Prenatals - pill swallowing question. Any gaggers out there?

I have always had trouble swallowing pills. I usually gag on them or the water goes down w/ out the pill.

Anyway, so I was taking the CVS brand prenatal. I never had a hard time swallowing them, but they were definitely upsetting my stomach and the doc wanted me to have a dha supplement and more follic acid. So he gave me a sample of Natelle Plus, which is great in that it has all of the ingredients the doc wanted, a dha supplement, and it has not made me sick (yet). Problem is that the second you place it on the tongue it has a bitter taste and I am gagging like crazy on it. Because I am gagging on the main pill, the smaller dha supplement is hard to swallow right after too. Anyone else have this problem and learn any tricks to get the pills down? The pill is no bigger than the CVS brand, just the CVS pill does not have a taste to it. I will gladly gag on pills for the next 9 months so my baby will be healthy, I'm just affraid I'm gonna choke.

Also, if you have a good vitamin you want to recommend w/ out a taste, please feel free to suggest it.

Re: Prenatals - pill swallowing question. Any gaggers out there?

I take liquid vitamins b/c i can't swallow pills, but i can't say that they taste good either. However, you may want to check out a liquid vitamin.

Re: Prenatals - pill swallowing question. Any gaggers out there?

I'm a gagger too! I was fine with my prenatals until midway through the first tri when they just would not go down. Plus, they had a little taste to them too. So I had to switch brands just to have a shot at getting them in. Now I take New Chapter brand (mid-wife recommended) and they seem to go down better. Plus, if I distract myself by looking out the window and focusing on something else - a bird, the grass, my neighbors etc... it takes my mind off of the swallowing and the gag reflex doesn't kick in.

Hope that helps a little. Good luck!

Re: Prenatals - pill swallowing question. Any gaggers out there?

The only way i can take pills is to literally put them in the back of my mouth and swallow so theres no chance of it not going down.

Re: Prenatals - pill swallowing question. Any gaggers out there?

Have you ever tried holding your nose to make you swallow? If you hold you nose and put the pills in your mouth, your throat will automatically open. They use this trick in the hospital. It works very well!

Message edited 3/11/2009 9:51:37 AM.

Re: Prenatals - pill swallowing question. Any gaggers out there?

I have a horrible time swallowing pills. I always take the dha supplement first, since that's easier to get down. Then, I cut the vitamin in half so it's smaller. I also find that I have better luck taking it with OJ than with water. I have the same problem, with the water going down without the pill.

I still can't always do it, but my track record is much better this way.

Re: Prenatals - pill swallowing question. Any gaggers out there?

i usually have the same problem, but i have tired several prenatals and they all make me sick, so my obgyn put me on 2 flinestone chewable a day, so now i dont have to worry about it

Re: Prenatals - pill swallowing question. Any gaggers out there?

If you don't mind me asking, what is DHA and does everyone have to ask for a prenatal that has them in there? TIA