OMG Heartburn!

[swissair81]

I always get heartburn, but it usually doesn't show up until my 3rd trimester. So anyway, I'm 24 weeks and DH just left to go out of town. All my kids are sleeping and I have no Zantac in my house. What else works?

[lmh2402]

i hate to say this...but for me...nothing else works

last night was a zantac PLUS tums. plus papaya enzyme tablets night

i HATE the heartburn. the very worst pregnancy symptom (for me) by far

[urbanmommy]

It tastes foul but maybe worth a try... Dissolve a spoonful of baking soda in a glass of water. It's like alka seltzer without the bubbles...or lemon flavoring. I tried it once in a moment of desperation. I think it helped a bit

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[sntm]

Yup, baking soda (sodium bicarb) will work in a pinch, though don't do it regularly.

[ArizonaGirl]

Swissair81, if I recall correctly you and I are due within days of one another, (according the the BBB due date post :bouncy:).

I am right there with ya, and equally miserable. I wake up several times in the middle of the night with stomach acid in my mouth :barf:.

I'm taking zantac everyday and eat TUMS like candy.

No help I guess, I'm sorry, I just wanted to :hug:

[daisymommy]

This won't help right now, but the recent education I got from my midwives is that all Tums and other antacids do is suppress the symptoms, but not treat the true source of the problem--which is lack of digestive enzymes in the gut.

I was told to double my probiotic intake, and take 1-2 TB of raw apple cider vinegar (such as Braggs brand) in a small glass of apple juice daily. They said water is even better, but I couldn't stand it that way.


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[urbanmommy]

Just wanted to add that eating papaya and pineapple were helpful for me in controlling heartburn

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[ExcitedMamma]

Have you thought about getting a prescription? Nexium works wonders for me.

[swissair81]

Have you thought about getting a prescription? Nexium works wonders for me.

I have an appointment with my OB a week from today. I just have to survive until then.

[swissair81]

This won't help right now, but the recent education I got from my midwives is that all Tums and other antacids do is suppress the symptoms, but not treat the true source of the problem--which is lack of digestive enzymes in the gut.


Really? Suddenly in the middle of every pregnancy I am lacking digestive enzymes in my gut, and then they magically reappear as soon as the baby is born? I would love to see a source for that, because that seems like that would be beneficial for someone who suffers from reflux all the time. I'm not entirely sure I agree with that being the cause for pregnancy related reflux. Looks like I have to do my research now.

[swissair81]

Just wanted to add that eating papaya and pineapple were helpful for me in controlling heartburn

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The pineapple isn't too acidic?

[swissair81]

Swissair81, if I recall correctly you and I are due within days of one another, (according the the BBB due date post :bouncy:).

I am right there with ya, and equally miserable. I wake up several times in the middle of the night with stomach acid in my mouth :barf:.

I'm taking zantac everyday and eat TUMS like candy.

No help I guess, I'm sorry, I just wanted to :hug:

Thanks for the commiserations. Looks like we're due 2 days apart. Wanna race?

[sntm]

The biggest contributer to reflux in pregnancy is hormonally-mediated relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter combined with increased intraabdominal pressure from that darn baby. digestive enzymes won't really help with that, though they won't hurt.

You are going to reflux no matter what, but antacids or acid reducers (like prilosec, nexium, what have you) will decrease the acid in the fluid that gets refluxed up, controlling the pain and reducing damage to the esophagus. (FWIW, I tried the papaya enzyme also (bought at Whole Foods), and after looking at the label more closely, noted that the "inactive" ingredient was calcium carbonate = Tums.)

:D

[essnce629]

This won't help right now, but the recent education I got from my midwives is that all Tums and other antacids do is suppress the symptoms, but not treat the true source of the problem--which is lack of digestive enzymes in the gut.

I was told to double my probiotic intake, and take 1-2 TB of raw apple cider vinegar (such as Braggs brand) in a small glass of apple juice daily. They said water is even better, but I couldn't stand it that way.


Yes, to all this. In the HypnoBabies class, Tums are a big no, no for this reason. Papaya enzyme tablets are recommended instead. Trader Joe's has them and they're under $4 for a bottle of 100 chewable tablets.

My mom called me a few weeks ago and told me she was having heartburn every day and I told her about drinking apple cider vinegar. She said it worked immediately! I told her to make a tea out of it with apple cider vinegar, hot water, honey, and a cinnamon stick. Tastes just like hot apple cider! I can drink it with 2 whole tablespoons of ACV, but I think my mom only used one or two teaspoons and it still worked.

[swissair81]

The biggest contributer to reflux in pregnancy is hormonally-mediated relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter combined with increased intraabdominal pressure from that darn baby. digestive enzymes won't really help with that, though they won't hurt.

You are going to reflux no matter what, but antacids or acid reducers (like prilosec, nexium, what have you) will decrease the acid in the fluid that gets refluxed up, controlling the pain and reducing damage to the esophagus. (FWIW, I tried the papaya enzyme also (bought at Whole Foods), and after looking at the label more closely, noted that the "inactive" ingredient was calcium carbonate = Tums.)

