Specifically, why not pancreatin while pregnant?

[menomena]

I've been reading about pancreatin enzymes while pregnant. It seems that the general consensus on the internets is that you definitely shouldn't take them in-between meals (detox & blood-thinning properties), but that taking them with food - to aid digestion of that food - is okay.

I was feeling so good when I was taking the enzymes before I found out I was pregnant. I think they are doing amazing things for Dave & Lily. I did stop as soon as I got my BFP at 3w10d.

I had a really, really upset stomach the other night (not pg nausea, actual indigestion) stemming from xcon from MIL's house, I think. I took an enzyme (with a snack) and felt better 20 minutes later.

So, specifically, why is it bad to take pancreatin while pregnant? And is it just bad to do it between meals, or at all? I would really like to take an fraction of an enzyme cap with each meal to help with my digestion, which has a propensity to get wonky when I'm pregnant.

[Theloose]

When I started pancreatin with meals, I started mobilizing *something* that is/was likely aluminum. I still need to mail off the month old frozen pee to know for sure though. bag Mamafish's ds saw lead mobilizing.

[menomena]

Is this well-documented somewhere? How did you know things (aluminum/lead) were mobilizing? How did you know what was what?

Also, would this explain why Lily has a very fine, non-itchy, white, bumpy rash all over her torso and back since starting enzymes (literally 1/12 to 1/8 cap with meals)?

Would this explain Dave's sudden canker sores? (Like he used to get w/gluten, despite no gluten for a few years...)

Hmm.

[Theloose]

I have a pee sample that I'm trying to fedex for a urine toxic metals test to document it. mamafish saw symptoms, then tested for confirmed lead dumping in her ds - if you search, I asked her about it somewhere. Maybe my ds thread? Now, when I take them, they cause projectile spit up in ds, general fussiness, and weird poop in him. Various mental stuff in me (low dopamine, overstimulated-feeling, brain fog), slightly weird poop in me; dd's typical behavioral stuff, along with weird poop in her. Oh yeah, and when I first started them after a cold, my cough tasted really metallic and then I was getting a bitter taste in my mouth.

From what Deb had read in the Yasko forums, she guessed aluminum for me, and the other symptoms (that I hadn't associated with the enzymes yet) totally fit. Apparently aluminum is common in gut bugs, especially in women. I think the interchange started in the chat thread for may? and i might have moved it to my thread.

eta:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...6#post15412886

[mom61508]

But the glandulars are ok while pregnant right? Per my understanding they do something similar to the enzymes just with less detox because they work a lot slower. Maybe consider the glandualrs?

[menomena]

I don't even know what glandulars are or where to get them... off to do more research.

i also wonder about why probiotics or a candida diet are also not contraindicated in the first trimester then... b/c they detox more slowly? or in a different way? (i'm trying to stay relatively low carb ~50g total/day and i'm eating bubbies daily. just trying not to freak out.)

[mom61508]

Originally Posted by menomena

I don't even know what glandulars are or where to get them... off to do more research.

i also wonder about why probiotics or a candida diet are also not contraindicated in the first trimester then... b/c they detox more slowly? or in a different way? (i'm trying to stay relatively low carb ~50g total/day and i'm eating bubbies daily. just trying not to freak out.)

check the yasko genetics thread. I *think* mammo2sammo may be taking the glandulars from yasko maybe? I had no clue probiotics were contraindicated.....hmmmm I'm not really sure why that would be exactly. A candida diet I can see because for some the candida can be holding mercury in place I believe.

[Theloose]

Assuming the glandulars are freeze dried pancreas, I can vouch for them doing very similar stuff to the enzymes - when I ate sweetbreads (pancreas and thymus glands), it gave us the same reaction.

I wouldn't start a candida diet or high dose probiotics, or anything that has the purpose of die off first trimester. And I'd say it's especially important for those of us who already have identified issues.

Some here are doing fine with no die off with pancreatin, though, and there is a clear benefit of better digested food while pregnant. So I'd say it's a very individual thing. What about non-pancreatin digestive enzymes for now?

[menomena]

Originally Posted by mom61508

I had no clue probiotics were contraindicated.....hmmmm I'm not really sure why that would be exactly. A candida diet I can see because for some the candida can be holding mercury in place I believe.

I didn't know that pbx were either... I was just making a comparison. Although, I believe there is a difference btwn high dose, specific strain pbx than say, what I'm doing - bubbies - simply for digestive support.

