GERD or Coronavirus?

[chocolate26]

I'm 34 weeks pregnant and I've had what seems like GERD for a few years but it's been worse in the later weeks of pregnancy. I had an endoscopy that showed the muscle on the top of my stomach was loose.

I have had stomach acid and bits of food coming up into my throat and mouth the whole of my pregnancy and had the odd tickly cough over the last 3 months but last Thursday my throat started to be sore and I've felt the need to cough more and sometimes it clears some mucus in my throat. I do have a burning sensation in my chest that goes up to my throat and I'm burping a lot of acid and liquid.

I have health anxiety and I'm beside myself thinking I have Coronavirus, I have been isolating at home apart from midwife appointments. I have no fever and I feel well in myself otherwise.

Does this sound like Coronavirus or GERD? I take omeprazole every morning but is there anything else I can do to help?

Oh and it feels like I constantly have something stuck in my throat!

It could be the virus I would speak to your doctor and explain the symptoms you are having it sounds like a few of them to be honest. Anxiety can cause some chest pain it's really tricky to separate one from the other I'm afraid.

@pinkoneblueone yes it's so hard to tell! My anxiety is so bad that it creates symptoms of things in my head sometimes. What would my doctor do? Even if he thinks I have Coronavirus he would just tell me to stay at home! I feel okay when I first wake up and then it all starts shortly after.

I don’t think any of us can tell you if it’s corona or not, what I will say is that I have had GERD for years. I get a very sore throat, lump sensation, a thick throat, sometimes I feel the acid, sometimes it’s silent reflux. Always much worse at night. If you think you might have something else speak to 111 or GP but I just wanted to let you know how my GERD presents x

Oh and I have had health anxiety on and off for years, plus asthma, it’s taken me ages to work out if my chest pain is acid, asthma or anxiety (and even now I sometimes struggle). If you are feeling generally well that’s a positive x

@mooshie06 thank you, do you get a slight cough with your GERD? I'm constantly burping up acid and hiccuping aswell. My DH is furloughed and he hasn't got any symptoms. I will contact my GP or 111 if I feel it's something else. I'm just worried for my baby!

@mooshie06 yes I feel well in myself! Apart from the usual almost 35 weeks pregnant stuff!

Yes I do cough with it, irritated throat, I burp a lot too (how attractive 🙈). If you feel the need to contact gp do so though x

As you’ve had GERD in the past and as the current level of Coronavirus transmission in the community is extremely low I’d have thought it’s much more likely to be GERD.

@mooshie06 yes the burps are great aren't they! 😂 it's very uncomfortable! I drank some gaviscon earlier and that seemed to help a bit.

@Pleasedontdothat yes I'm definitely leaning towards it being GERD, it's just the awful anxiety trying to convince me otherwise I think! Not a fun time to be heavily pregnant with anxiety 🙄

@chocolate26. I’ve found munching on toast helps absorb the acid, avoiding too much dairy helps too xxx good luck with rest of your pregnancy and try to relax whilst you can