postpartum GERD?

[Deleted]

Anyone having issues with this lately?

I had it really bad when I was pregnant - waking up choking and even vomited once.

Once DS was born it went away and I could eat anything at any time of the day.

Well, the last week it's come back!  the last two nights I woke up choking again.

This was the biggest pregnancy side effect I was so excited to go away.

[Deleted]

Ugh sorry you're dealing My reflux is worse now than it was before pregnancy.. I'm not sure if it's still lingering hormone stuff or if things just shifted and got squashed too much during pregnancy.. but it sucks. I'm not taking anything for it though.. just trying to ignore it.

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Feb 24, 2015 15:38:16 GMT -5 @bunannie said:

Ugh sorry you're dealing My reflux is worse now than it was before pregnancy.. I'm not sure if it's still lingering hormone stuff or if things just shifted and got squashed too much during pregnancy.. but it sucks. I'm not taking anything for it though.. just trying to ignore it.

This is what I'm doing as well.  I'm tempted to get some TUMs just for bedtime though - last night I was up for hours because I was nervous about waking up choking again.

Lame.

[Deleted]

My favorite goto during pregnancy was rolaids ultra. I highly recommend them as an alternative to anything like Zantac or Prevacid

[Deleted]

@northface, thanks!

Last night was a lot better. I ate less at dinner (which I should anyways) and made sure I didn't eat close to bedtime.
I think part of it is I need to change my diet as well. DS is starting to self-wean off of the breast so I'm not producing as much milk with means I need to start watching what I eat.

[birdhut]

I actually was diagnosed with this before pregnancy because I have a hernia in my stomach and was having to sleep with the bed up and constantly feeling like I could throw up. Cinnamon applesauce helped a lot and Zantac twice a day which I over to once. I actually like Tagamet better but not sure you can take it if you're nursing. Eventually I could just take one when needed but I took them regularly to get it under control. It helped to take it first thing in the morning and before dinner. Now I've only noticed it a little around that time of the month so I definitely think it's hormone related. If it's really bad try the BRAT diet for a day or two. Honestly the biggest difference came when I started taking plexus slim. It's a drink you drink every morning. It's balanced my hormones a lot so I don't notice the every day symptoms like before.
Sorry you are dealing with this!

[birdhut]

Feb 25, 2015 10:33:15 GMT -5 @northface said:

I had terrible heartburn throughout my pregnancy.  I took pepcid twice a day to help and supplemented with tums.  The problem is tums contain quite a bit of calcium so that coupled with prenatal vitamins left me with 3 kidney stones (Worst pain I have ever felt in my life, worse than labor!).  It has continued since pregnancy and was to the point that it was occurring at least once a day, but more like three times a day on average.  I do not seem to have any particular trigger foods, I was just getting it constantly.  I was still taking pepcid twice a day and that wasn't helping anymore.  I actually just went to my doctor about this yesterday and was prescribed protonix, which is basically nexium.  

So...my suggestion is to try to take pepcid once a day and see if that helps, if not increase to twice.  If that doesn't help, you can try a course of over the counter prilosec or nexium which can be taken in addition to pepcid or zantac.  Also, avoid triggering foods such as caffeine, chocolate, citrus fruits, acidic foods, peppermint, and spicy foods.  Try not to eat too much at once and stay upright for at least 30 minutes after meals.  Do not wear tight fitting pants or belts.  Lastly, do not eat for a few hours before bed.  

However, untreated reflux is a huge risk factor for esophageal cancer so please see your doctor if it lasts for more than a few months.  Also, untreated reflux can lead to breathing problems like asthma.  I will step of my soapbox now... 

This makes sense why I was diagnosed with GERD and asthma in the same year. I didn't know they were related!