Heartburn from Hell - is this normal?

[wasabipeanut]

Last night I must have woken about 8 times with the taste of bile in my mouth and, in one case, actually being sick. The heartburn is so painful and then it gets to a point when I feel my stomach contracting and I know I am going to vom.

I am 38 weeks pg, no amount of Rennies/Gaviscon stops it but it is variable. One night will be ok with just mild heartburn and the next, utter frickin' torture. It's worse if I lie on my right for some odd reason but staying all night on one side is hard work.

Is this normal? Has anyone got any words of advice?

Lots of people on here will say the same thing - get thee to a doctor/ A&E at once! It is unusual to actually be sick with heartburn, but it could well be an indicator of something worse. phone NHS DIrect immediately and see what they say - honestly, don't put it off.

yes, do get yourself checked out asap

sorry, that was blunt, but it IS better to get these things looked at by a midwife, then you can get some better relief for the pain.

Not wishin to worry you, but have you looked at the thread further down the page? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/440848-omg-heartburn-from-hell-advice-please

If it sounds at all familiar, please phone NHS Direct! Let us know how you get on.

Hi

I think it can be normal - I am having similar symptoms (29 weeks). 2 nights ago I woke up with the taste of bile and coughing it up from my lungs too and it is soooooooo gross. It is definitely worse lying on right hand side, but then I get achey hips and uncomfortable from lying in one position all night so can sympathise! Oh the joys of being pregnant. I am not sleeping well at all either because of it and feel rubbish all the time (apart from weekends where my DH looks after DD and lets me lie in all morning!). At least you only have a couple of weeks left - I still have ages!!

I find that the really awful nights (with bile in mouth and no sleep) are always when I have eaten red meat in the evening. Also I have invested in one of those V-shaped pillows which makes sleeping upright vaguely comfortable - that definitely helps.

Not long to go for you now though

OMG - have just read the other messages! Ignore me then and listen to them, better safe than sorry. Maybe I should get myself checked too

Right ok - wasn't aware it could indicate anything more serious. Will call midwife pronto.

Thanks all

OMG, I cant believe rascal's story.

wasabipeanut I saw your post on the antenatal thread.

My heart burn is really bad today but it is defo heart burn.

What did the mw say??

Ok, having read Rascals thread I can understand why you were concerned! What an amazing thread. However, I am pretty sure that all is well in my case as I had a check up on Thursday and BP, urine etc. were all normal. I have another one on Tuesday (missed one because of snow!) with my regular midwife so will mention to her to be on the safe side.

I am sure it isn't PE because this has been happening on and off for weeks and it also happened in my 1st pregnancy. I think I just have a very sensetive stomach!

Phew! Sorry, didn't mean to scare you, but it is worth getting checked out! Hope you both feel better soon. I am just starting on the old heartburn as I go into week 17.

That is a relief! Sorry to sound so alarmist, but Rascals thread was in my mind too.

I think they can prescribe a much better drug to help in an extreme case, so it would be worth going to the doctor.

Hope you feel better soon

Thanks for you concern - it is genuinely appreciated. You only have to see Rascals thread to see why you posted what you did! Bit of a tear jerker that one.

I will look into the possibility of some prescription relief because it's horribly uncomfortable.

I'd still get your BP checked tomorrow. The nurse can do it at your surgery if you can't see a midwife, or the delviery suite won't mind seeing you. HELLP can come on very suddenly and often doesn't exhibit high bp until it turns critcal... My BP was too low for most of my pregnancy but I got HELLP suddenly at 40 weeks.

My heartburn got unmanageable when dd1 was ill and I was up a few times a night to check on her. This confused the bump (about 30 wks at the time) so much that the baby kept kicking me in the stomach and my heartburn got much much worse. Went to the GP after a few nights of trying to sleep sitting up in bed, drinking too much gaviscon etc, and yes, being sick. He prescribed omeprazole capsules which are fine in pregnancy and were a total life safer! It's just one a day and I think it just reduces the amount of stomach acid or something. Definitely speak to your GP about how to manage the heartburn - they do have tricks up their sleeve...

Just noticed this thread. Please ring your midwife and get checked out now. You are more than likely fine but as Bonjour says HELLP can come on really quickly. I don't want to be alarmist but I do think you need to be checked out to be sure.

I had a textbook pregnancy and BP was fine at MW check etc just before I developed HELLP.

Do you have any other symptoms? - such as dark urine, pain in your shoulder, pale stools, generally feeling unwell but nothing specific, upper epigastric pain etc

For full list and more info look at this site.

www.apec.org.uk/hellpsyndrome.htm

Just wanted to add that the fact that it has been going on for a few weeks doesn't mean it isn't something other that heartburn. Leige and Leif - who posted and saved my life - had mis-diagnosed pre-eclampsia for 2 weeks before the Dr's realised it was HELLP.

Please don't be worried about looking silly if it is 'just' heartburn. I very nearly didn't bother getting checked out and if I had gone back to bed rather than posting on here I wouldn't be here to tell the tale. Dramatic I know but true.

Hi Rascal1979 I couldnt believe your story when I read it last night. How is everything now?

wasabipeanut How is everything today?

Hi guys,

Thanks again for your advice. All is well - I called GP's this morning and explained that I would like to be seen and why and they were fine - did blood pressure, urine check etc. All is well. I had none of the other symptoms. It appears I am just unlucky in the heartburn dept. Hey ho.

I've decided to try and tough it out without medication - it's just another couple of weeks maybe even less. Plus it isn't consistently bad - last night I only woke about 3 times!

Rascal I hope you and your DD are doing well. You are a true MN success story!

ZANTAC!!! I know you were saying you wanted to avoid drugs but if you are not sleeping well it will help you...and they give it to newborns to help with reflux, so it is quite safe for you at this stage in pregnancy. The same thing happened to me with my DD and it was brutal. I saw a consultant at 37 weeks who gave me zantac (ranitidine) and slept for the first time in weeks, no more bile/vomity feelings. And just as well because the sleep was vital during my 48 hour marathon labour.

My heartburn laughed in the face of gaviscon...

I must admit I am rather sick of fruity Rennie. I started off with Gaviscon but (and this sounds strange I know) they seemed to form a sort of "plug" in my stomach which I could feel.....and that in itself made me sick.

It just seems to be my default setting - I hurled my way through my 1st pregnancy and labour and this seems to be progressing much the same way.....

If I get another really bad night I might go back to the GP/midwife and ask about Zantac.

Mama2moo - Everything is fab now thanks (there is an update on my thread) - but without MN it could have been a very different story.

Wasabipeanut - so glad all is well. I was rather concerned last night, esp as your thread title was so similar to mine!! Hope your heartburn eases soon x

i had bad heartburn too, and now you've been checked out i feel i can post some mild advice which might help

• no tea or coffee
• limit water, small sips only
• yoghurt helped
• best thing was papaya
• sleep slightly upright, V shaped cushion v helpful

hope it helps even a little.
i used to gag and vom on gaviscon too. a texture thing i think!

am just reading your thread rascal and crying!

[passes amidaiwish a tissue]

thank you! glad to hear your lo is now doing well.