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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Ranitidine stopped working?

18 replies

Heyha · 30/05/2019 00:35

I'm 37 weeks now so fully aware it might be a case of put up and shut up but I've had a horrible week of indigestion to the extent that my twice daily ranitidine isn't always helping (some days/nights have been ok, though). So I've had to have a few gaviscon tablets to top up but they aren't really cutting it either. I had a ranitidine an hour ago and I've had two gaviscon since but still awake and uncomfortable.

Baby has dropped a bit so was hoping for more bladder bother in exchange for less reflux but nope, currently having both.

Anybody have any bright ideas other than to keep popping the pills and restrict my food choices even more? I hate milk so can't use that to help, nor the liquid indigestion stuff. Loathe to go to GP/midwife about it at this late stage but might have to at this rate!

OP posts:

1stmumma · 30/05/2019 00:39

I'm in the exact same boat, except I'm 40 weeks and am still suffering.
I'm currently taking 2x 75mg ranitidine and then rennies every now and again and Is be lying if I said I felt better. Every time I lay down/get up it's there, so I feel your pain.
I wouldn't bother going to GP, if you don't like the chalky stuff then ranitidine is you're only option, unless they suggest upping your dosage??

Good luck !

MoominKitty · 31/05/2019 03:06

I suffer with GERD normally so dreading extra baby related acid! However I find sucking on a mint helps stave off the worst of it when I can't get to my tabs, chewing gum helps too. I feel your pain and hope it passes soon!

Em39ma · 31/05/2019 06:47

My ranitidine stopped working at 16 weeks, I got put on to omoperzole.
20 weeks and still ok at the moment. Might be worth asking to swap on to that. I have in combination with my anti sickness meds for HG.

Original poster

Heyha · 31/05/2019 09:09

It's such a nuisance isn't it but I feel bad moaning about it when others have loads worse pregnancy symptoms to deal with (@em39ma HG for example, hope it stays manageable or improves for you).
They e been really reluctant to prescribe me anything all the way through and with only a week left at work to survive u bet they won't let me swap to omeprazole but I think I'll get straight onto asking for that if we have another DC. Looking forward to not spending £10 a week on bloody gaviscon tablets and ranitidine though 😂

OP posts:

Tini17 · 01/06/2019 14:51

Worth asking OP, they may switch it if you are really struggling?
Are you paying for your prescriptions?

Original poster

Heyha · 01/06/2019 15:47

I've an exemption card which I've use for antibiotic prescription but they've never offered a prescription for any indigestion remedy (which I don't mind really- ranitidine so cheap and available over the counter it's not worth wasting NHS resource on). I was hoping for omeprazole on prescription when it started getting bad at around 20 weeks but just got advised by the locum GP to make sure I raised the end of the bed- that's really helpful advice for when I'm teaching year 9 just after lunch! So I gave up asking in the end.

OP posts:

Tini17 · 01/06/2019 16:03

Oh no :( Helpful of them.
I get big industrial size bottles of gaviscon on prescription as I get through so much of it and had in previous pregnancies hence my question.
Hope it eases real soon x

Reastie · 01/06/2019 18:45

I’m pretty sure dose of ranitidine can be increased from what you’re on. I know I’ve been given double that dose for before my section. Might be worth asking gp.

Original poster

Heyha · 01/06/2019 19:49

Now that would be a quick and easy win, @reastie as it just seems to last 10 hours now rather than the full 12...our GP does phone appointments too so I'll pop it on the to do list for Monday morning 👍 thank you!

OP posts:

Tini17 · 01/06/2019 21:24

OP it may be easier and quicker (than to wait for GP appt) to ask a pharmacist if it’s OTC stuff? They are extremely knowledgeable and often easier to access too for a meds’ review :)

Reastie · 02/06/2019 08:12

Tini only issue with that is ime they are very cautious in pg and will just defer to asking your doctor. I know my doctor has prescribed me otc things that I have run out of and tried to buy in chemist and they have been extremely unwilling to sell them to me saying not for use in pg (despite the patient info leaflet saying it was safe and having had a previous prescription).

NauseousMum · 02/06/2019 09:23

Weirdly I've found a cold apple can help. It's only temporary but i had bad reflux with my dc1 and now i have it with dc2 at early weeks. It's horrible.

Havd you spoken to the gp about the liquid form? I found it better with dc1 then tablets.

NauseousMum · 02/06/2019 09:24

Sorry i meant the relief is temporary. I wish it was the reflux.

Original poster

Heyha · 02/06/2019 14:08

Popped by supermarket pharmacy and asked about taking ranitidine every 8 hours instead of 12..." We can't even recommend it over the counter at all" which seems ridiculous given it's stated on the NHS website as suitable for use in pregnancy. Tried to sell me gaviscon liquid...then when I explained it makes me vomit offered me peptac which is the same thing. As if I'd be asking about alternatives if gaviscon was working. Asked me why doctor hadn't been willing to prescribe, I was a bit pissed off by that point so I said it was probably because it was freely available on the shelf behind us for less than £2...

Spent more time (5 minutes) humouring person in front asking about other ideas for smoking cessation who clearly just wanted a chat. No harm in that but I was hoping for something similarly constructive for me. I'm wary of ringing the GP now in case they tell me to come off the ranitidine as well so I might just have to lump it for the next few weeks.

OP posts:

Teddyreddy · 02/06/2019 18:58

Have you tried the gaviscon double action tablets, I find they help much more than the normal Gaviscon ones? I also kept a food diary and found some foods were much worse for setting it off than others, and not the obvious culprits, for me it's sweet food.

Like Reastie, I was prescribed 4 x 75mg ranitidine a day in hospital, from memory for 1.5 weeks (I'd damaged my oseophagus). However, when I later asked my GP they told me the max dose they could prescribe is 2 x 75mg a day so I don't know if you'll have any luck trying to get approval to increase the dose. Like others, I've heard omeprazole is more effective, although I've never tried it - if you're struggling I'd definitely ask your GP.

Teddyreddy · 02/06/2019 19:02

Sorry, have just checked the box and I'm on 2 x 150 mg daily prescribed by the GP - the hospital had me on 4 x 150 mg daily.

Weathergirl1 · 02/06/2019 20:16

I'm prescribed 2x 150mg ranitidine for a pre-existing issue and the GP was totally ok with me taking it right from the start (other antihistamines I had to stop though!) So if you're only taking 75mg at the moment, I doubt your GP would have an issue upping your dose.

For anyone buying 75mg tablets off the shelf, the cheapest I've found is 95p for a box of 12 generic in Wilkos (about 1/4 price of branded Zantac!)

Original poster

Heyha · 02/06/2019 20:24

That's a bit more hopeful 🙂 I spotted the Zantac on the shelf and was so glad I'd seen the supermarket stuff first! Maybe 75mg 3 times a day for a few weeks might be acceptable then. I'll let you know, for anyone else who ends up seeing this thread.

I use the gaviscon double action tablets for plugging the ranitidine gaps 😂

OP posts:

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