Question for those of you familiar with Flintstones chewables?

BlondeBeauty5
BlondeBeauty5 Posts: 334 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm not sure where my old thread went. I'm trying to eat half a Flintstones vitamin with iron (I have an iron deficiency and 2 different doctors have recommended it) but I have really bad anxiety and a fear of throwing up. I'm very sensitive to smells/tastes. I tried the orange flavor a while ago and couldn't handle it. It tasted really bad and I thought I was gonna be sick. Today I tried the grape flavor. It tasted much better than the orange but still not that great. I moved it around in my mouth until I eventually spit it out. It took what seemed like 30 minutes for me to get the taste out of my mouth. I had to drink some water, eat a couple spoonfuls of chocolate ice cream, and brush my teeth/tongue. And even then I still felt like I could taste it and felt nauseous the rest of the evening (not sure if that was related or not since I didn't actually eat the vitamin). I feel ridiculous cause little kids eat these every day! For those of you who give them to your kids, are there any tips you can give me? What flavors do they prefer? Do they eat them willingly or do you have to hide it in food? What do you give them afterwards to get rid of the taste? Do they ever feel sick from it or get any side effects?

Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    The whole point of Flinstones vitamins is they taste good to kids. I had one a day my whole childhood until I was old enough to swallow an adult vitamin. I would have to assume this is a psychological issue, which I am surely not qualified to comment on. Perhaps you should go back to your doctor and ask for recommendations on a non-chewable iron pill or a referral to a nutritionist?
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
    edited February 2015
    kimny72 wrote: »
    The whole point of Flinstones vitamins is they taste good to kids. I had one a day my whole childhood until I was old enough to swallow an adult vitamin. I would have to assume this is a psychological issue, which I am surely not qualified to comment on. Perhaps you should go back to your doctor and ask for recommendations on a non-chewable iron pill or a referral to a nutritionist?

    I agree with this poster.

    Saying that, I have no issues with food, and even I find the flavouring in most chewable vitamins a bit much. I believe Floradix makes some iron chewables. Haven't tried them, but they may be less acidic/sweet than the Flintstones vitamins.

    sorry not sure if that link was right. Floradix also makes a liquid, but not sure how it tastes. (do not work for Floradix)

    ok just checked, not sure they do the chewables :/ but maybe try a few other brands
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    Try a non chewable iron supplement
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    OP, if you can't swallow pills, you can't get over the taste of half a children's vitamin, and you won't take a supplement from a company that hasn't specifically been recommended to you by a doctor, you need to go back to your doctor and explain all this to them so they can recommend another supplement and refer you to a therapist who can help you with your anxiety. Good luck
  • MaryCS62
    MaryCS62 Posts: 266 Member
    There are gummy vitamins with iron -- might want to check those out. Also, if you like oranges or other vitamin c rich food, take that with your iron -- it will absorb better & you will get more effect from it. DO NOT take your iron with calcium rich foods -- will block absorption.
    Can't speak to the psychological issue of it, as luckily, I've never had that problem.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    try total cereal.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    Floradix is very well known. It's been recommended to me by nurses often over the years at blood donor clinics. It's got a strong, fruity flavor....rather like plums but not quite. It works really well.

    Also, fortified cereals. A bowl of Shreddies has 50% of your daily iron needs, for example.

    You do seem to have some serious anxieties. I agree with the above poster that you need to discuss the iron issue with your doctor again and tell him all these things.

  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I give my kid gummy vitamins. They make ones with iron.

    Don't fear brands you haven't heard of. They're FDA regulated and must contain what they say they do and be safe.
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    Always preferred the bugs bunnies to the flinstones when I used them. Not sure if they even still make them, it's been a while. They're basically the same thing, just the flavors are a little different.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    I don't know if it's accessible to you, but you can liquid iron supplements called Spartone; one kind you mix with juice, the other you can slurp right out of the sachet. Not sure if that would be better for you, but may be worth a try. My GP prescribed it for me as iron pills make me both physically sick and really constipated (fun combo) so perhaps yours can do the same.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    If you cut up the chewy pill really, really tiny, like as small as is humanly possible, do you think you could get it down that way? Surely any you can manage is better than nothing.

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