Overdosed on Folic Acid, is my baby safe?

[CrystalBell]

Last night something happened to me that put the fear of God into me.


Yesterday I bought some Folic Acid for the first time ( I am nearly 6 weeks pregnant) and didn't actually take any during the day as I was rushing arund the shops. At about midnight I read the instructions that accompained the FC (Folic Acid) and it clearly stated that " you should take 3 aday, one after each meal or all three at once" so I took three and went to bed. At about 4am I was woken up by a peiceing pain in my stomach, so I went to the toilet. The pain got so bad that I ended up lying on the floor crippled by pain and drenched in sweat, I could not breathe and honestly thought I was dying there and then ( I couldn't even shout for help as my breathing became restricted by the unbelievable pain. After being in this state for a good 25 minutes, the pain subsided and I started going cold, goosebumps appeared all over me and I was actually shaking with cold.

This is the first time I have ever experienced this and have no idea what it is. It was my first time to take Folic Acid ( and have since not been anywhere near it). Also, I am new in this area and need to wait until after the new year to register with a GP, I would ideally like to speak to a nurse, doctor etc, just to put my mind at rest, do you think I should go to A&E even though the pain is gone just to settle my mind? Has anyone else had a similar experience?

 

[Suz]

There should be an advice nurse that you could talk to? Maybe just call and see. Or even better, talk to a pharmisist (sp) at your local drug store....

 

[Tilly]

I would just get an emergency appointment at the doctors in the morning! hope all is ok

 

[StirCrazy]

I'm not a doctor but I 'think' you should be ok. I believe they say to take 'after each meal' because the tablets irritate the stomach (hence the pain). Eating lines the stomach / stops the pain. Besides, anything the body doesn't need gets passed into your bowels and urine: but worth calling the doc just to check.

 

[spcsharpsgirl]

i didnt know you could over dose on folic acid.

 

[justme00]

i didnt know you could over dose on folic acid.

You can over dose on anything. I've even heard you can over dose on water!

 

[Serene123]

Even taking one messed with my stomach. I reckon you'll be O.K.

 

[Holldoll]

It's the folic acid in prenatal pills that make people sick from them. That's probably what happened. You should be fine, because your body doesn't hold onto folic acid it eliminates anything it doesn't use in one day.

 

[Shara]

How much Folic Acid is in each pill? A study was in the papers barely a week ago saying they think 5mg/day is good for women who want to have children - that's 5 times the old recommended quantity. The tablets I have are 1 mg each. So it seems to me... 3 tablets is probably NOWHERE NEAR "too much".

The excrutiating cramps could easily be caused by something else. You should see a doctor about those no matter what. Your body is going through a lot of changes - it could be a lot of things.

 

[Baby4meplz]

I have been experiencing very bad cramps in the middle of the night for the past 4 nights. I saw the ob today and they took tests for a bladder infection, but also said it could just be my uterus getting used to the change. They didn't seem too concerned...

 

[CrystalBell]

Thanks for the advice guys, I haven't taken Folic Acid since the first time for fear of going through that pain again. I'm waiting to register with a GP in the new year as I've just relocated here for work.

Have a great day !!

 

[Margerle]

Folic acid is water soluable so you've prolly peed out the excess from yesterday.



Folic acid (folate, vitamin B9) overdose, toxicity, side effects

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Toxicity from excessive folic acid intake does not normally occur, as folic acid is water soluble and regularly excreted by the body. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the daily intake of folic acid in adults should not exceed 1,000 mcg (1 mg). Very high doses of this vitamin offer no additional therapeutic value. Very high doses (above 15,000 mcg or 15 mg) can cause stomach problems, sleep problems, skin reactions, and seizures. Further, high doses of folic acid are known to reduce or interfere with the effectiveness of methotrexate (an anticancer drug used in chemotherapy). Zinc, estrogen, anticonvulsant drugs, barbiturates, and sulfasalazine may not be absorbed as effectively when combined with folic acid.

https://www.vitamins-supplements.org/folic-acid.php

Maybe you had a bit of a tummy bug.

Just take one this time, or get a kiddie chewable vitamin.

 

[Tam]

Folic acid is something your boady can deal with without a problem as is has no problem in getting rid of what is doesn't need, so I doubt this was caused by the folic acid. I would see your GP tho as it sounds quite scary what you experienced! Hope you are feeling better now x

 

[Jules]

its so confusing when people say what doses they are having!! I bought some which say to take one a day and each tablet is 400ug, i get confused whether this is too low..... and also some people take it throughout pregnancy and yet i have been told you dont need to past 3 months, so confusing!

 

[Always&4ever]

The ones I had, you only had to take 1 a day x

 

[reallytinyamy]

if it helps the pills you get over the counter are usually 0.4 mg. I'm taking 5.4mg daily on gp instructions and have been told i could safely take more

 

[tinytoes]

i would be very suprized if you can over dose.

I take 1.2 mg (1200ug!) a day, and i take in all in one go before i go to bed,

 

[akcher]

I took some vitamins before bed and I had bad stomach pains that night. Very sharp and pin pointed and it was really painful. I now take my vitamins with my dinner. The pills can be hard on your stomach so I wouldn't take it on an empty stomach. Hope the doctor will confirm that nothing is wrong.

 

[lynn23]

Thats scary! Glad I read this, now I know to take those with food when I start!!
Hope you are ok.