Bonjesta

Yes, Bonjesta (doxylamine / pyridoxine) is safe to take in the first trimester of pregnancy. Findings from many studies show that this combination medication doesn't raise the risk for birth defects when it's taken during this stage of pregnancy. Speak with your prescriber if you have concerns about taking Bonjesta (doxylamine / pyridoxine) while you're pregnant.

There isn't a maximum amount of time that you can take Bonjesta (doxylamine / pyridoxine) for during pregnancy. Discuss with your prescriber about how long you should take the medication for. They might recommend that you continue to take Bonjesta (doxylamine / pyridoxine) as prescribed if you still need it, as long as it's helping with your morning sickness and as long as side effects from the medication aren't bothersome. While you're taking the medication, you can continue to do other things to help, such as eating smaller portions of food throughout the day and staying hydrated.

It typically takes a few hours for each dose of Bonjesta (doxylamine / pyridoxine) to work to lessen nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. When you take the medication at bedtime, it can start working early in the morning the next day. If you need more relief throughout the day, you can take the medication every morning and night to cover the entire day. In a clinical study, it took up to 2 weeks for people between 7 and 14 weeks of pregnancy who took 10 mg of doxylamine and 10 mg of pyridoxine to notice significant improvement in their morning sickness. Ask your prescriber if you have questions about how long it's taking for Bonjesta (doxylamine / pyridoxine) to work for you.

It's not clear how soon you can eat after you take Bonjesta (doxylamine / pyridoxine). It's recommended that you take the medication on an empty stomach. If you do eat food right after you take Bonjesta (doxylamine / pyridoxine), be sure that it's low fat and low calorie. Studies show that taking the medication with high-fat, high-calorie meals makes the medication take longer to work. It can also lessen how much of the medication gets absorbed into the body. In addition, it's generally recommended to eat smaller potions of food (five or six smaller meals) instead of a few large meals throughout the day so food is easier on the stomach.

No, but they're very similar. Brand name Diclegis and Bonjesta are both combination medications that have the same active ingredients: doxylamine and pyridoxine (also known as vitamin B6). Diclegis tablets contain 10 mg of doxylamine and 10 mg of pyridoxine. But Bonjesta tablets contain double the amount (20 mg of doxylamine and 20 mg of pyridoxine). This means that you generally need to take less tablets with Bonjesta than with Diclegis (for example, 1 Bonjesta tablet at bedtime versus 2 Diclegis tablets at bedtime). In addition, Diclegis has a generic version available but Bonjesta doesn't. You can discuss with your precriber about comparing the two medications and seeing which option is right for you.

Bonjesta (doxylamine / pyridoxine) and ondansetron (Zofran) are two different medications for helping with nausea and vomiting in different situations. Bonjesta is FDA approved for treating morning sickness during pregnancy. On the other hand, ondansetron (Zofran) is approved for preventing nausea and vomiting from certain cancer therapies and surgery. But some healthcare professionals prescribe ondansetron (Zofran) off-label for morning sickness. Although Bonjesta is proven to be safe during pregnancy, it's not clear for ondansetron (Zofran). Keep in mind that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends Bonjesta as an option for morning sickness but doesn't recommend ondansetron (Zofran) as a first-choice option. Speak with your prescriber about your options for morning sickness during pregnancy.