Horrible heartburn?

[HollieES]

I'm 31 weeks pregnant and getting terrible heartburn. Since Saturday I've also had a sore throat, cough and earache on top of the heartburn, and the combination of all four is making me quite miserable! It sounds odd, but I'm getting loads of excess saliva in my mouth (I think as a by-product of the heartburn) and this is making me feel hungry all the time (you know the feeling in your tummy when you've been chewing gum...as if your stomach is preparing for food?).

Anyway, just wondered if anyone has suffered the same kind of thing, and if you have any tips on how to deal with it.

[Polly D]

Gaviscon, and on and on and on.

You can even get it on prescription from the doc so free.

[supergolden88]

I have been having terrible heartburn /acid reflux for a few weeks now - am 35w come Friday. Sometimes I get it without even eating. It's horrendous. Rennie tablets work better for me than Gaviscon

Prop yourself up on pillows at night and try not to eat too late. Small meals and often rather than big ones. Avoid fried food at all costs

You sound as if you have a bad cold on top of it - there is a bad one going round. Seeing your GP cant hurt

Good luck - when baby drops down it's all meant to get easier - but then again my daughter did not until I was about to push!

[HollieES]

Thanks both - I'll stock up at lunch time! Fingers crossed it will do the trick.

[Vickster]

I feel for you, as I am suffering terribly already and am only 22 weeks. Gaviscon is my friend - bottle on bedside table and tablets in handbag. I second the little and often suggestion, as food does seem to aleviate it temporarily.

[mumra]

I suffered terribly with this when preggers and found Gaviscon to be the only cure. As Pollyd said, get it on prescription as you can get through quite a bit of it. I even went to bed clutching my bottle - (like an alcoholic!) as one night it was toooo bad. Thankfully it disappears the moment you give birth, but then you have a few other things to worry about...!

[KateW]

Gaviscon has been making me gag although the tablets are handy when out and about. When I'm at home I find drinking cold milk really helps; this was a top tip from a friend.

[nicolemodesti]

Omeprazole was my saviour! Prescribed by my doctor and safe during pregnancy. It was better than Gaviscon for me as it had no effect and made me gag too.Continued taking after for about 6 months as unfortunately my heartburn didn't subside with birth....still suffer every now and then 2 years later!

[Saffron]

Rennie and Gaviscon gave me rebound heartburn making my dyspepsia worse in my pregnancy. Omeprazole was more helpful, but you can only get it on prescription.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

[candj]

Omeprazole is great, but don't think you can take it during pregnancy as my doctor told me to switch to Gaviscon for heartburn.

Sorry edited to say I didn't read through all the posts - maybe my dr was just being overly cautious and told me not to take Omeprazole! I don't want to scare anyone!

[HollieES]

Thanks for all the advice ladies, I got some Gaviscon yesterday and it's really sorted me out. Took one of the tablets last night and haven't had any heartburn (touch wood) since taking it - brilliant!

I'm now clutching the box like my best friend.

[Fuschia]

You can take ranitidine or omeprazole in pg. I was so bad with heartburn and retching with the twins I was admitted to hospital and had a little camera put down my throat!

This time round I am, again, getting through oodles of gaviscon. Dr very disapproving, thinks I should take two tablets once a day!!

[Saffron]

I think drs tend to discourage omeprazole/ranitidine in early pregnancy, simply being overly cautious (and rightly so!). Once you're out of those first few crucial weeks, they should be just fine.

You can also get an H. Pylori test, if heartburn is suspected stomach ulcer. Antibiotics for this should be safe in later pregnancy too.

[Fuschia]

Avoiding tea, coffee, acidic drinks etc can help too. Not eating too late in the evening.

[sandy_rose]

I went to see an osteopath during pregnancy to sort out my lower back problems, mentioned heartburn and was amazed that she was able to sort that out too - it went away instantly and never came back. The lovely Julia, vale practice has the magic touch :)

[Jamma]

Omeprazole is the shizzle. Our midwife said don't suffer with it, go to the doctor and get the prescription. Made the heartburn go away almost immediately.

(Magic is the word for osteopathy btw)