Share your tips for dealing with heartburn with Gaviscon

[AbbiCMumsnet]

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Whether you suffered as a student, during pregnancy, or in your general day-to-day life, dealing with heartburn can really get you down. Finding new ways and different remedies to cope with heartburn can be really important in helping you deal with it - and it’s also great to know that you’re not alone. With this in mind, we want to hear your tips for dealing with heartburn.

Here’s what Gaviscon have to say:
“Around 80% of all pregnant women suffer from heartburn by the third trimester, therefore finding ways to deal with it is important during pregnancy. Gaviscon Advance range is indicated for use during pregnancy, in addition it isn’t absorbed into your bloodstream to work. Gaviscon advance works by forming a protective barrier on top of the stomach contents which helps prevent the acid rising into your food pipe.
Medicines can affect the unborn baby. Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine in pregnancy.
Gaviscon Advance Tablets and Oral Suspensions. For heartburn and indigestion. Always read the label. RB-M-00995”

Do you have any top tips for dealing with heartburn? What’s the most helpful piece of advice you’ve had to help you deal with it? Did you get it at a particular stage of your life? Maybe you’ve had to cut something out that really helped you deal with heartburn?

Share your experiences and the ways you deal with heartburn on the thread below and 1 MNer will be in with a chance to win a £300 voucher (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

[EagleVisionSquirrelWork]

I've only ever had one episode of heartburn and it scared the bejaysus out of me. I had been going through a period of enormous stress at work, and was eating crap and drinking too much, and one night I lay down in bed and experienced such an enormous burning pain in my chest that I thought I was going to die of a heart attack. After about an hour of sitting up and wondering whether to call an ambulance, it finally subsided and I got to sleep propped up on pillows. I vowed right then and there to cut out the crap and get my life back under control.

Seriously, products are great, especially for a shortlived problem, e.g. in pregnancy, but I think we all need to wake up to the fact that C21 western life (stress, poor diet, self-medication) is trashing our wellbeing. I was lucky to be able to make changes in my life, but for a long while before that wake-up call I really believed I couldn't.

Symptoms like heartburn are classic signs of a life out of balance imo.

[Yvonne1988]

I'm 17 weeks pregnant and get it everyday at the moment. Sleeping on my left seems to ease it at night.
I find the cheapest solution is drinking milk. Gaviscon is great and works but it's also expensive.

[WilmaJean]

If I get it during the night, which has been most common for me, I try and prop myself up with pillows so I'm not lying down.

[UserThenLotsOfNumbers]

Eat little but often, plenty of water, cut down on fruit juice and caffeine.
Bend down using your knees rather than bending over.
Wait at least 2 hours before lying down/going to bed after eating.

[Drivemecrazy1974]

I find that drinking plenty of water - as much as possible during the day really helps to prevent heartburn. I know this works because, on the days when I don't drink as much, I suffer quite badly! Heartburn is awful when it affects you, the more things you can do to avoid it, the better really!

[Florence08]

I now get heartburn since having gall bladder removed - used to be able to eat on the go then rush around e.g cup of tea/breakfast standing in kitchen, sort children out, bend down to fridge, load dishwasher, jump in car, but find I can’t do this anymore and have to slow down after eating, being especially careful about bending down. Finding this most frustrating!

[ScreamingValenta]

Sleep on your side, not your back.

Avoid very fatty food.

[mistermagpie]

Um, doubt this will win me a prize but leave the gaviscon on the shelf and get some proper meds. I'm on omeprazole but have had success with ranitidine in the past. Gaviscon is ok for mild indigestion but if you have proper heartburn it won't touch it.

[Hazza000]

Sleeping in a more upright position helps. Reduction in acidic foods/wine. Ranitidine tablets include bad days. Otherwise gaviscon liquid or tablets work great. I have a hiatus hernia this is the bane of my life

[Tanfastic]

I got it really bad when I was heavily pregnant with my ds. I got a massive bottle of gaviscon kept at the side of my bed to swig from .

I also found milkshake to be a godsend for helping with heartburn.

[anitagreen]

The only thing that helps me is Milk 🥛

[flummoxedlummox]

I bought a special pillow, shaped like a wedge of cheese, which was the greatest help to me as I used to throw regular pillows off my bed in my sleep.

If you internet search for "acid reflux pillow" you'll see what I mean.

[JC4PMPLZ]

Sleeping with piles of pillows, supporting the upper back too. That helps me.

[ButterflyOfFreedom]

I got it during pregnancy.

I found lying on my side & drinking lots of water slowly helped.

[Fishcakey]

Don't drink anything after taking your Gaviscon. You'll just wash it away! Leave it to work!

[BadnessInTheFolds]

Definitely triggered by stress and hurried eating for me, leaving plenty of time to eat and travel during the working day makes all the difference

[TellMeItsNotTrue]

Making sure to sit up properly at a table when eating and stay sitting up for a while afterwards

[catsmother]

I suffered terrible heartburn during both my pregnancies and drank Gaviscon by the bottle!

Unfortunately, I've also suffered quite badly from heartburn and acid ever since, for which I find the Gaviscon Double Action tablets are usually very effective and soothing. I've noticed that I'm least likely to suffer when I'm maintaining my weight at around a BMI of 22 or so. I notice a huge difference when I'm slimmer, with hardly any heartburn at all unless I literally stuff my face. Sadly, I'm not always that strong willed so try to eat slowly and chew my food well. Eating as much non processed and healthy food as possible seems to avoid the worst of it, as does eating smaller meals more often throughout the day rather than a single main meal at the end of the day.

Invariably, and not too surprisingly, food that's high in (bad) fats and sugar tends to prompt attacks for me, though spicy food (unless it's also fatty, doesn't). I have also tried eating a small natural yoghurt before meals in an attempt to line my stomach somewhat and whether or not that's a placebo I don't know but it does seem to help. It's just not always convenient to do so, and neither is it always very appetising!

[allthingsred]

Propped up on pillows, sleep on side & take gaviscon before bed

[Solo]

I get heartburn on occasion and I'm usually bending over when it happens. I also get indigestion and although I keep Gaviscon on hand, I also find that soda water or a mint sweet help.

[Ribeebie]

Milk helps me. And avoiding fatty food and alcohol.

I had terrible heartburn when pregnant and needed to take omeprazole in the end. That worked really well!

[BristolMum96]

I had heartburn terribly whilst pregnant and nothing solved it. Certain things like sips of water, nuts and plain biscuits helped but didn't eradicate completely

[sharond101]

Small and regular meals.

[SophiaLarsen]

I started to get heartburn when my daughter was 3 and as it was constant I went to the doctor who prescribed omeprazole which was like a miracle drug. I was investigated for H.pylori which came back negative and also had a gall bladder scan which was negative too. The heartburn worsened and my dose was doubled then when that stopped working I was switched to lanzoprazole.

I then had camera exam which again showed nothing but the problem was worse. So I was prescribed ranitidine and gaviscon. The latter I had been already taking to deal with issues in the short term (strawberry tablets being my favourite).

I was then also prescribed metoclopramide which just exhausted me.

So eventually I cut back to just ranitidine and gaviscon. It's not as bad but I still get heartburn daily. I avoid orange juice which makes it worse and red wine. I am currently sat here now with heart burn and will have a ranitidine before bed.

So it's constant and any relief is temporary. It's called chronic idiopathic GERD. If I don't keep on top of it I risk oesophageal problems later in life. Thank you Gaviscon for your help!

[cockingup]

Such awful heartburn this pregnancy!
I've supplemented my Gaviscon with kefir, snacking regularly, and propping myself up to sleep.