I have endometriosis so there was a good chance of blockages and whatnot. So I'm very grateful that we didn't have to go through all of that! Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that it sticks!!
I've been alternating between constiapation and diarrhea, which is annoying. Though I guess it's better than just sheer constipation. I'm only about 4 and a half weeks and don't have my first appointment until 8 weeks, so I'm looking forward to asking about the magnesium. Until then it's lots of prunes! (Another thing that probably shouldn't be mentioned on this board!!)
Zara, are you still following a gluten free diet?
I feel off and dizzy too! But that may be due to not sleeping very well lately. I don't know if it's anxiety or what, but I haven't slept through the night in about two weeks!
Best of luck to you. Keep me posted on how you're doing!
--------------------
IBS-C
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I've heard from many friends that they were about to start fertility treatments and then it happened on its own .
As for sleeping, I think it's because our bodies are going through such major change that they keep us up, I have nights when I don't sleep well, either. Yesterday I also had my first morning sickness. My husband made himself a cup of coffee (normally smells good to me) and all the sudded I felt like I was going to throw up, I had to open the windows. Then I ate a little and it helped. I was ok for the rest of the day, except for my IBS that really kicked in in the pm (bloating, pain, gas...) but that's another story I guess.
I'm not following a GF diet anymore. The last time I tried (fall 09) I actually started feeling worse within days and had to quit after about three weeks. I never really felt better on a GF diet for a long enough time to convince me. I had periods when I felt better but that happens to me with everything I eat. Sometimes I think I've got it all figured out and then I start feeling worse. I stick to some general rules (some from this site, some from my personal observation) but don't stress out about every single ingredient. Overall, my IBS's been better lately (besides occassional days such as yesterday) and I feel much better mentally, knowing that I can eat whatever I want (because certain triggers I don't really want to eat, such as fast food, greasy, fried things, etc. so that takes care of that). Of course, some triggers I want to eat and those are hard to avoid (yesterday it was apples and grapes for vitamins, fiber, and I was really craving them. It really left me down because I felt like I was being punished for eating healthy, I knew that if I just had a candy bar instead I wouldn't hurt as much. Oh well, I'm fine now, just needed someone to complain to (my husband's a great listener ).
Good luck to you, too! I've been frequenting baby sites lately to learn all the new stuff I never even thought of
--------------------
IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
First, congratulations on the pregnancy. I take it this will be your first? Quote:
I'm not following a GF diet anymore. The last time I tried (fall 09) I actually started feeling worse within days and had to quit after about three weeks. I never really felt better on a GF diet for a long enough time to convince me. I had periods when I felt better but that happens to me with everything I eat.
How did it make you feel worse? What symptoms?
What made you try a GF diet in the first place? I am really torn about my own situation and would greatly appreciate hearing how the GF diet effected you. Thanks so much.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Fen!!!
#356069 - 02/23/10 07:53 AM
|
|
|
|
|
Cyndy
Reged: 03/05/05
Posts: 1301
|
|
|
Do you follow a gluten free diet? If so, why? Congrats on your pregnancy!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Quote:
First, congratulations on the pregnancy. I take it this will be your first? Quote:
I'm not following a GF diet anymore. The last time I tried (fall 09) I actually started feeling worse within days and had to quit after about three weeks. I never really felt better on a GF diet for a long enough time to convince me. I had periods when I felt better but that happens to me with everything I eat.
How did it make you feel worse? What symptoms?
What made you try a GF diet in the first place? I am really torn about my own situation and would greatly appreciate hearing how the GF diet effected you. Thanks so much.
Basically my IBS symptoms are C, pain, bloating, gas. I actually tried the GF diet a few times but it never made me feel 100% better and I always either gradually felt like I did before, or worse. I think I felt worse because of all the starches that made my C worse (and also the bloating).
I found this old thread where we're discussing the effect of GF, it pretty much sums up how I felt.
I accepted that I will never be 100% well but I will go in phases. Now it's a bad phase but it will pass.
I just had some MOM and I think I'm going to throw up - it's so nasty!
--------------------
IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Yeah, I have been constipated on the GF diet. I try to limit the white rice products and stick to those made of corn or millet or at least brown rice or sorghum flours. Thanks for the link to that earlier post. It was interesting to read....I still don't know what I should do though. 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Cyndy, I wish I had an answer for you, but the truth is, I don't know what to eat/avoid, either. Every time I start having problems (such as right now) I go back to the various "diets" I tried but I haven't found a pattern. Sometimes I felt better GF, sometimes eating gluten, sometimes cutting out other things helped (such as sugar) but then didn't help next time...
As for my pregnancy update - I've been so bloated and constipated this week! I finally took some laxative last night because I just couldn't bear it anymore, but the bloating is still huge. I want to be able to hide it for another 1.5 months or so. People at work are already making "joke" comments, such as "oh, you're not drinking again (when going out), you must secretly be pregnant", plus we've had a few pregnant colleagues recently so everyone's sort of watching out for the next one. It's hard to explain that my bump is not because of a baby but because of a terrible bloating. None of them knows what it's like to be really bloated, all the women I work with are super-skinny and have flat-stomachs and tiny waists. Oh well, I'm just afraid that I won't be able to hide it for much longer.
--------------------
IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Quote:
I don't know what to eat/avoid, either. Every time I start having problems (such as right now) I go back to the various "diets" I tried but I haven't found a pattern. Sometimes I felt better GF, sometimes eating gluten, sometimes cutting out other things helped (such as sugar) but then didn't help next time...
I am so tired of living this way. I wish someone could just give me a definitive diet! All this guessing and not knowing and fear is too much. I just want a definite answer on the gluten...is it okay or is it a waste of money and sacrifice? 
Sorry you struggle with the same problem. And I totally empathize with the bloated belly. I have the same problem and it's very embarrassing and looks ugly!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
