Heartburn Agony - 20 Weeks

[5star123]

Hi all,

I’m 20 weeks pregnant and for the past week have had the most horrific burning in my chest/stomach which I’m assuming is heartburn. My GP prescribed me 20mg Omeprazole (Gaviscon works for all of 5 minutes before the pain is back) and she said I could take two a day until there is an improvement.

It’s been three days and if anything the pain is getting worse and has spread to my back. I’m waiting for a call back from the GP this afternoon but has anyone else had such a bad time with heartburn while pregnant? I remember suffering a little with my first pregnancy but this is affecting my day-to-day life, I’m exhausted from lack of sleep and not eating properly.

I can’t go on like this for another 20 weeks! TIA x

I had terrible heartburn in my first trimester, I took omeprazole (though just one a day) for about 2 weeks until I felt almost totally better & then (at the advice of my GP) weaned off them for the next few weeks & now only take intermittently as needed.
It did start to improve slightly straight away though but I definitely didn't feel a significant improvement for about a week and I felt so anxious weaning off them as the heartburn had been so awful.
It doesn't sound like you're getting any relief though & on double the dose so definitely worth speaking to your GP to clarify because mine gave me quite clear timelines for when he expected the symptoms to improve etc

Thank you! I’m now sat in A&E waiting to be seen as my GP is concerned about internal bleeding

@5star123 eating cubes of cold melon helped me

Terrible hearburn. I fucked up my back and hip sleeping upright, and put on lots of weight because eating was the only thing that gave me a moment's relief. I made it to the beginning of the third trimester and then went and sat in the surgery sobbing until I was seen. Put on omeprazole straight away. My god, the relief. My midwife had told me I was allowed nothing stronger than gaviscon.

It was like a magic bullet for me, so I'm not surprised your GP is concerned if it isn't touching it. I hope everything is OK.

@5star123 goodness, I hope everything turns out okay & you recover soon!

@Callmecordelia So ridiculous, though I imagine my midwife would've said the same if i'd asked her first - I went straight to my GP as it was weeks until I was due to see midwife & explained I'd tried everything & they put me on omeprazole- at my next midwife appointment I told her about suffering from heartburn & she said just to take gaviscon, I told her that didn't touch it so I was omeprazole & she was not very impressed with me but eventually conceded that it was 'fine' 🙄

Gaviscon did nothing for me and tasted absolutely vile.
Some foods are worse than others so might be worth considering if you can change what you are eating to try and take the edge off.
I found pastry was the worst thing. Obviously I know it's difficult when you are pregnant as your tastes change and sometimes you can only face certain foods and it won't make it go away.
I had omeprazole when it was at it's worst and I chewed fruit flavour rennie like sweets.
Second what pp said about propping yourself up at night too.
I hope you can get some relief.

Thanks all - I’ve been given some domperidone to take alongside the omeprazole so fingers crossed I feel some improvement soon!

Thanks for all your suggestions - I’m definitely going to try the cold melon

I had horrific gallbladder attacks when I was pregnant and they kept telling me to buy rennies. Wasn’t until after I was pregnant they discovered gallstones, they just didn’t even consider it before. If the domperidone doesn’t work don’t be afraid to ask could it be gallstones, really common in pregnancy

Also get the gaviscon advance rather than the regular one. It’s really thick but works better for heartburn than rennies or the normal stuff.

@Alpenguin I’m starting to wonder about gallstones myself as although the pain is pretty central my right side is sore to touch and the pain radiates to my back. I also have noticed I have pale coloured stools (sorry TMI!)

But then I have digestive symptoms like being very burpy and pain on an empty stomach which is relieved by eating so I don’t know what to think.

To top it off I’ve got to have a glucose intolerance test next week to check for gestational diabetes

I’m 37wks and coming out of heartburn but not as bad ss yours op- I had the tablets and I used to drink ice cold milk!! X

OP with the glucose test - take something with you to eat straight after it finishes and if possible have someone pick you up. I was ravenous and wobbly after mine, and my Dad came and got me. We went out for a massive sandwich immediately. It's one of my few nice memories of that pregnancy - DS is awesome, but I had nothing but problems getting him here!