Indigestion help!

[Aes1990]

Hi girls!

I am suffering so much it's making me miserable! The indigestion and heartburn I get can't even be described. It feels like it comes up to my throat and it is none stop. The only time I get any relief is first thing in a morning and that is only until I have a drink of water and it starts all over again. Gaviscon isn't touching it. I drink bottles of the stuff and it is having no effect. It is making my life hell. I now have a cough from it too because it is always right there. Got a doctors appointment Monday but has anyone got any advice for in the meantime?

Thanks x

 

[Maaaaaac]

When lying in bed i find lying on left side on two pillows (not just head but shoulders too, propped up a little bit) helps it a bit. Im tortured with it atm but i can now get some sleep sleeping that way. Thats the best ive got sorry!

 

[Aes1990]

I'll try it tonight. Thank you. I'm feeling quite desperate x

 

[inky]

Is there anything better your GP could prescribe? I'm lucky Gaviscon usually sorts me out

 

[Aes1990]

I'm hoping something stronger like rantidine or something along those lines I can't go 4 more months like this I think it's actually burnt my throat it's so bad all the time

 

[fcroxy]

I was prescribed omeprazole in my first pregnancy. I had terrible heartburn where it would make me sick, omeprazole worked for me. Hope you get something off your GP for it x

 

[naomi88]

I have found peppermint tea has helped a lot - having a cup twice a day and mine has got much better xxx

 

[Brooksy]

I'm surprised peppermint tea has made it better, whilst good for digestion i think it actually slows it down and therefore I would expect heartburn to increase??... You may have already looked at this, but if you have high fats in your diet you may find this isn't helping also. I have it quite bad, however it is a lot worse when I have had a day where I have eaten a lot of cheese, peanut butter, bit of chocolate, red meat etc, all stuff that takes longer for your stomach to break down

 

[Aes1990]

To be honest I eat very little at the moment because it is so bad after absolutely everything. I eat enough, don't get me wrong, but it is making me so, so miserable

 

[Brooksy]

Well, I have also found that not eating regularly also makes it worse, I seem to get a build up of acid if I don't eat every couple of hours or so. Try regular snacking, reducing fats and increasing alkaline foods like milk and yoghurt. Bananas are supposed to have antacids in but they actually make me worse! So you possibly need to look at what you are eating and adjust accordingly. I really struggled in my first trimester too, but like I said, I found fatty foods or acidic foods would make it go through the roof. You may struggle towards the end also as your stomach is squashed and the amount of relaxin softens the valve that stops it coming up the oesophagus. You may find that elevating yourself at night helps too for nighttime attacks, and not eating for over an hour or so before you lie down (I recommend 2 hours before going to bed atleast)

 

[Aes1990]

I do snack, I avoid large meals. Like I've just had a takeaway and ate 2 bites and can't eat anymore I feel bloated and the pain is unreal

 

[kittykitchn]

I've been struggling with heartburn terribly, literally awful and couldn't sleep no matter what I ate, drank, how I sat. Since I picked up some ranitidine (suitable in pregnancy, you can get it prescribed as well) from Tesco it's basically gone. Lifesaver!

 

[NBkm3]

I have GERD that is already brutal and pregnancy makes it hell. Nexium is what I was prescribed and it did help, as long as you remember to take it every single day. If you skip a day, it comes back with a vengeance.

 

[russellmuscle]

I have GERD too - but this pregnancy hasnt been so bad YET.

Last pregnancy I couldnt eat or drink anything but it set it off - I used to be on 40mg of Omeprazole prepregnancy and just cut down to 20mg and it was fine. I tended to just gaviscon during the day as mine was always awful at night. So kept the Omeprazole till then.

Think Zantac is also ok, or ranitadine which you can buy over counter or GP can prescribe Omeprazole.

xxx

 

[Jojo84]

I'm 38w tomorrow and still stuffering... My advice is this
-
1) ask your GP for renitadine (I take one at 8pm and one at 8am) or omperazole but you can actually buy renitadine over the counter at the pharmacy.
1) get yourself some rennies! They're safe in pregnancy and I feel that sucking on them help a lot! Don't buy the cheat alternative, get rennies
3) smaller meals, try and stay away from anything acidic or citrusy, cut out tomatoes.
4) drink plenty. I'm at a point where I can drink only water, tea and milk. Everything wlae makes me sick

Now... Milk works wonders for me... I get woken up a few times in the night and a glass of milk always takes away the burn. (Not full fat though)! Some people say it makes them
Worse, but it's the only thing that works every single time!

Gaviscon makes me sick - the liquid, the tablets, the ones that disolve on your tongue... But people swear by them!