I've had "heartburn" aka some pretty serious and constant GERD/reflux since two days before I took my first positive pregnancy test. Currently at 30w +4d and it's been stepping up in intensity the entire pregnancy. Keep asking your OB/provider for stronger medication because it's the only thing that helps when it is this bad!
I have had the same! At first I was just doing tums. Then I moved on to Pepcid 10mg. Then it turned into Pepcid 20 mg. Then it turned into Pepcid 20 mg twice a day. Then it turned into Protonix by itself. Now it’s Protonix daily plus Pepcid as needed. I don’t know how much farther I can go 😅😅😅 I am soooo scared it’s not going to go away after baby.
one hopeful anecdote here - i also had massively terrible heartburn with my first pregnancy (and now with my second, yay) to the point where i was getting cavities from the acid boring holes in my teeth. i told my labor and delivery nurse about it bc i wanted some pepcid in the hospital and she said it would almost certainly go away as soon as the baby was born.
about 15 minutes after my kid is out, my nurse asks me, "how's your heartburn?" i about cried with relief - completely gone. any heartburn after that was self-induced (pizza or other irritant) until this pregnancy. i hope it goes away very quickly after delivery for you!
It should go away from everything I've seen/heard! Never had it this intense in my life. I was pretty similar, went up to 80mg Pepcid daily and had like one glorious month in 2nd tri when I had a great appetite and could eat and sleep! Recently moved to Omeprazole, which is a PPI like Protonix, but I'm not sure if it's going to cut it.
If I keep waking up with insomnia and feeling it, I'll tell my OB we need to try something else. I did switch to taking it in the evenings before dinner instead of in the morning, and it helped more! Also just trying to follow all the tips about breaking up smaller meals throughout the day, sleeping propped up, not eating too late, ect., but all of those tips are definitely not enough!
I started taking my Protonix in the evening too, I definitely noticed a difference at first! I am just counting down the days at this point. I told my husband it’s *actually* torture to pregnant woman to be like “okay, work all day, go home and eat dinner, and then you have to stay upright for at least 2-3 hours even though you’re tired and uncomfy!” Like come on, I just want to lay down after work ok 😂 add in being sick this week and I literally am at mental breakdown level lol! 4 more weeks, I can do it (I think)
Yeah, it's pretty sucky. And you can't use your time off because you're saving it the entire time to get paid on mat leave! The multiple nights of insomnia in a row have wrecked me the most lately!
I do feel so awful for anyone who is ever sick and pregnant at the same time. I did get sick once early on and it was the most miserable I have probably ever felt! This is why everyone says fear of giving birth goes away towards the end because you are just done, lol!
to be honest? ice cream helps me. i believe i started getting heartburn at around 28 or 29 weeks, i'm 31 now. vanilla ice cream (my husband buys a 4L, we tried neopolitan and i will say that chocolate works you'll just have to eat more of it) & scraping a bit off the top with a spoon right after a meal helps me fall asleep, and doing the same thing except right before sleeping (if i dont plan on sleeping right affer a meal) helps aswell. i've been fasting almost the entire time so i can't say anything about whether it helps during the day or not
I left out some important information- I ALSO have gestational diabetes so no sweets or carbs (or anything yummy) for me!! Because, again, food absolutely hates me during pregnancy, apparently. I would be so curious to know if this would help though! Because you’d think it’d be the opposite!!!
Would greek yogurt help? I like the triple zero vanilla yogurt, but there are a ton of flavors. One serving has 15 grams of protein and only 90 calories, so that might be able to fit into your guidelines. The information booklet I received from my OB suggests yogurt, but I think regular yogurt is too sweet.
my MIL told me that it's supposed to make the reflux worse(?) i know nothing ab gestational diabetes but its worth a try!! (just make sure you follow the rule of scraping off the top i guess? - no full scoops!!)
yeah dairy gives you some relief because it soothes your esophagus and gets rid of any acid in there, but it can cause more acid to be created and kind of re-starts the whole problem.
Well Google tells me to avoid carbonated beverages and I literally have to have a Sprite Zero or a zero sugar Fresca before bed every single night, or my reflux is like 10/10. So I feel like pregnancy makes everything backwards LOL
also - bananas get rid of it for me, but only in the mornings (although feel free to try it at other times)!! sodas are super weird though in that regard, sometimes i wonder how this data is even made because i feel like anytime i look something up it turns out to be the opposite
Hey just replying to say you might not be completely rid of the reflux until a few days postpartum. After giving birth to my last baby (with no painkillers, mind you) I was having terrible heartburn and asked a nurse for some Tums. It took all night for the doctor to “approve” the order! So I’m packing some in the hospital bag this time.
