How to take this vitamin and not worry about it?

[Blondiexxoo]

Hey guys! I have been diagnosed with an iron deficiency as well as low Vitamin B12 and D. My doctor recommended 2 years ago that I take the Flintstones chewable vitamin with iron. I dismissed it cause I was worried about it staining my teeth and still am since I have braces. Well after doing lots of research on iron pills and buying one that I definitely couldn't take since the pill was black (I was thinking it would be red) I decided to go with her original suggestion and try the Flintstones. So my mom bought them for me and she tried them and didn't have any side effects and said they taste just like a sweet tart. But I'm very worried cause of my severe anxiety. I hate taking anything new! I already know what's going to happen. I'm going to try it and have a major panic attack and it will probably take some time to calm down afterwards. I'll probably pace back and forth and flail my hands and say how I don't feel good and all this. I just worry about side effects (I have a severe fear of throwing up) and worry that even if it doesn't cause any side effects that I might throw up anyway from the fear or the taste of it. It also doesn't help that I frequently feel nauseous (it comes and goes) and I don't know what's causing it. It could be anxiety, I'm not sure. But if I already feel nauseous often and then I take that, I'm just worried it might make me sick.

Does anyone have any suggestions/advice for me that might help me not panic as much while I take it?

Also, has anyone had any experience with vitamin deficiencies making anxiety worse?

Thanks everyone!

[blueangel]

OK, if you're going to be taking Vitamin B12 and D. These are naturally occurring substances that are found in a lot of foods. The ones which have the most are:

B12 is in shellfish, fish, liver, quite a few cereals and dairy products (including eggs)
D is in oily fish, tofu, eggs, quite a few cereals and dairy products

You are only going to be topping yourself up with a substance you eat every day - you just need a bit extra. Vitamin deficiency has been connected with anxiety and depression, so it's worth a try.

So take the tablets and don't flail, as you're not putting anything into your body that hasn't been put into it before.

[.Poppy.]

Like blueangel said, the substances in the vitamins you already consume, so there won't be any side effects to the vitamin.

Maybe take it with lots of fluids to help with the taste (though I really don't think they taste bad) and watch your favorite TV show to distract yourself.

You may have to talk yourself through it, but you'll quickly find that you're fine and hopefully each time you do it it will get easier.

[CCB1979]

I also have low iron and take "spa tone" (liquid iron supplement), I took it during pregnancy and now taking it again, it's a natural supplement that you can put in your drink. It may be easier to take??? Maybe ask your Dr, I am in UK so not sure if it's available to you. Try and trust your Doctor (I know it's difficult to do) but they are medically trained, he obviously thinks you need it.

Take care xxx

[Blondiexxoo]

Thanks guys! Unfortunately I couldn't take it. *Sigh* I was already nervous beforehand and felt like my stomach was in knots. Then when I went to take it, I bit off a piece at a time and after the first piece, I thought I was going to be sick. It tasted gross and I just couldn't get it down. I'm just feeling kinda hopeless at this point. Anxiety really sucks!

Good suggestion CCB. I've looked for that before at several stores and couldn't find it. And after my experience with the Flintstones, I don't think I can take anything that has any taste to it.

I'm pretty confident that I can get my Vitamin B12 and D up through food but I can't with the iron. So that's the main concern.

Probably my last hope is a small red iron pill. I believe they have one at the pharmacy. I just picked the wrong one, the black one thinking it would be red. I can't actually swallow pills. I mean, I've never tried as far as I know. My mom said I tried once years ago but I don't even remember that. I've heard if you put a small pill (which this one is very small, like the size of an Advil) in a banana and swallow, it will go right down. Although I hope that's safe and it won't make your throat feel weird or make you choke or get stuck or anything. But I just can't handle anything with a strong taste or anything like that and I think the best way to avoid that is to take a pill versus a liquid/chewable.

I've had anxiety for years and although at some points, it wasn't as bad as others...I've taken numerous pills. Only they could be crushed so I would crush them up and put them in applesauce and take them and that was the easiest for me. I took lots of antibiotics this way. Pills just don't taste as bad as liquids/chewables. So I just think a pill would probably be the easiest for me to take. Although I'm incredibly nervous about that too :/

[.Poppy.]

I like pills better too.

Just remember: the pill can't hurt you. Once it's down, you're good.

What helps me to take pills is to take them with a really thick liquid. Milk - especially that store-made chocolate milk that is really rich and thick - is good. You don't feel anything, the pill slides right down. Juice is another good one, but milk always works the best for me.

I've never done the banana thing, but you'd have to be okay with swallowing a chunk of banana because otherwise you might bite the pill. It's fine if you're okay with that, some people aren't (I know my reflex would be to chew the banana before swallowing).

You can do this, though! After awhile, taking pills just becomes second nature.

[anthrokid]

I can't swallow pills without water. I fill my mouth up with water, quickly put the pill in, and then swallow the water. If I put the pill in before the water it always tastes awful and I have trouble swallowing it, but if I have the water in first it is always fine

[Blondiexxoo]

That's true Poppy. I will probably still panic once it's down too though. I'm very worried about side effects since iron is known to cause problems for some people. That's true about the banana. Hopefully I can make it work. I can't take it with milk cause calcium inhibits absorption. You can't take iron with milk. :/ It will probably get easier each time I take it, like you said.

That's a good technique anthrokid! Thanks How do you make sure the water doesn't start pouring out of your mouth while you put the pill in though?

[anthrokid]

Haha, I try and keep my mouth closed as much as possible and just push the pill in. I tilt my head back a bit too so that the water doesn't drip out the gap There have been a couple of occasions where I've accidentally dribbled some water over my front, but at least I got the pills down, haha!

[youdontknowme]

I like pills better too.

Just remember: the pill can't hurt you. Once it's down, you're good.

What helps me to take pills is to take them with a really thick liquid. Milk - especially that store-made chocolate milk that is really rich and thick - is good. You don't feel anything, the pill slides right down. Juice is another good one, but milk always works the best for me.
.

Yes! Milk is a good idea. I have trouble swallowing pills because it makes me feel choked/gaggy, but thick liquid masks it perfectly. I don't even feel it go down
I know that anxiety is hard to reason with, but just remember that you WILL be fine. This is a perfectly natural substance for your body to process.
Good luck, buddy!

Edit: Just read your post about milk inhibiting absorption. My bad. Orange juice, perhaps? I'm sure there's other thick liquids that would suffice