awful awful heartburn.

[sheepgomeep]

this is my 3rd baby and i'm 36 weeks. I've suffered heartburn since about 15 weeks but the last two weeks it has got far worse. I have it all the time now, during the day, at night, when I get up, its very painful and i'm not going to sleep until about 5am when it does ease of a bit, but then I'm up again at 8 for the other two.

It's got to the stage now where I'm knackered, scared to eat not that i'm hungry anyway.

I went to the doctors for help and all she gave me was more gaviscon and told me there was nothing else she could do. I've tried the sleeping on my left side on pillows which dosen't solve the problem during the day. I have it all the time

If anyone has any other method or is going through something similar please post, I'm so miserable

The point of that was actually to say that I kept taking the ranitidine for 2 months after I gave birth to dd and ds2 so it didn't happen again. (Sleep deprivation is playing havoc with my brain!)

I have a hiatius hernia where my oesphagus doesn't close properly so I'm dreading the later stages of pregnancy as I already suffer badly with hb anyway and can't take my usual strong med.
Foods usually to avoid include - bread (I think it may be the bleach in the white bread), cheese, tomotoes, citrus fruits (especially juice), caffeine, pastry ie sausage rolls, pies etc, bacon,onions, spicy food, fried or fatty foods, pickles, red or brown sauces, any strong flavoured crisps, milk (helps initally but contains an acid in it). So basically you're left with really boring, bland foods.
To ease heartburn I drink plenty of water and try to eat loads of fresh veg. Sometimes a natural bio yougurt can help digestion and ease the burn. Don't eat late at night, eat little and often and prop up pillows before you go to sleep so your head is up a couple of inches and the acid isn't rising in your throat.
Good luck

olihan didn't know that about the bloodclot etc! poor you!! Thankfully it wasn't.

I've been in tears like that and in agony, I get heartburn in my back and strangely I can feel pain in my chin.

I'm going back to the doctors tomorrow as an emergency appointment as my dp has just spent an hour rubbing my back to try and sooth the pain

Beachbunni thanks also for the list of foods to avoid. I might write that out and tape it to the fridge so i know, Most of the foods to avoid are the ones i eat regularly which is interesting.

Daisyhun going to try the milk trick i think. I will try anything

Mine used to start under my breastbone, then spread around the top of my bump and around my ribs in my back, like something was squezzing from the outside and pushing from the inside. It made me feel like I wanted to climb out of my rib cage, iyswim. I think the position of the pain was what worried them, and being 10 days post natal they didn't want to take ANY chance of missing a clot. Apparently blood clots in the lungs are the biggest cause of maternal death - it's still very uncommon, so don't panic! - and they weren't prepared to risk just dismissing it. Fair enough really!

I'm 27 weeks with ds3 and i have occasional heartburn/indigestion and when it gets too bad i take about a half spoonful of bicarbonate of soda washed down with a glass of milk, gone after about 2 mins.
I dont know if this is a recommended cure but its worked an all 3 of my pregnancies, its something i picked up from my mum who had 4 of us and no ill effects.
Deffo the best for me

ranitidine tablets - buy over the counter if your doc won't prescribe - Boots own heartburn tablets are cheaper than zantac.

Only thing - don't take more than 2 in 24 hours, and no more than 6 days. (I am 34 weeks PG, suffer heartburn too and although Gaviscon advance usually does the trick for me, I ran out over easter so bought the tablets instead)

Don't mean to butt in on your thread but I must spread the word of REFLEXOLOGY here!

I had it done (during a pedicure) about a month ago (by a therapist who understands Reflexology during pregnancy - which is v important), and my heartburn / reflux has just about vanished!

I am talking about the kind of reflux that makes you wake up in the night vomiting acid - it was serious (off work on sick leave) stuff.

I now have a 1/2 hour reflexology session once a week and it's amazing - my last session has even helped with my hayfever?!

I work for a drug company - one that makes medication for reflux - I though reflexology was for hippies and was all a bit of mumbo jumbo! I am now a total fan!

If you have it done - it must be by someone who knows how to apply it during pregnancy as it can (apparantly) bring on an early labour, and is not recommended in the first trimester.

Give it a go! Worth trying before resorting to medication?

Oooh this is so helpful. I'm nearly 37 weeks and heartburn has kicked in with a vengence. Gaviscon doesn't seem to make a dent and I thought I'd have to suffer through so it's nice to know that there are alternatives!

Gracie xx

I have been told that Yoghurt is better than milk.

I totally feel your pain with the heartburn.
I am currently 38wks+6 with my 2nd baby and have been suffering with acid indigestion and heartburn for what seems like forever.....i could buy shares in gaviscon for the amount i use
I was using the normal gaviscon, the mint flavour is the one i prefer but i have since moved on to gaviscon double action, it's in a pink bottle and i find it does help take the edge off it, i have 4x5ml spoonfuls, it doesn't matter what i eat as i can get heartburn with just plain buttered toast
I also find crunching on extra strong mints help too.

Hope your heartburn eases for you, not long to go now hun
Good luck!

I took 150 mg of Ranitidine twice a day, prescribed by the GP though I could have bought it over the counter. It made the WORLD of difference.
Gaviscon and Rennie didn't help me at all, go back to the GP and ask for Ranitidine.

The doctor is misleading you. There are other things which they can perfectly safely give you in late pregnancy for severe heartburn. Ranitidine is quite a weak drug - a proton pump inhibitor like Omeprazole is much stronger - it stops the stomach producing excessive acid, and is totally safe for use in pregnancy, particularly beyond the first trimester. I am taking 20mgs a day and it is FABULOUS! Ask for a prescription for this. It will sort you out.

I know it's probably waaay too late for the OP but I wanted to share this tip for anyone else browsing cos it worked for me. I am 32+ 5 and started suffering horrible, waking up at night gagging reflux about 2 weeks ago. The reflux gave me endless coughing fits (apparently the acid irritates the oesophageal lining) which were agony on my overstretched tummy muscles.

My German MIL gave me a tip that's worked so far - something she called "Schneeschleim" (literally snow slime - yummy). 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 (try not to let it boil) 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 (thank god). 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 and keeping everytihing down.So good to try after food. You can apparently put the stuff in a thermos and take it places, though I haven't had the heart to inflict that on our thermos yet.

This has worked for me, even lying down at at night or after a cup of coffee. It's worth a try if you don't want to try gaviscon as all you've got to lose is 3 tablespoons of oats, a pinch of salt and a bit of time.

A friend suggested Butterscotch Angel Delight to me. I think milk really helps as well.