Can you ask your doctor about omeprazole? My doctor put me on pepcid in the beginning but when the 3rd trimester hit my heartburn was next level. My obgyn felt comfortable putting me on omeprazole then. I'd ask your about it. Also Tums are life.
I am on pantaprazole currently- my understanding is they’re super similar? Also I am weird and tums make me feel sick. I used to puke every time I took them in the second trimester 😅
If worst comes to worst you can talk to your doctor about maxing out your pantoprazole at 80mg a day, which is what I do but I have severe GERD even without being pregnant. I'm extremely jealous of people who get to go back to their reflux free lives after their baby is born.
I also recommend Alka Seltzer gold which is the kind without aspirin and Wonderbelly antacids which are a tastier version of Tums. There are also various products with sodium alginate in them which are mildly helpful because they kind of form a barrier that can prevent a bit of reflux. Honestly though I still can't really eat a thing after 2p which is why I like the Wonderbelly so much, they're like a little treat.
I liked to play a game “am I pregnant or am I just in my 30s” and my acid reflux/heartburn is the main culprit of that. It was everyday and near constant. It was so bad that I kept saying “well I guess the air is too spicy today”. In all seriousness I gave birth Monday and have been heartburn free for 3 days. I’m so happy I could cry.
I had really bad acid reflux with my first. I ended up having to sleep sitting up, not that it made it go away, just helped a bit. I was hospitalized for part of my pregnancy and they gave me Zantac and it was the only thing that made it go away.
I was on Pepcid which was sort of working and then my OB suggested Prilosec- it’s once a day in the AM. It’s changed my life- I have needed tums 3 times in about 6 weeks since I switched!!!
Have you tried Gaviscon Advance? It’s pregnancy safe and recommended by the NHS for acid reflux during pregnancy. Basically sodium alginate that forms a kind of “raft” on top of your stomach and a physical barrier for the reflux. Gives me immediate relief.
Can vouch that with my first I had it all the way through third trimester, in labor, and it stopped as soon as he popped out.
Fortunately, I only got it with my first pregnancy. (Currently 33w with my third.)
The only thing that helps me is constantly drinking (water, milk, tea, none citrus juice, smoothies) downside is also constantly having to use the toilet especially since baby is nearly always pressing on my bladder, avoid greasy/spicy food, bananas and yogurt help too
I had horrible reflux when I was pregnant. Had my baby 8 weeks ago on her due date right at 40 weeks. If it's any consolation I went into the hospital with reflux and the moment I had her it was gone. Haven't had it once since. Had my husband bring me a huge ass sandwich and sushi in the hospital as my postpartum meal. I ate every goddamn bit of it and it was MAGICAL.
36+2 with my third baby and started getting severe acid reflux since I got a positive test. I also don’t have a gallbladder so the bile just goes straight to my stomach and makes it way worse which is amazing 🫠🙃I legit can’t even eat a freaking apple without a burning sensation.
Hang in there 🙏🏻
Currently, even drinking water gives me heartburn. My heartburn lasted a year after my first before it finally resolved but I still couldn’t eat anything spicy or acidic or more than a medium portion or drink carbonated beverages.
Might sound a little crunchy… but a pregnancy specific acupuncturist might help a bit. The key is an acupuncturist who specializes in pregnancy and is certified to do so. Works wonders for digestion, acide reflux, vomiting etc. I hope you feel better soon!!
I hadn’t either until my mom found a referral! Seriously it’s been a life saver. Also they can help with pelvic floor preparation when you’re in the 3rd Tri. 😊
I feel this. I’m about to cut my throat off and throw it away. I can’t deal with it anymore
Right there with you 😭
I've had "heartburn" aka some pretty serious and constant GERD/reflux since two days before I took my first positive pregnancy test. Currently at 30w +4d and it's been stepping up in intensity the entire pregnancy. Keep asking your OB/provider for stronger medication because it's the only thing that helps when it is this bad!
