It Begins Innocently My husband and I want to bed one night after a delicious Italian dinner of spaghetti, meatballs and garlic bread.
Yes, I know, probably not the best dinner choice at the time but it was good and I enjoyed every sinful bite of it.
I was not shocked that after lying down I began to get some heartburn.
I popped a couple of my favorite antacids and tried to go to sleep.
I figured I must have over-indulged because I found myself taking a couple of more antacids an hour later when my heartburn did not go away.
I propped myself up on a couple of pillows so that gravity helped keep my stomach acid where it belonged and I fell asleep.
My First Trimester Heartburn - I Awoke the Sleeping Giant Virtually every day since that fateful night I started to get heartburn often and bad.
I actually tried to talk myself out of eating and drinking in order to stop my heartburn.
I know that was not a great idea so I forced myself to eat and drink despite my first trimester heartburn making me feel like I was drinking battery acid.
I did all the normal things.
I cut out all coffee and caffeine.
I stopped drinking carbonated beverages.
I watched my fatty food intake and I did not lie down after eating.
Though sometimes one or more of these things helped stop my first trimester heartburn, it was hit or miss.
I was thoroughly convinced I had awoken a sleeping giant with that spaghetti dinner.
My First Trimester Heartburn - The Doctors Visits.
After about a week of the worst heartburn ever, I decided to make an appointment with my doctor.
I asked for the earliest appointment possible because I could not stand it another day.
When I went to my doctor I explained how terrible my heartburn was and she smiled.
She actually smiled.
It took all my energy not to wipe the smile off her face (one of my parents' favorite lines).
She told me it was normal and that many women have very bad first trimester heartburn.
She said this to make me feel better.
Imagine that! She told me basically to get used to it and try to find an antacid that works for me and if I could not get it under control she would prescribe an antacid for me.
I had visions of eating fire for three months.
I was going to join the circus and become one of those flame eating acts since my entire esophagus was already on fire.
Yes, again you can chalk some of that up to the hormones! I am, however, pleased to report that I did get my first trimester heartburn under control.
I tried about five different antacids before finding the right one.
Once I found it I made sure I never ran low.
My second trimester went much more smoothly and my third trimester ended with no heartburn and the cutest little girl you ever did see.
My mother still blames my first trimester heartburn on the fact that my daughter was born with a full head of hair!