Heartburn or reflux or...?

[JoyNChrist]

This is probably a stupid question, but I need to know the difference between heartburn and acid reflux. Not necessarily the medical description, but what they each feel like. I've never had either, but I've been very uncomfortable at night lately, and I think it's one or the other. But I'm not sure what to tell my doctor, since I don't know what it is.

Can anybody help me?

TIA!

[o_mom]

They are the same thing!

It not uncommon at all during pregnancy. Baby pushing against your stomach combined with hormones that make muscles relax will allow the stomach acid back up into the esophagus causing the burning sensation. Ask your OB, but mine suggests Tums or Gaviscon for mild cases and Pepcid for more severe cases.

[Sillygirl]

They started calling it acid reflux when they developed expensive prescription drugs to treat it. Needed something more worrisome-sounding to put in the direct-to-consumer marketing.

[maestramommy]

snort! giggle!

[JoyNChrist]

Haha - I feel kinda stupid now. But thanks ladies! :-)

[cvanbrunt]

I never had it either prior to being pregnant. For me it was the worst part of pregnancy. Zantac 150 is magic!

[kozachka]

I had an occasional heartburn before getting preggo, and during the second part of my pregnancy it got unbearable as in waiting for hours for it to calm down in order to get asleep. I thought it was part of being pregnant so did not take anything for it. Finally after couple months I complained to my ob-gyn and he told me to take Pepcid AC before bed time if I had hearthburn or even before I felt bad. It made such a HUGE difference, I did not have enough words to thank him. Hope you can get a relief you deserve, being pregnant is hard enough as is.