Multvitamins - overcoming gag reflex

penrbrown
penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm having a wee bit of a problem.

Because of allergy constrictions and calorie constriction I am in a position where I need to take multivitamin supplements. I just don't get enough vitamins in me and it's really not possible for me to do so through diet at this point (please don't argue this point. I don't want to have to go into all my dietary restrictions).

My problem is thus:

The smell of the multvitamin makes me want to puke. When I place it in my mouth I have such a hard time swallowing. Something about it just triggers this volatile gag reflex beyond anything I've experienced before. WHAT. THE. HELL.

Because of this I haven't been taking the vitamins but they were bloody expensive and I really want to overcome this.

So. Any tips for overcoming this problem? I've tried plugging my nose but the moment it touches my tongue I get the overwhelming urge to spit it out. I've tried tossing it back but I'm a bad aim and well... it didn't go down so well.

What should I do?

Roll it up in sausage like I would if I were giving it to a puppy?

Grind it up and sprinkle the ashes in water?

Anybody?

Somebody?

Someone MUST have had this problem before and if not... somebody wanna buy some vitamins?
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Replies

  • _JR_
    _JR_ Posts: 830 Member
    Flintstones Chewables?
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    Flintstones Chewables?

    ): BUT WHAT DO I DO WITH THE VITAMINS I ALREADY HAVE?

    You wanna buy them?

    I'll sell em real cheap.
  • MySunshine76
    MySunshine76 Posts: 389
    WOW!! I'm a woman and I want to make a rather inappropriate comment. So, I guess it's best if I just say...........Good luck.
  • lmelangley
    lmelangley Posts: 1,039 Member
    My husband takes centrum chewables because of his gag reflex. My daughter likes chewable gummy vitamins. Both taste pretty good to me!
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    Flintstones Chewables?

    ): BUT WHAT DO I DO WITH THE VITAMINS I ALREADY HAVE?

    You wanna buy them?

    I'll sell em real cheap.
    Put them in a big spoonful of peanut butter or honey, or some powerful tasting thing you like and get swallowing. :)
    Convince yourself they aren't there for that one swallow.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    Flintstones Chewables?

    ): BUT WHAT DO I DO WITH THE VITAMINS I ALREADY HAVE?

    You wanna buy them?

    I'll sell em real cheap.
    Put them in a big spoonful of peanut butter or honey, or some powerful tasting thing you like and get swallowing. :)

    All of them at once? Isn't that unhealthy?

    Oh nevermind. I'll just do it! Anything so as not to waste precious resources and money!
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    My husband takes centrum chewables because of his gag reflex. My daughter likes chewable gummy vitamins. Both taste pretty good to me!

    So there really is no cure for this? Ugh. How disappointing.

    I'll check into chewables. Thank you. :)
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    Flintstones Chewables?

    ): BUT WHAT DO I DO WITH THE VITAMINS I ALREADY HAVE?

    You wanna buy them?

    I'll sell em real cheap.
    Put them in a big spoonful of peanut butter or honey, or some powerful tasting thing you like and get swallowing. :)

    All of them at once? Isn't that unhealthy?

    Oh nevermind. I'll just do it! Anything so as not to waste precious resources and money!
    err...not sure if serious...no, just one at a time.
    I like your thinking about resources though.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    More practice should help overcome your gag reflex.
  • hpsNcrvs
    hpsNcrvs Posts: 74
    WOW!! I'm a woman and I want to make a rather inappropriate comment. So, I guess it's best if I just say...........Good luck.



    Omggg..I believe I was about to suggest the same thing..wow, I'm so so bad!! :-)
  • _JR_
    _JR_ Posts: 830 Member
    More practice should help overcome your gag reflex.

    I see what you did there. :wink:
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member

    err...not sure if serious...no, just one at a time.
    I like your thinking about resources though.

    Not serious. No worries. :) Just having a little fun with my problem.
  • hpsNcrvs
    hpsNcrvs Posts: 74
    My comment woulda been....inappropriate as well.

    So, I'll just say this.....swallow little ones. The bigger they are, the more likely you are to....choke.
  • Skyfire23
    Skyfire23 Posts: 37
    I have the same problem, at least as far as gag reflex and vitamins. I take a chewable multivitamin that I get at Trader Joe's, if you have one near you.
  • horseplaypen
    horseplaypen Posts: 442 Member
    ): BUT WHAT DO I DO WITH THE VITAMINS I ALREADY HAVE?

