To think gaviscon is ridiculously expensive?

[Fluffybat]

Pregnant and having major heartburn. Why is it so bloody expensive. £10 for a bottle.

Go to the pharmacy and ask for Peptac. It's about a third of the price, you get a gigantic bottle, and it's just slightly thicker so great for "lining" your pipes against acid etc. Feels like it's really doing its job. Comes in peppermint and aniseed varieties.

Yep it is! Only double action works for me so can’t buy generic versions
Only found out the prescription thing after i’d had my baby

Does it still taste of almonds?

Ainseed that it.

Urgh.

Thanks so much everyone- most of the comments on here have been really helpful. I can't take the tablet form as it makes me sick so has to be liquid and to be honest my village doesn't seem to stock 'supermarket' brands. When I went to the pharmacist today he said they would only advise gaviscon. When I had my DS before this pregnancy- I did buy supermarket brand tablets but some of them advised me not to use them during pregnancy. I'm also on aspirin which I know isn't great when taking heartburn relief. At the moment I am in a lot of pain with reflux and it is impacting my work and sleep. I think I will pop to my doctor and ask when they can do :-) I didn't use my free prescriptions at all in my last pregnancy so I feel maybe this once won't be too much of a drain on society. Thanks again to most of the lovely people on this thread. So grateful for the advice.

Just buy the unbranded version - absolutely no difference, even the pharmacist told me that.

I've got it on prescription now though, I'm going through that many bottles!

I would just point out that omeprazole and Pantoprazole are definitively not recommended to pregnant women!

To the people saying it shouldn’t be on prescription or if you can’t afford a bottle of gaviscon how are you going to afford kids, i too Am pregnant and have terrible heartburn. I am Going through a bottle of gaviscon every 2 days. At £6 a bottle that’s on average 15 bottles a month - nearly £100 a month on gaviscon?! Who would want to pay that if you can get it for free? It’s a medical condition brought on by pregnancy so why shouldn’t we get it on prescription! I feel Your pain OP. Definitely go to the dr or ask your midwife for a prescription.

I don't know if you can take it when pregnant but superdug do a box of 100 bisodol, quite cheap for the amount of tablets you get and I get really bad acid reflux to the point the acid is up in my throat and mouth and these really soothe it...and you have the option of chewing or sucking them, they aren't a weird flavour either,

bsbabas Wed 20-Jun-18 17:15:07

Ginger tea will get rid of the heartburn

Ginger tea was about as much use as a chocolate teapot for me, didn't even touch the sides.

Apart from sore boobs, heartburn was my only symptom when pregnant, but my god it was dire. I barely slept after the three month mark, both times.

After DC2 was born, it dodn't go away as it had after the first pregnancy. Although I now believe stress had a major part to play, as I left Ex last year and my need for Gaviscon/similar has dramatically dropped (also with the help of cutting out a couple of foods, not eating too late)

DEFINITELY see a doctor if you are also on aspirin! That's why they're there and why prescriptions are free whilst pregnant. I had to be treated with omeprazole in hospital but I was in my 3rd trimster and was hospitalised for the ulcer, which was agony! After that I had permanent damage to the sphincter and hence, now have GERD but that was diagnosed after scopes when I wasn't pregnant anymore.

I'm just glad that others are having as much gaviscon as I am, I was wondering if I was becoming too dependent on it

Roll on tomorrow to pick up the next prescription!

P.S I work for the NHS, I'm well aware of what is necessary/unnecessary to be provided on prescription. Heartburn is a horrible side effect of pregnancy and can have long lasting effects on women - it absolutely should be provided.

In relation to the discussion, many CCGs will no longer prescribe OTC meds like gaviscon on prescription unless there are exceptional circumstances.

I’m not sure about gavison but in most cases, the generic medication is absolutely fine in terms of both term of taste and how it works. There’s no need to buy neurofen when Boots own brand ibuprofen works exactly the same for a fraction of the price.

Pregnancy is an exceptional circumstance, especially if the woman is already on other medications. As pointed out, Gaviscon is really salty, too, another medication might be better to treat her, like Gavison Advance or ranitidine, all the more reason to see a doctor.

what are the supermarket ones called can anyone help?
Gaviscon Advance contains 1 g of sodium alginate and 200 mg potassium bicarbonate per 10 mL (so it's lower in sodium than the forms that contain sodium bicarbonate). If you don't need to restrict your sodium intake you don't need to look for potassium-containing preparations. Gaviscon Double-Action contains 500 mg sodium alginate, 213 mg sodium bicarbonate and 325 mg calcium carbonate per 10 mL. Just look on the labels of supermarket products to see which matches the Gaviscon you're replacing. Tesco heartburn & indigestion liquid (www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/253026467) has almost exactly the same ingredients as Gaviscon Double-Action (slightly more bicarbonate but everything else identical) but costs only £4.50 for 500 mL (90p/100 mL) compared to £8.50 for 300 mL of Gaviscon (£2.84/100 mL): i.e. Gaviscon costs more than 3 times as much.

£40 a month when you are disabled with no income is extortionate

Oh no, @icantcopeanymore - don't tell me your teaching has fallen through again? I thought it was all back on track? I'm sorry, that must be awful for you.

@ikeepaforkinmypurse why is that?

I was prescribed omeprazole in my pregnacy (7 years ago) and it was the only thing that helped. No side effects that I’m aware of, did I dodge a bullet?

I had the own brand version on free prescription with maternity exemption card when I was pregnantes. It was vile but I drank litres of it. I'm very petite and small framed and my son is huge for his age. My organs were all squashed up and it was so uncomfortable! Never again!

Home bargains do it for £7 a bottle.

My bottle from Home Bargains was £1.50. It's just as effective as Gaviscon and I have GERD and am pregnant!

No way would I ask for Peptac. It is absolutely foul, nasty stuff. My health board swapped to it from Gaviscon Advance last year, and I have to say it made my GORD flare up badly. My GP reissued me with Gaviscon and put it on my notes.

Gaviscon Advance works so much more effectively for me and is also palatable in comparison.

Strangely, I can't seem to get Tums in any of the supermarkets of pharmacies near me (even going online, it's been a nightmare).

I was prescribed omeprazole in my first pregnancy 4 years ago and also in my second a year n half ago. No one has told me to stop taking it

Blimey. OP, get it on script. You're entitled to it.

My husband (obvs not pregnant) also has Gaviscon on script, acid reflux for him can affect his unstable angina.

Long time since I was pregnant. It was peppermint cordial for me. Awful time. I drunk gallons of that stuff.