Share your tips for dealing with heartburn with Gaviscon

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Whether you suffered as a student, during pregnancy, or in your general day-to-day life, dealing with heartburn can really get you down. Finding new ways and different remedies to cope with heartburn can be really important in helping you deal with it - and it’s also great to know that you’re not alone. With this in mind, we want to hear your tips for dealing with heartburn.

Here’s what Gaviscon have to say:
“Around 80% of all pregnant women suffer from heartburn by the third trimester, therefore finding ways to deal with it is important during pregnancy. Gaviscon Advance range is indicated for use during pregnancy, in addition it isn’t absorbed into your bloodstream to work. Gaviscon advance works by forming a protective barrier on top of the stomach contents which helps prevent the acid rising into your food pipe.
Medicines can affect the unborn baby. Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine in pregnancy.
Gaviscon Advance Tablets and Oral Suspensions. For heartburn and indigestion. Always read the label. RB-M-00995”

Do you have any top tips for dealing with heartburn? What’s the most helpful piece of advice you’ve had to help you deal with it? Did you get it at a particular stage of your life? Maybe you’ve had to cut something out that really helped you deal with heartburn?

Share your experiences and the ways you deal with heartburn on the thread below and 1 MNer will be in with a chance to win a £300 voucher (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Sleep upright, ranitidine, avoid milk before bed

For those who have heartburn on a regular basis not caused by pregnancy please please get it checked out

Had really bad heartburn when pregnant! Really bad!!
Carried my massive bottle of Gaviscon with me everywhere
NOTHING else worked
Thank god never had it before or since

I had heartburn and acid reflux in pregnancy, it was awful. Avoiding citrusy drinks and chocolate helped, as well as having as many pillows as possible! But the only thing that solved it, thank god, was giving birth!

Thankfully apart from when I was pregnant and when I've over indulged at Christmas, I don't suffer too badly.

I had horrendous heartburn when I was pregnant and the Gaviscon Double Action liquid was the only thing that touched it. Yes, baby was born with lots of hair!

I had awful heartburn and reflux in pregnancy. Theres an old wives tale that heartburn means a hairy baby, if it was true then I'd have given birth to yeti babies.

My tips are:

• Eat little and often, 5-6 small meals and snacks a day rather than three large ones

• avoid trigger foods where possible and especially in the 3-4 hours before going to bed. For me trigger foods were garlic, tomatoes, anything greasy or fatty, and citrus fruits

• milk this fix heartburn is a bit of a myth, it can offer temporary relief but for many people it actually makes their heartburn worse (which they then drink more milk to try relieve...)

• sleep slightly propped up and on your left side. Sleeping on your left side puts your stomach lower than your oesophagus and propping up your head and shoulders creates more of an incline that can help reduce acid reflux

• speak to a doctor or other medical professional if you have regular episodes of heartburn, most causes of frequent heartburn are harmless and can be resolved with lifestyle changes but more serious causes need to be ruled out

www.nhs.uk/conditions/heartburn-and-acid-reflux/

I wish I knew all the causes of my heartburn but eating too quickly, especially rich foods, is my main cause. I ALWAYS have to have Gaviscon liquid in my cabinet as it's the only thing that touches it. Must be mint flavour though!

I got it with both pregnancies, Gaviscon was a big part of helping me cope. I also found having lower fat and smaller meals more often helped reduce symptoms

Nearly 8 years ago during pregnancy I suffered with heartburn very badly. It would keep me up during the night and was painful every time I swallowed saliva. I kept a bottle of Gaviscon by the bed and drank lots of milk and water during the day. A few years later on Christmas Day after being a bit too indulgent I had terrible heartburn, my friend suffers from it regularly so he gave me one of the tablets that he uses (not sure what they were called but they are specifically for heartburn) and it really helped. I saw an advert on TV the other day for a new 24 hour (or was it 48?) Gaviscon product so I think I might give that a try in future.

I have been diagnosed with chronic gastritis

I drink fennel tea a few times a day
Gaviscon is excellent
Probiotic with lunch loads of veg

No tomato onion garlic citrus or any other acidic fruits or veg

Sleep upright

When heartburn- rub a little vaporub on the area affected- works every time

Yoga - helps digestion and helps the stomach rest. I just type in yoga for digestion on YouTube and follow a 15 minute routine

Take your time eating as eating too quickly can sometimes trigger heartburn.

I took a long hard look at my diet and was extremely honest withyself - my intake was very unhealthy, loads of cheese, chocolate, crisps and wine - not to mention other unhealthy aspects of my life. I was fat and unhealthy, hardly surprising then that my body was giving me warning signs of the most horrendous heartburn.

My diet is cleaner and healthier these days and I exercise... my body has responded favourably and i no longer get cruciating heartburn.

When in bed sleep with an extra pillow. It will help the acid stay down (gravity) and you can get some much needed rest.

Don’t eat trigger foods - mine are fatty fried foods so I just don’t have them as it’s not worth it. Rennies/gaviscon are amazing, but cold milk also works for me to a degree xx

lots of water, seems to do it for me

I always use peppermint mints

For me it starts with prevention. I love onion but I've drastically cut down on how much of it I eat. I don't drink alcohol or eat anything spicy too soon before bed. I drink peppermint tea after my last meal of the day.

milk helps alot and if any worse then gaviscon

Always have ranitadine on handy. You can usually get it for 75p a box in B&M etc

I suffer from heartburn occasionally . I do use Gaviscon but if I've got none in I find milk helps a lot. I've found that I can't lie flat in bed as that makes it worse, stealing an extra pillow from my husband so I'm more upright eases the discomfort

i find there is a trigger. mine is spicy food so i avoid it completely.

This regularly wakes me up at night - I have sleep apnoea and heartburn is common. Each time is frightening and painful and I find Gaviscon liquid works the quickest and is the easiest to take in the middle of the night. I don't go anywhere without this in my handbag - just in case! I don't believe there's anything I can do to prevent heartburn - I have my tea early, avoid spicy foods, don't drink alcohol, etc, but it still happens. I also take medication prescribed by my doctor, but this isn't sufficient, even though I'm on the maximum dose.

Prop yourself up high with pillows in bed. Gaviscon! Think raspberry leaf tea might be making mine worse but persevering anyway.

If I’ve run out of indigestion tablets I use toothpaste.

Heartburn and GERD are a constant struggle for me l have tried prescription drugs but they only work for a short time and give very little continual relief, my local pharmacist recommended Gaviscon and for me it works it’s just so good to at last get some relief.