O General Information and Indications:
Vitamins are natural substances that
your body needs to grow, develop, and function normally. Vitamins are
contained in food; a well-balanced diet usually provides all of the vitamins
required. However, there are times, such as during pregnancy and childhood,
when your body needs more vitamins than usual. During certain illnesses,
your body either cannot get or cannot efficiently use all of the vitamins it
needs.
Multivitamins are prescribed for patients who need extra vitamins,
who cannot eat enough food to obtain the required vitamins, or who cannot
receive the full benefit of the vitamins contained in the food they eat.
O Information For Users:
Multivitamins come in regular tablets, chewable
tablets, capsules, and oral liquid. They are usually taken once a day.
Follow the directions on your prescription label or package label carefully,
and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
Take multivitamins exactly as directed.
If your vitamins come in a dropper bottle, use the specially marked dropper
to measure each dose.
Your doctor will tell you if you need a specific type of vitamin product and
how much to take. Some multivitamin preparations do not require a
prescription. Ask your pharmacist for advice in selecting a multivitamin
product and follow the directions on the label carefully.
O Special
precautions:
o Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have
allergy to multivitamins or any other medications.
o Inform your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription
medications you are taking, especially anticoagulants ('blood thinners')
such as warfarin (Coumadin) and any other vitamins. Multivitamins are
available in high-dose formulations (therapeutic multivitamins) and in
combination with iron, calcium, and minerals. Do not take these formulations
without your doctor's advice.
o Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are
breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking multivitamins, call your
doctor.
O
Possible Adverse
Effects:
Though adverse effects of multivitamins are not
common, they could occur. Inform your doctor if either of these symptoms is
severe or does not go away:
o upset stomach
o unpleasant taste
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