Ridiculous Heartburn - any tips?

[giddywithglee]

I'm 27+3 and have been suffering with heartburn since about 20 weeks. I'm reduced to swigging Gaviscon from the bottle - does anyone have any tips?!?

Gaviscon all the way!

Also drinking milk helps and I've heard Refreshers are good to. Avoid juice etc.

frutin tablets from the health shop. they work way better than renees or gavisgon from doc. chew and drink loads of water afterwards.

:)

I'd see your GP. For a start you can get Gaviscon on prescription, and there may be something else he or she can prescribe. I'm 32 weeks and have been suffering since week 10!

ranitidine has saved my life in the last week.
Gaviscon was only lasting for 5 minutes but this works!!
It's a twice daily tablet but quick relief and carries on working, have stupidly missed a dose once or twice and really regretted it...
You can buy over the counter but GP will also prescribe

hi there,

I have had it since about 16 weeks too,(now 20+3) and Gaviscon advanced (liquid) is also my saviour- big bottle- get it free on prescription.

I also find cold milk helps, and peppermint tea after a meal- If I eat till I'm 'full' then I've eaten too much and sometimes get heartburn (or indigestion- I don't really know the difference) after most meals- it's very annoying! So I try not to eat too much in one go and certain foods trigger it for me- like fatty or spicy foods.

Sleep with an extra pillow or 2. I found that helped as it was worse for me when I lay down.

Don't drink too much with meals, as this will increase stomach volume and make HB more likely.

Don't overeat (obviously), and try not to eat too close to bedtime. Maybe try 4/5 small meals a day?

Sleep on your left-side, as then your stomach will be lower than your oesophagus. And use a high pillow if comfortable.

Gaviscon is my friend . During my first pregnancy, my MW suggested peppermint cordial. It was vile though. So I think Sara77's peppermint tea suggestion would be easier to stomach.

Another vote for ranitidine. Longer acting and worked better than the gaviscon.

My German MIL gave me a recipe for something called "Schneeschleim" (literally snow slime - yummy). Worked for me, especially for nighttimes. To make it, put half a litre of water on the hob to boil and as it's heating up, add 3 dessertspoons of raw oats (porridge oats work fine) and stir in. Let the water heat up to a decent simmer / just below boiling and add a pinch of salt. Let the oats dissolve - you're looking for the gluten-y stuff in the oats to break down, takes 5-10 mins.

The result is a foul looking brew that is gloopy but not runny/watery and looks just like snot (sorry). You can eat / drink as much of it as you feel you need, I have around half a porridge bowl and it doesn't taste as bad as it looks. According to my MIL, who's a GP, the stuff is ph basic (ie opposite of acidic) and also apparently counteracts the relaxin-induced sloppy valve at the top of the stomach by lying on top of the food you've eaten like a big gloopy blanket.Good to try after food.

For anyone reading this who found Gaviscon totally vom-inducing (especially as I suffered with hyperemesis the first time around), Rennies Are Your Friend.

I wake in the night with heartburn so painful that I have to stand up for a while.

I heart Rennies.

I like the sound of the Schneeschleim, though.

I've never been one for taking tablets (am from the school of fresh air and a long walk will cure a headache better than paracetomol) but my heartburn got so hideously bad that I was throw up a little everytime I bent down. So I got prescribed ranitidine (same as zantac) from the doctors and, whilst it took a few days to work, it has made my life almost bearable!

I still try to avoid the foods that trigger it worst such as toast and apples and occasionally still resort to gaviscon though.

I definitely second the milk cure. Even if you don't like milk, it's worth it.

You can get ranitidine in a tablet that dissolves in water. It's fabulous, works almost instantly and lasts ages.

I have just seen this on the discussions of the day board.
I will try and remember or find out what I took when I was pregnant. I know I went to the doctor and first tried ranitidine and ot worked for a bit but then the doctor gave me a prescription for another tablet that she said was a lot more expensive so first they usually try others.

will get back to you in a bit unless someone else beats me to it.

When I was pg I used to slurp down whole big cartons of full fat natural yoghurt. Really soothing if you have reflux, too, and less claggy than milk.

I think you need full fat as it's the fat that coats the oesophagus or whatever it is (not interested in anatomy, sorry) and protects it from the acid.

Omeprazole is what it was, found it online. This stuff is amazing. I had awful heartburn and like you was slugging bottles of gaviscon.

bananas work

You should check before taking Opramazole - it should only be prescribed by a GP especially if pregnant - I take it everyday after the reflux with DS damaged my stomach and tubes so much.

Milk is an acid and only the fact that it is cold soothes when you drink it - it actually accascerbates the problem.

Yogurt is the best thing - I had reflux with bothy of mine so bad that I am still having problems now.

Avoid pastry and anything fatty - it makes things worse. Try not to eat too much before going to bed and try sleeping a little raised so the acid can;t flow back up (I have a lovely hacking cough and manly voice as it damaged my vocal chords!) - was found puking up acid, peeing myself with each heave, naked over the toilet by a nice little indian doctor who tut tutted and told me to invest in a huge crate of natural yogurt and it really really worked. Apparently is an alkaline and so neatralises the acid - the doctor was aghast that I was drinking milk and told me is the worst thing for it - a temporary fix that will come back to haunt you!

Good luck - it is vile.

Swigging gaviscon here too at 33 weeks. Helps to have small frequent meals rather than big ones and avoid any acidic foods I think.

ASDA own brand fruit flavoured antacids.

Taste much nicer than Gaviscon (seriously, the creator of that has never tried it) and they work. They were the only thing that shifted my heartburn anyway.

DS is 5 in december... I came here to see if there was anything to sort the heartburn and indigestion I STILL have from when I was PG with him...

hey ho... never mind... Rennies are still my constant companions.....

Will shuffle off to Drs then....

A friend suggested almonds, and apples - though not necessarily at the same time!

Thanks for the schneesliemy stuff recipe, I'll try it as I don't think Gaviscon works at all.

I had an ulcer prior to getting pg, and also had terrible heartburn while pg.

Interested to see someone recommended quitting apples. I found they helped me. There's something in it which supposedly neutralises the acid.

Also avoid anything acidic:
tomatoes
curries
orange/cranberry juice

Coffee and alcohol are also triggers if you haven't already cut down.

Although people are saying no to acidic stuff, in both my pregnancies I found pineapple brilliant for heartburn