Originally Posted by whoMe

Assuming the glandulars are freeze dried pancreas, I can vouch for them doing very similar stuff to the enzymes - when I ate sweetbreads (pancreas and thymus glands), it gave us the same reaction.

So are you saying that you wouldn't do glandulars either?

I wouldn't start a candida diet or high dose probiotics, or anything that has the purpose of die off first trimester. And I'd say it's especially important for those of us who already have identified issues.

I think you're right that there is a difference between the average jane starting a candida diet to be healthier in pregnancy (like, say the BED advocates) and those of us with specific digestive issues. I'm just trying to work through some stuff "out loud" here. Since I feel so much better on the enzymes.

Some here are doing fine with no die off with pancreatin, though, and there is a clear benefit of better digested food while pregnant. So I'd say it's a very individual thing. What about non-pancreatin digestive enzymes for now?

I think that's my core conflict here. I'm not sure that I'm getting much die-off symptoms other than a slight, short transient stomach ache a few minutes after taking them and then I was having increased volume and frequency of BMs. And lack of bloating and intestinal pain like I'd started having again a few months ago (when I also gained 5ish lbs after going on an after dinner nut & egg based dessert bender for a few weeks).

I think you'd mentioned the non-pancreatin enzymes before. I should try those and see. We did try those before and I thought that we hadn't noticed a difference, but there were still other unresolved issues, so I'm not sure.

Thanks for listening. And being patient with my stubbornness.

[Theloose]

I'm all about talking stuff out here!

I seem to be particularly sensitive to this pancreatic stuff. I don't have any glandulars to try, but knowing how I react to the enzymes and sweetbreads, I'd be expecting some sort of die off from them. So then the question is, how many toxins can you process? How fast/slow do you want to go? For me, I just don't want to think about dumping metals to a person that's still smaller than my finger, and my digestion seems decent without enzymes (thou clearly it's not ) so I would wait.

You could always order your own toxic metals test, see what, if anything you're mobilizing in the way of metals and go from there... Feeling loads better on them is a good sign. Oh, and I'm only getting die off when I increase the dose. You could just get to enough that it helps with symptoms and not worry about increasing beyond that till later.

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by whoMe

I wouldn't start a candida diet or high dose probiotics, or anything that has the purpose of die off first trimester. And I'd say it's especially important for those of us who already have identified issues.

Just wondering, how long after starting things like this (high dose probiotics, enzymes, etc.) would it be 'safe' to get pregnant? (I know we all have different needs and our situations are unique, but any ballpark estimates? ) I've been doing probiotics and enzymes through fermented foods, but have been thinking of stepping it up w/ some supps as well. But also thinking about TTC in the not so distant future (but want to get myself 'in order' before doing that, so...)

TIA!

[FireWithin]

I am taking the glandulars - energy tested approved. I haven't seen any die off, but have improved sugar issues. THe enzymes were a huge no. I focus on having lots of support before hand
I am doing some high quality probiotics, but waited until into 6 months. I was GBS positive and struggled with UTIs so I thought the positives would outweigh the negatives. But, again I am really working on my supports, including lots of B12.

Wouldn't start either in the first trimester, well maybe light sprinkles of the glandulars. I now take two full pills twice a day.

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by FairyRae

Just wondering, how long after starting things like this (high dose probiotics, enzymes, etc.) would it be 'safe' to get pregnant? (I know we all have different needs and our situations are unique, but any ballpark estimates? ) I've been doing probiotics and enzymes through fermented foods, but have been thinking of stepping it up w/ some supps as well. But also thinking about TTC in the not so distant future (but want to get myself 'in order' before doing that, so...)

TIA!

No clue. I actually did a one time high dose probiotic (dd fed it to me) before I knew I was pg and got symptoms from that. And at about 5 weeks, was travelling and bought enzymes to trial corn with. And sure enough, they were pancreatin. And soy lecithin My take is to do whatever you can but not stress about it. No matter what, the kid isn't going to be "perfect" and no matter what you're going to love them the same, and unless you're doing some major stuff, the exposure probably isn't all that awful. The damage isn't likely to be debilitating, at least not more so than everyone out there is dealing with. Everyone has quirks. So don't go trying to *detox* on purpose, but whatever happens happens. And now, from a newborn perspective, I'm figuring that if I can get it out of myself as an adult and reverse damage, I can get it out of a kid. I think I'm focusing on generational health rather than specific person health. If that makes any sense.

Anyways. Yeah.

[FairyRae]

Thank you for your input! I'll just follow my body then. I want to bump up some superfoods and such for a couple months b/4 TTC to be in the best shape possible.