    I grind up my multivitamin in my smoothie sometimes, just toss it in the blender with everything else. It gives a bit of a residual taste, but I only have bananas, strawberries, and protein powder in my breakfast smoothie, so if you used something more flavourful like chocolate, that might hide the taste better.
  • rebeccap13
    rebeccap13 Posts: 754 Member
    Chewables are pretty low quality vitamins. I used to take mine with OJ, seemed to help. The peanut butter idea seems like a good one. I also tried to avoid taking them on an empty stomach because even just a multi made me nauseous.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    If you need to take the ones you have you can try holding your nose (to reduce the scent), taking it with juice (to try and cover the taste) and just taking your chances, but throwing up is a waste of the food you ate (since it's best not to take them on an empty stomach because that can cause vomiting). Otherwise I agree with the others about taking gummy, chewable types.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    Chewables are pretty low quality vitamins. I used to take mine with OJ, seemed to help. The peanut butter idea seems like a good one. I also tried to avoid taking them on an empty stomach because even just a multi made me nauseous.

    I was told this. Which is why I chose not to take chewables initially. I didn't realize I had a problem with the pills. And it's just these pills. I have no trouble with my medications. They're about the same size. Something about the taste and smell of these multivitamins just piss off my body.

    I'm going to try the OJ perhaps...

    Thanks!
  • lkplibra
    lkplibra Posts: 147 Member
    Costco sells Vitafusion - Multi-Vites Gummy Vitamins. A bottle of 250 is about $10 and you take 2 a day. The calories are 15 per serving and they taste good. The nutritional content is great.

    As far as the vitamins that you already have, I have a whole bottle of the regular adult version sitting in my medicine cabinet that I will probably toss once the experation date comes. I can't stand the thought of throwing them away, no one seems to want them, and there is no way I can force myself to remember to eat them either. So my suggestion would be to cut your losses and just do something that actually works for you.
  • tishka11
    tishka11 Posts: 76
    I do not have a gag reflex (discovered while in hospital when i was little) so thus dont really know how it feels or how to overcome it...sorry :S
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    I do not have a gag reflex (discovered while in hospital when i was little) so thus dont really know how it feels or how to overcome it...sorry :S

    Forgiven! ;P
  • MySunshine76
    MySunshine76 Posts: 389
    WOW!! I'm a woman and I want to make a rather inappropriate comment. So, I guess it's best if I just say...........Good luck.



    Omggg..I believe I was about to suggest the same thing..wow, I'm so so bad!! :-)

    Apparently we both are.:laugh:
  • florymonde
    florymonde Posts: 261 Member
    Dip them in chocolate? Might work! :happy:
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I do not have a gag reflex (discovered while in hospital when i was little) so thus dont really know how it feels or how to overcome it...sorry :S

    Fascinating
  • MySunshine76
    MySunshine76 Posts: 389
    More practice should help overcome your gag reflex.

    I see what you did there. :wink:

    Love the way you just "slipped" that in there.
  • KaylaMarie8
    KaylaMarie8 Posts: 6
    At the nursing home I do clinicals at for school, we either crush up the pills or put them whole into applesauce or pudding. The clients have no problem taking them that way.
  • MySunshine76
    MySunshine76 Posts: 389
    My comment woulda been....inappropriate as well.

    So, I'll just say this.....swallow little ones. The bigger they are, the more likely you are to....choke.

    HA!!! Nice one!!
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    It's very difficult to find chewables that contain iron, so they might not be your best plan of action if you need that...

    My grandmother is in a nursing home, and she has swallowing problems. They take her daily vitamin, crush it up, and add it to some applesauce to get her to eat it.
  • capnwo85
    capnwo85 Posts: 1,103 Member
    There are numerous liquid multivitamins. just as good, if not better, some great anti-oxidant blends in them.
  • ash8184
    ash8184 Posts: 701 Member
    Chewables are awesome! In the meantime, put your vitamins in the blender, mix with pro powder, banana, fruit, etc. and see if you can get them down that way :)

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