Omeprazole in first trimester - quick Q

[sleepcrisis]

Has anyone been prescribed omeprazole in first trimester? I took it throughout 2nd and 3rd with DC1 and am currently 10 weeks and desperate. Really crippling indigestion and heartburn that gaviscon won't touch. And can't see GP til Monday - would it be worth calling OOH doc or should I just take it?

General online consensus is that its safe but no mention of first trimester which I know is usually the period of taking absolutely nothing at all.

Thanks!

Yep, I have it on prescription. This is my fourth baby (sixth pregnancy that has got beyond 6 weeks and into "symptoms" territory) and for the first time ever.. hello massive heartburn.

I'd heard about people having heartburn in pregnancy before, and just thought "oh, chew on some Rennies" or "drink less orange juice".. okay, maybe not quite that flippant, but I had no idea of just how horrific proper pregnancy heartburn is. Quite another thing entirely to what you get after eating something spicy, that's for sure.

When the Rennies didn't work, the behind-the-counter extra strength liquid Gaviscon didn't work, the rantidine didn't work, and I was dying 24/7 it was time to go to the GP. He prescribed it for me over the phone instantly, and I picked it up half an hour later. It's amazing stuff, isn't it? My heartburn is 99% gone.

I've been on it since 7 weeks (am now 11 weeks) and suspect I will be on it for the duration, as when I've tried missing a pill to see if it's gone, it's still very much there. Unlike most of my other symptoms which have mostly gone now.

I did a lot of research before begging my GP and came to the conclusion it was almost certainly fine, and the benefits outweighed the risks. When you're talking your sanity, ability to sleep and even corrosion from the acid, it matters. For the record, in the US it is known as Prilosec so you may be able to find out more research by searching by that name too.

Good luck. I can't believe how much it helped me. If only there was a pill for nausea/puking that was as efficient!

Thanks so much for your response. I feel exactly like you describe - the heartburn is unbearable. If I don't eat I have the ms style nausea but if I eat so much a s half a dry cracker or a glass of water, it sits on the top of my stomach, causes agonising acidic belches and then eventually comes back up to my throat. It's hideous. It's best if I don't eat but I tried that all day today and just felt so weak I slept most of the day. Poor DS misses me :(

Anyway, as soon as I wrote the op I just thought sod it an called the ooh gp and spoke to her over the phone. I was I tears I was so desperate! She said it would be ok to take but that it might take a few days to kick in. I really hope not!

It's fine, I was taking it anywy while TTC and my gp confirmed it was fine to keep taking it throughout pregnancy.

I found it best to take it with water 30 mins before breakfast, gives it time to work before food hits your system.

Well it hasn't been an immediate miracle fix that I'd hoped - I took 10mg last night and again this morning and I'm feeling just as terrible as ever. I've hardly een able to eat all day, even a handful of dry Cheerios has set me off. It's agony balancing a mega pregnancy hunger and a hideous discomfort when I eat anything at all.

How long should it take to work?

All 3 of my DC's had/have reflux and had Omeprazole from teeny babies so it would be absolutely fine whilst PG.

I have been taking 20mg once a day. It is best on an empty stomach although I don't recall reading that on the packaging.. I was finding it was making me feel extremely sick if I didn't!

I've been taking it first thing in the morning just as I get up. By the time I've done everything in the bathroom, got dressed, got the DC dressed etc 30 minutes have passed anyway so it slots nicely in there.

From experience when I've stopped it and needed to restart, it starts to feel a little better within 24 hours, but takes around 48 hours for it to kick in fully. But when it does the relief is sublime!

I never knew heartburn could be so miserable. It really does feel like a hot poker at the back of your throat. How on earth did prehistoric woman survive an entire pregnancy without drugs and without going insane?!

CrispyFB, I hope you don't mind me asking some more questions. I've been taking 20mg for 3 days now and am getting some relief but still feeling rotten tbh. The worst thig now is the burping. Do you suffer from this? It sounds trivial but they are such deep, loud belches that are actually very uncomfortable and sometimes quite painful. I get them after eating absolutely anything, from dry crackers to fruit to sweets to a glass Of water. I'm talking upwards of 10big burps a minute for at least 30mjns after eating, and they leave a horrid taste in my mouth. I have googled an it seems that had in pregnancy is seen as little more than an annoyance but this is far more than that. I had hoped it was a side effect of the heartburn and that the omeprazole would help but it hasn't really. Not sure if I need a higher dose or a different drug. I'm so fed up and scared of eating!