Safety of herbs/trusting your doc?

[ruffgirl]

Hi everyone. I am currently 2dpo. My doctor wants me to take herbs for GI issues. When I asked her about safety with TTC/pregnancy, she said she was not sure and would check with the manufacturer. After doing so, she said I was fine to take the herbs but to stop one if I get a BFP. Being compulsive, however, I googled the herbs in the supplements. One of the herbs the doc/manufacturer said was safe to take for the next six weeks (regardless of a BFP)lwas prickly pear, but multiple internet sites say you should not take this when pregnant. Another herb (the one they said to stop when I get the BFP but to take until then) is Quercetin. This also says do not take while pregnant.

I do not think I am going to take any of the herbs due to the fact that they don't seem to be proven safe. Am I being crazy, especially since my doc and the manufacturer say it's ok? Should I just trust my doc??? I feel like I am worrying about EVERYTHING lately!!!

[Stevi]

I will not take anything that outright says it is not safe to take while pregnant.

What are your GI issues? Perhaps you can find something that is okay during pregnancy.

[ruffgirl]

Thanks for your response. I think the websites suggest that at least one of the herbs has not been tested enough to know safety. But I agree, and I don't think it's that important that I take them. It's mostly that my intestines are inflamed and not digesting food properly, but I am trying to fix it with dietary changes. I think I'll stick with that for now.

[jee'smom]

almost every person that i've seen with inflamed bowels had trouble with gluten. and once they go gluten-free (with accompanying dairy-free, just for the first 6 weeks), they have healed their guts (i'm living proof!!!) and no, i do not have celiac's disease, i guess i'm just sensitive to gluten. also, try googling herbs that are soothing to mucousal membranes, like slippery elm, marshmallow root, and licorice root.

good luck!!!

[MaerynPearl]

red raspberry leaf tea says do not take in pregnancy

because not enough studies have been done

but it has been used for years for women TTC, and those who are pregnant. Some suggest to avoid it in first tri, others say avoid it altogether. my midwife says after 40 years of practice she fully believes it is safe the entire pregnancy.

I just avoid anything with a known connection such as black or blue cohosh pre-term.


if you google enough or the right words, you can find all sorts of websites warning you from doing all sorts of things in pregnancy, even those we know are harmless. (like reaching your arms over your head lol)

[Stevi]

I'm not sure how to word this... I don't like saying that you should not trust your doctor, but in my experience, I have learned not to.

I went to the emergency room during my first pregnancy with Bronchitis. I was very clear with the doctor that I was pregnant and did not want to take anything that would harm the baby. The doctor prescribed Azythromycin, which I took without checking into it personally. I miscarried and afterwards learned that Azythromycin can cause miscarriages.

I will never again take anything that I have not thoroughly researched myself.

On a non-ttc note, I went to my regular doctor just last month for the flu and he prescribed a cough suppressant. I have COPD, I cannot take suppressants!!

So, my suggestion is to research it first, then you can make an informed decision.

[Eliza12]

I wouldn't take quercetin before or after a bfp, and I won't take it again until menopause. Here's why - I used to take it for allergies, but my period was becoming irregular, and after doing some research, I found that quercetin is a plant estrogen, which will bind to estrogen receptor sites in your body, and can reduce the amount of estrogen you produce naturally.

So for people going through menopause and not producing as much of their own estrogen, this may be a good supplement, but not for people of child-bearing age.