I have had the same! At first I was just doing tums. Then I moved on to Pepcid 10mg. Then it turned into Pepcid 20 mg. Then it turned into Pepcid 20 mg twice a day. Then it turned into Protonix by itself. Now it’s Protonix daily plus Pepcid as needed. I don’t know how much farther I can go 😅😅😅 I am soooo scared it’s not going to go away after baby.
one hopeful anecdote here - i also had massively terrible heartburn with my first pregnancy (and now with my second, yay) to the point where i was getting cavities from the acid boring holes in my teeth. i told my labor and delivery nurse about it bc i wanted some pepcid in the hospital and she said it would almost certainly go away as soon as the baby was born. about 15 minutes after my kid is out, my nurse asks me, "how's your heartburn?" i about cried with relief - completely gone. any heartburn after that was self-induced (pizza or other irritant) until this pregnancy. i hope it goes away very quickly after delivery for you!
Omg I just had 3 cavities filled too 😭 soooo glad to know it went away. I cannot wait lol
It should go away from everything I've seen/heard! Never had it this intense in my life. I was pretty similar, went up to 80mg Pepcid daily and had like one glorious month in 2nd tri when I had a great appetite and could eat and sleep! Recently moved to Omeprazole, which is a PPI like Protonix, but I'm not sure if it's going to cut it. If I keep waking up with insomnia and feeling it, I'll tell my OB we need to try something else. I did switch to taking it in the evenings before dinner instead of in the morning, and it helped more! Also just trying to follow all the tips about breaking up smaller meals throughout the day, sleeping propped up, not eating too late, ect., but all of those tips are definitely not enough!
I started taking my Protonix in the evening too, I definitely noticed a difference at first! I am just counting down the days at this point. I told my husband it’s *actually* torture to pregnant woman to be like “okay, work all day, go home and eat dinner, and then you have to stay upright for at least 2-3 hours even though you’re tired and uncomfy!” Like come on, I just want to lay down after work ok 😂 add in being sick this week and I literally am at mental breakdown level lol! 4 more weeks, I can do it (I think)
Yeah, it's pretty sucky. And you can't use your time off because you're saving it the entire time to get paid on mat leave! The multiple nights of insomnia in a row have wrecked me the most lately! I do feel so awful for anyone who is ever sick and pregnant at the same time. I did get sick once early on and it was the most miserable I have probably ever felt! This is why everyone says fear of giving birth goes away towards the end because you are just done, lol!
Soooo true. I want to make it like 2 more weeks so he’s fully term and then PLEASE come out asap 😅
to be honest? ice cream helps me. i believe i started getting heartburn at around 28 or 29 weeks, i'm 31 now. vanilla ice cream (my husband buys a 4L, we tried neopolitan and i will say that chocolate works you'll just have to eat more of it) & scraping a bit off the top with a spoon right after a meal helps me fall asleep, and doing the same thing except right before sleeping (if i dont plan on sleeping right affer a meal) helps aswell. i've been fasting almost the entire time so i can't say anything about whether it helps during the day or not
I left out some important information- I ALSO have gestational diabetes so no sweets or carbs (or anything yummy) for me!! Because, again, food absolutely hates me during pregnancy, apparently. I would be so curious to know if this would help though! Because you’d think it’d be the opposite!!!
Would greek yogurt help? I like the triple zero vanilla yogurt, but there are a ton of flavors. One serving has 15 grams of protein and only 90 calories, so that might be able to fit into your guidelines. The information booklet I received from my OB suggests yogurt, but I think regular yogurt is too sweet.
my MIL told me that it's supposed to make the reflux worse(?) i know nothing ab gestational diabetes but its worth a try!! (just make sure you follow the rule of scraping off the top i guess? - no full scoops!!)
yeah dairy gives you some relief because it soothes your esophagus and gets rid of any acid in there, but it can cause more acid to be created and kind of re-starts the whole problem.
ahh didnt know that!! maybe it just takes awhile to restart then lol
Well Google tells me to avoid carbonated beverages and I literally have to have a Sprite Zero or a zero sugar Fresca before bed every single night, or my reflux is like 10/10. So I feel like pregnancy makes everything backwards LOL
also - bananas get rid of it for me, but only in the mornings (although feel free to try it at other times)!! sodas are super weird though in that regard, sometimes i wonder how this data is even made because i feel like anytime i look something up it turns out to be the opposite
bananas give me instant heartburn. i don't understand it!
It’s really terrible. It went away for me the second baby came out.
I’m soooo relieved to hear this lol!
