Anyone have any advice other than Pepcid? I've been avoiding acidic foods/drinks as much as possible but this crap is killing me. It starts at 8:00 am too. I can't even get a couple of good hours in without freakin' reflux. UGH.
I find frozen yogurt and smoothies help. Mine is sporadic (thankfully) but the worst nights I sleep in a slightly raised position and gulp some maalox right before bed. My OB suggested daily Pepcid but I prefer not to take anything daily other than my prenatal. If it becomes daily pain for me I might change my mind. I believe if the Pepcid isn't strong enough there is something prescription they can give you too but I haven't gotten that far!
I have ARD and GERD on the regular and at the end of my pregnancy with DD I was taking 60mg of Dexilant 2x daily plus all the tums I could handle. Nothing really helped but birth.
If you are set on not taking meds my best advice would be to identify your trigger foods and avoid them. My main triggers with DD were fruits and soda that was brown.
ETA: Spelling is hard
Also, be careful that it's not left untreated as you can end up with ulcers and ulcers are horrifically painful.
Call your OB for meds. I'm on my second try, the protonix (even twice a day) didn't stop it. Hopefully this new pill will help. I'm tired of liquid diets!
This seems worse than any I had with my previous pregnancy. It's starting to really bother my throught, stomach & head. Thanks for all the advice ladies. Y'all rock.
I have a pregnant friend who had really bad heartburn and reflux and tried sipping apple cider vinegar and said it did miracles. It's worth checking out if you want to try a natural route!
I second the apple cider vinegar - it seems counterintuitive, but sometimes acidic things help. I also squeeze an entire lemon into a glass of water and drink it, and that helps too.
I use tums too (I feel like I'm getting calcium with it though lol). Def talk to your dr if you want something stronger. I'm not 100% sure but I think when I was pregnant with my son someone mentioned Zantac I only used tums but ask it could be worth a shot
I second Zantac 150 ( the minty one). I have to take it twice daily-- my entire pregnancy with DS. Its recommended so much at Kaiser that it's published in their pregnant women newsletter( a 4 week at a time thing they give you at every appointment with typical issues questions concerns for that month in pregnancy) as one of the two medications recommended by their OBs/Midwives. Doesn't work for everyone but it has been a life saver for me and I get reflux even when I don't eat or simply drink water. Good luck!
Magnesium! Magnesium deficiency has been linked to acid reflux. Adding a supplement of magnesium citrate at night has helped me a lot. Also helps with headaches.
If that doesn't work, prevacid or Prilosec. Oh, and Tums can actually exacerbate symptoms because of the calcium carbonate. Milk and yogurt can make it worse after the initial relief too due to the lactic acid.
@hab83 i found magnesium to help with my hyperemesis but I stopped taking it. I will have to try supplementing with magnesium again to see if that causes my reflux as well. Interesting. And I agree tums and milk can help but they can also make it worse for me an hour or so later.
I live with heartburn on a regular basis even when not pregnant. This time around I'm not doing so bad and it is all luck. In my regular life it's not to any extremes but here's what I find helps:
Lots of vegetables. So many vegetables.
Get that acid working on breaking down food and not searching for other places to go like the throat. Go the salad route big time. Fruits and anything that has been processed as little as possible. Very plain meat. I love my giant glasses of milk too. This is how I've learned to cope with it without medicine. Nothing is fool proof and always talk to your doctor. Good luck. Acid reflux is tough. Good luck!
I have found drinking a glass of milk about an hour before bed really helps with the reflux. If it's bad enough I'll munch down two extra strength Tums.
BFP#1: 08/30/12 EDD 04/30/12 m/c 09/04/12 6wks BFP#2: 01/27/13 EDD 10/06/13 missed m/c 02/25/13 9wks BFP#3: 10/30/13 EDD 07/05/14 Our little dude was born on 07/10/14 @ 2:19p
Re: Acid reflux help
I have ARD and GERD on the regular and at the end of my pregnancy with DD I was taking 60mg of Dexilant 2x daily plus all the tums I could handle. Nothing really helped but birth.
If you are set on not taking meds my best advice would be to identify your trigger foods and avoid them. My main triggers with DD were fruits and soda that was brown.
ETA: Spelling is hard
Also, be careful that it's not left untreated as you can end up with ulcers and ulcers are horrifically painful.
Maybe I should talk to my doctor. I see her this Monday. It's so bad that it makes my head hurt.
TTC #1 since 10/2012.
BFP#1 11/28/12, MC, BFP #2 CP
BFP #3 10/21/2013, EDD 7/3/2014
Beta #1 (4W6D): 1768 Beta #2 (5W1D): 5255
1st US at 6W4D HB of 112 BPM!
1/20/2014: IT'S A GIRL!
6/30/2014: Happy birthday baby M!
ETA: here's the info they give with a few options
https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health/care/!ut/p/a0/TcxRDgIhDATQE5FKMIrewBMo_DXdZiGBQrRZ9PYufvk5bzIDER4QBbe8ouYmWPYcqImy6DUxFk2GhT5UWuclI9whQuxPXCtCkGYIKfG03-ittwVCGvZy9vY4-cU0jycjWndwJ2d2m1Ua-U-h1-pd9eMLE4lSbQ!!/
If that doesn't work, prevacid or Prilosec. Oh, and Tums can actually exacerbate symptoms because of the calcium carbonate. Milk and yogurt can make it worse after the initial relief too due to the lactic acid.
BFP#1: 08/30/12 EDD 04/30/12 m/c 09/04/12 6wks
BFP#2: 01/27/13 EDD 10/06/13 missed m/c 02/25/13 9wks
BFP#3: 10/30/13 EDD 07/05/14 Our little dude was born on 07/10/14 @ 2:19p