:D

Yeah that sounds right. Tums don't work for me, BTW. They don't even give me symptom relief. Basically they are a bad tasting candy with some calcium in them.

[essnce629]

(FWIW, I tried the papaya enzyme also (bought at Whole Foods), and after looking at the label more closely, noted that the "inactive" ingredient was calcium carbonate = Tums.)


I've never bought any papaya enzyme tablets with calcium carbonate and I'd definitely avoid those if I found them. I'm looking at my bottle of "Natural Papaya & Pineapple Enzymes" tablets from Trader Joe's right now and there's no calcium carbonate in them at all.

[swissair81]

Yes, to all this. In the HypnoBabies class, Tums are a big no, no for this reason. Papaya enzyme tablets are recommended instead. Trader Joe's has them and they're under $4 for a bottle of 100 chewable tablets.

My mom called me a few weeks ago and told me she was having heartburn every day and I told her about drinking apple cider vinegar. She said it worked immediately! I told her to make a tea out of it with apple cider vinegar, hot water, honey, and a cinnamon stick. Tastes just like hot apple cider! I can drink it with 2 whole tablespoons of ACV, but I think my mom only used one or two teaspoons and it still worked.

Does the ACV taste bad? I have a bad track record with liquid meds. I tend to spontaneously bring them back up if they taste gross. I still remember the fish oil they made me take after my jaw surgery in 12th grade. I know that's really juvenile, but I'm not sure I can do anything about it.

[mom2binsd]

Try Gaviscon (or the generic equivalent), it's much more effective than Tums, Tums are really the mildest thing out there. The Gaviscon bubbles more and will help keep the gas from getting up and causing the burn in your esophagus.

[ssgg]

Slower digestion, tendency for acid reflux and baby pushing on stomach, & relaxed GI lead to acid reflux in pregnancy. Not really an enzyme or probiotic issue which would be in the intestines anyway, not stomach. In any case, try sleeping with an extra pillow to elevate body. Get Zantac tomorrow. PPI's work too and my OB says they're safe but classically, Zantac is recommended. PPI's are available OTC too like Prilosec, etc. I take Zantac 75 mg twice per day since first trimester.

Pregnancy is torture. Good luck and hang in there. (I'm still nauseated all the time at 38 wks!)

[ssgg]

Oh and tums may help very temporarily but actually leads to increased stomach acid production. The Calcium binds with acid to neutralize it. Then the stomach compensates by pumping more acid into the stomach cavity. Not sure why it's even on the market.

Zantac works by actually reducing acid production in the stomach. PPI (proton pump inhibitor) Also reduces acid production but thru a different mechanism.

You can try the herbal stuff ppl recommend but herbal does not equal safe for baby. Zantac has been studied and proven to be safe.

[ArizonaGirl]

swissair81, yeah lets race, it could be fun :D

[swissair81]

Whoever waddles over the finish line first wins!!!

[ArizonaGirl]

I'm gonna try to let you win, seeing as how my DS was a month early and I am already on bedrest due to ctx with this one. I want her to stay in longer, but it could still be fun to commiserate and if I make it to 38 or 39 weeks it's ON:D

[swissair81]

I officially want to lose. My OB is going to be out of town from 36+6 weeks to 38+6, my mother is having surgery this summer and I want to help, and I really prefer the kids almost be back in school so I don't have all my kids home for weeks on end.
The minus in all this is that I have not reached 39 weeks in my last three pregnancies. I can hope, right?

[ArizonaGirl]

I can feel ya there, I would want to wait too, my DS is still so little that he goes to a Daycare/Preschool so it is open year-around.

I just want to make it to 38 weeks this time (thats my goal), but I think my uterus and DD have other ideas and last time my uterus hit the eject button (my water broke) at 36 weeks.

We will definitely have to stay in touch since we are now in this big race :ROTFLMAO:

[soon2b4]

I had the worst HB with DD2 and someone on here recommended eating a red apple. I thought, that's pretty painless, so I tried it. It worked wonders. It changes the ph in your stomach enough to provide relief.
I found that Zantac was triggering migraines for me, so the apples were a godsend.
Good Luck! hth!

[essnce629]

Does the ACV taste bad? I have a bad track record with liquid meds. I tend to spontaneously bring them back up if they taste gross. I still remember the fish oil they made me take after my jaw surgery in 12th grade. I know that's really juvenile, but I'm not sure I can do anything about it.

Oops, just seeing this now. No, if you don't use a ton of it you probably won't notice it at all. With just a teaspoon or 2 my mom said she couldn't tell at all. You can just add more honey if you need too. Even DS2, who is almost 3, drinks the ACV tea I make when he's sick. I put a tablespoon of ACV in his and add 8oz of water.

I bought a box of this apple cinnamon tea to add the ACV too and it's just like hot apple cider once you add the honey and cinnamon stick.

http://www.amazon.com/Celestial-Seasonings-Cinnamon-Apple-20-Count/dp/B000E65OII/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337027683&sr=8-1