Multivitamin Conundrum Worthy of Sherlock

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Tracy5363
Tracy5363 Posts: 2 Member
edited October 2014 in Food and Nutrition
I've been taking a once-a-day multivitamin, fish oil, probiotics, vitamin D (doc recommended), and B12 every day for the past year. The last three months I've had some serious stomach issues including bloating and major gastroenteritis problems. The stomach problems were getting quite unbearable. I work out 4-5/wk and eat fairly well but the bloating and stomach issues halted any progress. I looked at my diet to see if anything new was introduced that could be the cause. It wasn't until my sister told me to stop taking my all my vitamins for a week or two just in case. Within two days (two miraculous days) I returned to a completely healthy stomach. I drink about 3L of water a day and haven't stopped the B12. Probiotics are known to cause bloating at first but I've been taking the same brand for nearly a year.

However, the same day I stopped taking the vitamins is the same day I started to drink purified water instead of the fridge water dispenser. The fridge is an LG and barely 6 months old, but last time I used the water there were some black flakes and black stringy things of horrible, scary, disgusting unknown moldy alien species. Which is now the dilemma I face, is it the multivitamin/vitamins or was it the water from the fridge.

My question is, has anyone heard, read or experienced stomach discomfort because of a multivitamin in particular, Once-a-Day? Or has anyone had bad gastroenteritis problems as a result of fridge water dispenser. OR has anyone developed gastroenteritis problems as a result of fish oil. OR is it possible for me to develop an aversion to the multivitamin over time.

I would rather not do trial and error to figure it out. Rather, taking the best guess from your replies is the way to go. I really don't want to go back to the horrible stomach pains even for a day.

*obviously the fridge filter is being scrubbed regardless but the image is seared on my brain and will never be used again.

Replies

  • LorraineZinn
    LorraineZinn Posts: 43 Member
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    I'm betting it was the vitamins. Chances are good you are sensitive/allergic to something in the tablet besides the actual vitamins, like a dye or binder. Try switching brands on the multivitamin. Do you have problems with metal allergy? If that is the case, try a multivitamin without minerals. (Maybe change out the tubing on your fridge water dispenser, too.)
  • gneedsit
    gneedsit Posts: 5
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    I agree it might be something in the binder or dye. I had a prescription med from my doctor which the pharmacy replaced with a generic. I had all kinds of problems and side effects to the generic but not the actual drug which was more expensive. It turned out there was aluminum in the binders and I was reacting to it. lol a blood pressure pill that raised your blood pressure instead of lowing it.
  • Tracy5363
    Tracy5363 Posts: 2 Member
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    These are great replies, thanks all!! I'm going to leave out the multivitamin. I'm not even sure if it's worth taking any multivitamin any way. I seem to get enough fruits and veggies that maybe it's not needed.
  • BexKix
    BexKix Posts: 2 Member
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    I plug my list vitamins into a meal, then after I add the meal to my log it's easy to tweak if I change quantity that day, or don't take a particular one.

    Also, you can check your nutrient breakdown in MFP to see if you really need one, or if you're getting too much of something (ADE&K are ones to be aware of). Might be a good sanity check if you're wondering if you really need something. Calcium is one us ladies need to keep an eye on, to get enough of.

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