bad advice from pharmacist re ranitidine?

[lal123]

I've been taking zantac for the past few nights - and it had really helped my heartburn. Went in to Boots to buy some more today and thought I'd check with pharmacist if it was OK. She told me I shouldn't take it during pregnancy - and should only take gaviscon. So I didn't get any more and resigned myself to taking bokey gaviscon. Anyway - googled when I came home and all evidence I can find is that ranitidine/zantac is safe to take????

Anyone else taking it?

I was prescribed it by the doctor - its one of those stupid things apparently. I can't do gaviscon - it bounces straight back, which doesn't help the burning at all!

I believe pharmacists can't dispense it to pg women, but doctors can prescribe. Better that way too coz then you don't have to pay for it

I have been taking ranitidine prescribed for a few years but due to my symptoms being a lot better at the end of last year, I felt I no longer needed to take it, so by coincidence had stopped a few months before I got pregnant.

During pregnancy some of my symptoms have returned, I spoke to my doctor who asked when I last took ranitidine, I said before pregnancy and she said that was good, she didn't explain why but prescribed me a gaviscon equivalent and said she would only recomend ranitidine in pregnancy if nothing else worked and I really needed it as a last resort.

interesting mrswee - wonder why?

Sparkly - feel guilty getting appointment with Dr for heartburn when there's all this swineflu about! Its only a couple of £ for a couple of weeks supply - so I'm not too bothered about having to buy it

I was presribed it by my GP at about 33 weeks - Gaviscon had stopped doing anything and I was in agony with hearburn. I was never without my huuuge bottle of Gaviscon for both my pregnancies and the thought of it now .. yak

I was prescribed it in my last pregnancy when gaviscon stopped working at about 30 weeks. I was worried about it and googled loads and all the evidence was that it was fine. As with all medicines - they can't run clinical trials on pregnant women so you just have to go on the history of the drug. DS is now 3 and happy and healthy. I already have heartburn at only 13 weeks this time (twin preg with hyperemisis so wondering if that's why) and although gaviscon is fine for at the moment, if it stops working like before I won't struggle on for as long as with DS before going to the doctor to be prescribed ranitidine - it really was fantastic.