Dr. Phil Hariram's Health Blog

In pregnancy, you must know what is safe and what is not when treating your GERD. Before your pregnancy you could try any one of the various alternative treatment available but extreme care during pregnancy is very important.
Homeopathy uses the concept of like heals like. The use of the drugs in homeopathy in pregnancy [...]

Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor. This group of drugs work by reducing acid secretion in the stomach. They are put in Category B by the FDA except Omeprazole which is in Category C.
The proton pump inhibitors in Category B are esomeprazole, lansaprazole, pantoprazole and rabeprazole. Omeprazole is in Category C because there is [...]

Ranitidine and other H2-receptor antagonists are classified by the FDA as Category B. In this group are drugs that are safe when tested and does not cause injury to the foetus when tested in animal trials but there is inadequate controlled trial data for it to be considered completely safe in human pregnancies.
Ranitidine, cimetidine, [...]

Antacids are generally regarded as safe but should you use them in pregnancy? Most antacids are safe during pregnancy but before you take any antacids consult your doctor.
All antacids work by neutralising acid in the stomach so that the refluxate in the esophagus is less acidic and unlikely to cause heartburn.
Antacids do not cross [...]

The lifestyle change in pregnancy to help control GERD is not much different from other individuals with GERD.
Pregnant women are advised not to smoke or drink alcohol because of the potential risk to the foetus. In addition alcohol and smoking affect the lower esophageal sphincter and encourage acid reflux. If you are still smoking [...]

In 1979, the FDA categorised the drugs used in pregnancy based on the safety profile and potential to harm the foetus. The categories are A,B,C,D and X.
Category A: Drugs that have strict controlled trials and have no risk to foetus. In this group are drugs that have an extremely small risk of harm to [...]

There are two tests commonly used to diagnose GERD. They are X-ray (Barium swallow and meal) and endoscopy.
In pregnancy, however, a careful decision has to be made whether either of these tests are necessary. A decision to carry out such tests in pregnancy must be based on the fact that the need for accurate [...]

80% of pregnant women have GERD symptoms and it is common in the third trimester. The severity can be listed by the increasing level of severity in a spectrum. At one end are the patients with very mild symptoms and as you move along the spectrum the symptoms worsen until you reach the other [...]

It is estimated that 80% of pregnant women have GERD symptoms. Rarely, however, it is a serious problem. Treatment is this group is not easy. The safety issue is not just based on the sufferer but the potential of the drug to harm the foetus.
Nausea and vomiting is more common in the first trimester [...]

Image by dhyanji via Flickr

Age is risk factor for acid reflux. This does not mean that as you grow old you are expected to develop GERD. Acid reflux is most common in the 60-70 age group.
According to statistics complied by NHBA, more than 30% of women over 65 have regular acid reflux symptoms and more [...]