Weaning off folic

[Blessedbymybabies]

Hi Atomic! So I’m nearing my 13 week mark and around the corner from having to wean off my folic acid. Can you please tell me the proper way of doing it this time? I want to do it 100% correctly after my second loss came right after stopping cold turkey. I know although the doctor said the loss seems to have been from a somewhat hyper coiled cord I can’t help but think it may have affected. Seeing as a lot of babies have hypercoiled cords and survive no problem... so I’m pretty anxious about doing the weaning wrong at all to be honest.. and around what week exactly should I start weaning? . any advice would be great. *hugs*. At the moment, I’m on a prenatal with 1 mg and taking 3 mg extra a day for total of 4

[atomic sagebrush]

So you'll of course continue the prenatal the entire time.

I would have you start weaning right away.

I would have you go to every other day on one of the extras, then every two, then 3, then drop (so this should take about 10 days)

So you'd be like Monday take 3, Tues 2, Wed 3, Thurs 2 Fri 2, Sat 3, 2 Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed 3, and then stay at 2

Then the next week you'd take 2 Thurs, Fri, Sat, then 1 Sun, then 2 Mon, then 1 Tues, then 2 Wed, then 1 Thurs, Fri, then 2 Sat, then 1 Sun, Mon, Tues, then 2 Wed, then stay at 1

1 Thurs, Fri, Sat, then zero Sun, 1 Mon, 0 Tues, 1 Wed, 0 Th and F, 1 Sat 0 Sun, Mon, Tues, 1 Wed, then drop it but continue with prenatal.

It doesn't ahve to be exactly like that, just giving an example of how you might do it. It would take about 3-4 weeks to do it that gradually.

[Blessedbymybabies]

Thanks Atomic. Wow so it seems a little complicated, or maybe I’m
Just tired right now. Lol. If the whole process may take 3-4 weeks my worry is what if I lose track of what I’m doing, and mess it up. Seems a lot to keep track of..it is actually late and I didn’t really understand the scheduling example you gave so I’ll have to go through it tomorrow morning. But I’m having major pregnancy brain these days I honestly doubt myself to track it correctly. Could there be an alternative?

Would it be possible to maybe, do Prenatal + Alternate folics for a week (Or more if you think more would help this scheduling), then drop. For example: Mon-sun. Prenatal + alternate one day 3 folic pills, The next day 2 folic pills, then 3 pills, then 2, then 3 and then 2 for a few more days straight for that entire week or more, Then drop one for good. Next Mon-sun: prenatal + alternate one day 2 folic pills, next day one folic pill. next day two pills, next day one again, 2 again than one for a few days straight, Then drop after a week or more again
Then the following week: prenatal + one pill for that week, continue it perhaps even longer than the one week to give it a slower end and then drop it completely to just the prenatal. Does this work as well, or is that too fast of a drop? I just feel it is easier for me to do but if you have any suggestions or if that is really no good at all please let me know. Or maybe if the scheduling I gave works but if you think the last week on just one folic pill needs a tweak if it’s too fast? I just feel that scheduling I will be able to do...
Thank you again and again Atomic

[atomic sagebrush]

I was trying to make it easier on you by giving you a firm schedule but it doesn't have to be like that. What I tell everyone (and what i want you to do) is just that instead of stopping them cold turkey, you wean off of them gradually. If the way you suggested makes more sense to you , that is fine, I was just trying to write down days since some people prefer it that way.

ANY way you come up with to gradually cut back over the span of 3-4 weeks instead of suddenly stopping them is fine.

[Blessedbymybabies]

I was trying to make it easier on you by giving you a firm schedule but it doesn't have to be like that. What I tell everyone (and what i want you to do) is just that instead of stopping them cold turkey, you wean off of them gradually. If the way you suggested makes more sense to you , that is fine, I was just trying to write down days since some people prefer it that way.

ANY way you come up with to gradually cut back over the span of 3-4 weeks instead of suddenly stopping them is fine.

Okay thanks again Atomic. So as soon as I got the OK from you here, I started on 3 mg. I just want to double check is the last few days of my scheduling too fast? So basically because I was on 4 mg all along this is how I’m doing it this week and continuing. on Saturday March 30, I went to 3. Sunday, 4. Monday 3. Tuesday 4. Wednesday 3. And today Thursday will do 4. And for the rest of the week. Friday, Saturday, Sunday 3. I may add in an extra day, do Monday 3 as well and then drop it. Start on Tuesday April 9 with 2 and 1 alternate. Since it seems a little bit quicker than your scheduling, should I continue on with just the 3 a little longer those last few days, or maybe throw in a random day of 4 again? Like 3, 3,4,3,3. Sorry for the all the questions I just don’t want to go fast

[atomic sagebrush]

No I think that's fine, I was more worried about worrying you and wanting it to go gradually for that reason.

We don't want to drag it out indefinitely either so I would pick up the pace a bit more to be sure you're off the extra within 3 weeks or so.

[Blessedbymybabies]

Okay! :) So the way I am doing it an will continue, Ive calculated it will take me down to my 1 MG in prenatal at week 16, but not before that. Maybe midway through 16. Thats not too long is it? It wouldnt be harmful to take the extra to the 16th week?

[atomic sagebrush]

Not to my knowledge. That's how long it took me with DS 4 and DD (I had to take a high dose because my 3rd has a neural tube defect)