AquADEKs smell

Ratatosk

Administrator
Staff member
When DS was a baby and adeks switched the formula to create Aquadeks drops, I'd gag every time I'd put it in the oral syringe. Smelled like someone had a sinus infection. Nasty. Fortunately he didn't mind or notice. Switched to Source CF Chewables and then to the softgels. A week ago I ran out of SourceCF and switched to Aquadeks softgels. Every morning this week I've noticed DS's breath smells different -- like he has a sinus infection. But his nose is clear, no cough, just had cultures run and nothing growing.... Yesterday got his afternoon meds ready and caught a whiff from the bottle of vitamins. Yep, nasty aquadeks smell. Least I know what it is now. But, bleah!
 

nmw0615

New member
They taste even worse than they smell. And if you have even a small burn after taking them...oh boy. I haven't been on those vitamins in a little over six months. I finally could no longer stand the taste and decided taking multiple vitamins but not having that taste was worth it.

My family always likes to joke that by 2013, you'd think scientists would have at least discovered how to make meds that don't taste that horrible. Haha
 

MichaelL

New member
I hated the smell and taste as well. The adult ADEK pills are also very large so not fun to swallow. My doctor said I could instead take one Flintstone's vitamin and a vitamin E. I'm not sure what the equivalent is for a child's dose.
 

Ratatosk

Administrator
Staff member
Fortunately he doesn't seem to mind the smell. I'm primarily concerned that he get adequate Vitamin D and adeks is comparable to Source CF, whereas Vitamax is severely lacking in most of the fat solubles -- not really sure why it's even considered a CF vitamin. He takes two adeks softgels a day, plus a vitamin E (400 IU), vitamin A (10,000 IU) daily and a 5 mg tablet of vitamin K (mephyton) weekly. I figured if it became an issue, I'd speak with his doctor about comparable vitamins. I'm just glad I figured out it was the vitamin causing his breath to smell, was worried he had a sinus or other infection.
 
T

tgbaker

Guest
My family says my burps smell like cat pee after I take an AquADEKS. Lovely!
 

sugarcookie

New member
I can't stand the taste of my own (lady-like) burps after I have taken aquadeks. I only take them at night because of this and when it comes time to order more vitamins, I will order the yummy chewables (not aquadeks)!
 

Aboveallislove

Super Moderator
You guys had me all freaked out re a brewing battle to come when we had to change over last week when we used our last CF Source. DS took without an issue. Might be because he had for 0 - 1 year old until they swithced. or b/c he wouldn't chew a chewable so I had to crush and add water and it would take like 20 ml to get it down as oppose to the now 2 ml.
 

ajlindsley

New member
My daughter was on Aquadeks a couple of years ago and we noticed a strange (bad) smell coming from her. She was in 5th grade and it was just sweating out of her. It took us awhile to figure out it was the vitamins. I took one sniff od the cap and realized it was the same smell. Since we can no longer get Source CF she has to take the Vitamax chewables which she hates but not as much as smelling bad. Weird thing is that my son who also took the Aquadeks, didn't have the same reaction that his sister did.
 

licialox

New member
I have no idea on hard it is on CF patients to deal with everything they go through, I am just a mother to a precious 14 year old that happens to have CF but until we find something better, please find a way to tolerate your CF specific vitamins .... Put them in the freezer, take them @ night , do whatever it takes, please just take them. You need all the nutrients you can get to fight off what this world throws at you. I love you all & we are in this together ...
 

Ratatosk

Administrator
Staff member
I mostly notice it right away in the morning when he takes one with his breakfast or when he burps in my face. :) Don't notice it with his evening one. He doesn't drink as much in the morning with his breakfast, so maybe in the afternoon it gets washed down better. I don't like the Vitamax chewables because IMO they don't have adequate levels of the fat soluble vitamins.
 
M

Murphysmama

Guest
They are some nasty smelling vitamins for sure. When ds first started them he would spit them out so forcefully that they sprayed everywhere like a fountain. Not to mention that they pretty much ruin the clothes they touch. We had special vitamin bibs. All of a sudden after a couple months he was totally fine with them. At least now I can think back on the aquadeks fountain baby and smile :). I haven't noticed him smelling too much like the vitamins but he always gets them with his enzymes, meals, and milk so a full belly.
 

lilmac1177

New member
i must have a more horrible sense of smell than i thought because i just opened my first bottle of AquADEKs (softgels) and don't notice a bad smell!
 

cfhope

New member
Try Libertas multivitamins with ABDEK. I get them from CF services pharmacy, have different types drops, softgels, and bubblegum chewables, no fuss from little one with smell They also have a site where you can buy but does not seem to be working yet www.abdeks.com. Someone tole me you can get abdeks free with creon CFcareforward program, can anyone confirm.
 

Michelsu

New member
There is a new line of CF-specific vitamins for you to try. They are called MVW Complete Formulation. Go to the website to learn more about the products- MVWNutritionals.com.

Look at the vitamin comparison chart to compare the content to other products. The high vitamin D softgels are not yet on the comparison chart, below you will find a description of them. Read a description of each product at the website. Ask the RD at your center for a sample. Many centers throughout the US have samples. All of the products have been taste tested by healthcare professionals, parents and persons who have CF.

All of the products reflect the most current evidence for vitamins for persons who have CF.

The company has a liquid that is different from other liquids because it is made with MCT oil and the dose for a newborn is 0.5 ml. As an alert, it is “thicker” than what you might be used to, this is because it is oil-based. The oil keeps all of the vitamins and the zinc suspended so they don’t fall to the bottom of the bottle. Like all CF-specific vitamins they must be taken with enzymes. Read a full description at the company website.

The company has 2 Softgels and each contain the same amount fat and water soluble vitamins plus zinc, with the exception of vitamin D. The big difference between the regular softgel the Softgel 3000 is that the softgel 3000 has 6000IU vitamin D for 2 softgel.

There is one orange flavored chewable vitamin right now but a really great bubble gum flavored chewable will be available very soon.

Remember, all vitamins either OTC or CF-specific need to be taken with a fat-containing food and/or liquid and enzymes so that the fat-soluble vitamins can be absorbed.
 
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