anyone else on Folgard?

[Anonymous]

I have a MTHR mutation which we found when doing fertility testing and thus am on Folgard. I have two questions

1) the nurse at the RE's office where I did IVF says there aren't over the counter alternatives. Really? I can't just take several B6/B12/Folic acid tabs from Trader Joes?
2) the warning label notes that I shouldn't operate heavy machinery because the meds may make me drowsy.That seems like a bit of overkill... or ?

THanks.

[Anonymous]

I also have MTHFR. I take 1 mg Folic Acid (prescription), 1 prenatal (prescription), I 250 B12 and 1 100 B6. Doc also mentioned a baby aspirin but I am not taking that.

[Anonymous]

I have been given FABB as the generic for Folgard. I did not do IVF, though.

[Anonymous]

I am also on folgard, and yes, there are some generic alternatives (i.e. FABB), or you can purchase mega-doses of B6, B12, and folic acid over the counter. My mail-order pharmacy only had folgard (none of the generics), and I didn't want to add more pills (I'm also on metformin, aspirin, and typical prenatal+DHA), so I was willing to pay a little more for the simplicity.

I don't know why they warn about fatigue- that seems a bit ridiculous to me, and I wouldn't worry about needing to change your normal level of activity.

[Anonymous]

Thanks 1031. So could I take the equivalent of 1 mg of folic acid in a non-prescription form?

[Anonymous]

Thanks, this s really helpful.

For those of you on Folgard because of a mutation, do you take it when you aren't pregnant or TTC? I ask because as I was Googling I was reading about all the (unrelated to pregnancy) problems that you can have without sufficient B vitamins, which I assume could happen outside pregnancy with a MTHFR mutation, and I'm starting to wonder if some of mine (depression, ADD, etc.) could be related and solved by a simple prescription multivitamin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks 1031. So could I take the equivalent of 1 mg of folic acid in a non-prescription form?

Folgard has more than 1 mg of folic acid. Or at least the one I'm on (Folgard 2.2) does. It's 2.2 mg of folic acid, 25 mg B-6 and 1 mg B-12. When I added up how many OTC pills I'd need to take to equal the prescription it essentially ended up being a wash.

[Anonymous]

Just like the PP, I'm on Folgard 2.2...it is less expensive for me to take the prescription Folgard than to take all of the OTC pills that would be equivalent to Folgard. Also, this vitamin is extremely easy for me to take...I have had no side effects, adverse reactions, etc.

[Anonymous]

15:55- yes, if you have 2 mutations you are on it and baby aspirin for life.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, 715- *two* mutations, or one? I am only aware of the one... interesting to me, because this all came up because I was being treated for infertility, and most of the REs I've spoken to blew it off (I switched REs in a different practice, and he is the one who prescribed it).

I've noticed that my skin is really bad- the aestitician said she thought the extra B vitamins are what caused it. I'm pretty sure it's the pills and not pregnancy, because I've gone off and on extra B vitamins in the past and bad skin seems to positively correlate with acne for me.

How did the rest of you find out about this MTHFR thing? Its weird to me that barely a word was said to me (actually, nothing was said to me about it) until the OB whose care I was under in my first pregnancy freaked out and basically said I should run to the RE because I should likely be on blood thinners (not true, in the end, but still)... it's only when I went to an RE the second time and casually mentioned it that they casually suggested Folgard, but no explanation was given as to why- just prescribed over email by the nurse.

Anyway... how can I find out more?

[Anonymous]

14:48 i mean Homozygous MTHFR C677T (2 copies/the most serious). Found out during infertility /recurrent pregnancy loss testing

[Anonymous]

Anyone have thoughts on folgard vs. metanx?

[Anonymous]

I found out about my MTHFR after I had an ocular TIA. I was already on Metformin and Armour thyroid. After I had a second TIA, I had to add a baby aspirin.

I take B12 and fish oil in addition to the FABB, but my OB told me that I will not absorb OTC B vitamins as well as the FABB (generic for Folgard).

I've never had any side effects, and my more subtle issues (depression, anxiety, ADD, etc.) have all improved so much! So grateful I am on these medications--I'm a whole different person.

Warning: just in case your doctor did not tell you, any kind of hormonal birth control could be fatal with this mutation!

[Anonymous]

I found out that I have MTHFR C677T (double mutation) when my naturalist doctor went on a hunch and had me basically tested for Cholesterol levels (it was part of that series of blood tests, which he knew and which he was aiming to test me for). He had the hunch because I had been dealing with depression and anxiety for years. Never had trouble getting pregnant (did successfully once so far). Anyway, to get to the point: He gave me a formulated B-complex vitamin that basically gave me astronomical levels of ACTIVE Folate (which I think is B-6) and B-12 which I had to take daily and consistently. I discovered however, as some people do, that B-12 really hypes me up and I get very edgy and anxious when I take that much (over a thousand times the daily value percentage). Please let me emphasize, this gene mutation is a deficiency in the body's ability to produce ACTIVE folate, not the regular folate or folic acid that you get from the average B-complex or prenatal or multi-vitamin. The body normally takes folate we consume in food or vitamin form and transforms it with the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase enzyme, but in this gene mutation, this enzyme is not produced in sufficient forms to keep active folate in sufficient levels. There's more to that which leads to blood clots and miscarriage that has to do with Homocysteine (another amino acid) levels.

Whew! So what I'm trying to say is that I eventually found several brands of vitamins that make just active folate (or 5-Methyl tetrahyrdo folate) which is trademarked as "Quatrefolic". I currently take "Doctor's Best Active Folate" because they basically have the best deals for the right product. You can get active folate at some natural food stores, but I found it easiest at the Vitamin Shoppe, which is all over the US. It costs about $11 for 90 pills of 400mcg of active folate alone per pill. No other additives. I take 3 pills of 400mcg a day, no less. I don't intend this to be medical advice, I just know that without it, I cannot function. Please consider talking with an internal doctor about options for active folate. Know that if you get hyper on B-12 you are not alone and you have options. Anyway, Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Mason Natural makes Folic Acid/B6/B12 pill that is inexpensive. Folgard/Folbic are very similar. I will have to look for FABB. I have 1 MTTHFR mutation & then homozygous for 2 other forms of Thrombophilia. I was lucky enough to not have had any pregnancy issues, but my sister & cousin have had some major complications. I learned about mine from an OB when I was complaining of menstrual migraines & other female issues. Taken off any form of estrogen, as it could be deadly. IUD is a good option for those seeking BC without estrogen. It made my quality of life much better. Unfortunately, many doctors roll their eyes when you bring up Thrombophilia. I know my mother's doc did when I told her to ask about it. My brother had a stroke in his 40's, my sister had a miscarriage & a baby with anencephaly. My father passed suddenly from what could have been a heart attack or pulmonary embolism. Be your own advocate & take care of yourselves!