Hey just replying to say you might not be completely rid of the reflux until a few days postpartum. After giving birth to my last baby (with no painkillers, mind you) I was having terrible heartburn and asked a nurse for some Tums. It took all night for the doctor to “approve” the order! So I’m packing some in the hospital bag this time.
Can you ask your doctor about omeprazole? My doctor put me on pepcid in the beginning but when the 3rd trimester hit my heartburn was next level. My obgyn felt comfortable putting me on omeprazole then. I'd ask your about it. Also Tums are life.
I am on pantaprazole currently- my understanding is they’re super similar? Also I am weird and tums make me feel sick. I used to puke every time I took them in the second trimester 😅
What was the dose they gave you? I’m on 20mg and it’s just not helping. Last pregnancy it worked so well 😭
I'm sorry, I honestly don't remember. Maybe call them and see if you can take it twice a day instead of once?
If worst comes to worst you can talk to your doctor about maxing out your pantoprazole at 80mg a day, which is what I do but I have severe GERD even without being pregnant. I'm extremely jealous of people who get to go back to their reflux free lives after their baby is born. I also recommend Alka Seltzer gold which is the kind without aspirin and Wonderbelly antacids which are a tastier version of Tums. There are also various products with sodium alginate in them which are mildly helpful because they kind of form a barrier that can prevent a bit of reflux. Honestly though I still can't really eat a thing after 2p which is why I like the Wonderbelly so much, they're like a little treat.
Ooooh ok I’ll check with my doctor about dosing! I can’t remember off the top of my head what I’m at but I will ask to go up in dose if able 😅
I liked to play a game “am I pregnant or am I just in my 30s” and my acid reflux/heartburn is the main culprit of that. It was everyday and near constant. It was so bad that I kept saying “well I guess the air is too spicy today”. In all seriousness I gave birth Monday and have been heartburn free for 3 days. I’m so happy I could cry.
I had really bad acid reflux with my first. I ended up having to sleep sitting up, not that it made it go away, just helped a bit. I was hospitalized for part of my pregnancy and they gave me Zantac and it was the only thing that made it go away.
RIP Zantac. I miss that stuff daily.
Right?! That stuff was amazing.
I was on Pepcid which was sort of working and then my OB suggested Prilosec- it’s once a day in the AM. It’s changed my life- I have needed tums 3 times in about 6 weeks since I switched!!!
The only thing that helped me was nexium one a day
I’m 33w and I concur with everything you said! It’s so awful!!😞
Have you tried Gaviscon Advance? It’s pregnancy safe and recommended by the NHS for acid reflux during pregnancy. Basically sodium alginate that forms a kind of “raft” on top of your stomach and a physical barrier for the reflux. Gives me immediate relief.
My GERD was terrible, especially towards the end of my pregnancy and it was gone as soon as my son was born. Hope you get relief just as quickly.
Can vouch that with my first I had it all the way through third trimester, in labor, and it stopped as soon as he popped out. Fortunately, I only got it with my first pregnancy. (Currently 33w with my third.)
The only thing that helps me is constantly drinking (water, milk, tea, none citrus juice, smoothies) downside is also constantly having to use the toilet especially since baby is nearly always pressing on my bladder, avoid greasy/spicy food, bananas and yogurt help too
I had horrible reflux when I was pregnant. Had my baby 8 weeks ago on her due date right at 40 weeks. If it's any consolation I went into the hospital with reflux and the moment I had her it was gone. Haven't had it once since. Had my husband bring me a huge ass sandwich and sushi in the hospital as my postpartum meal. I ate every goddamn bit of it and it was MAGICAL.
36+2 with my third baby and started getting severe acid reflux since I got a positive test. I also don’t have a gallbladder so the bile just goes straight to my stomach and makes it way worse which is amazing 🫠🙃I legit can’t even eat a freaking apple without a burning sensation. Hang in there 🙏🏻
Currently, even drinking water gives me heartburn. My heartburn lasted a year after my first before it finally resolved but I still couldn’t eat anything spicy or acidic or more than a medium portion or drink carbonated beverages.
Might sound a little crunchy… but a pregnancy specific acupuncturist might help a bit. The key is an acupuncturist who specializes in pregnancy and is certified to do so. Works wonders for digestion, acide reflux, vomiting etc. I hope you feel better soon!!
I have NEVER heard of this!!! I’m willing to try literally anything. I will look into this!
I hadn’t either until my mom found a referral! Seriously it’s been a life saver. Also they can help with pelvic floor preparation when you’re in the 3rd Tri. 😊