Hello,
Thanks for posting your query at DoctorSpring.com
Your symptoms are quite classic of pregnancy heartburn.
There are various points that clinch this diagnosis -
1. Relation of your symptoms to meals, particularly spicy ones.
2. Relief with Antacids.
3. Normal cardiac workup.
I am very sure this is gastritis, irritation of the lining of the stomach due to spicy food.
And yes, this does not happen normally.
But during pregnancy, your hormones will change the way your body reacts to spicy food.
The irritation is heightened during pregnancy.
You can avoid this by simple measures -
1. Avoid spicy food, if you are a spice lover, it will be difficult, but yes, you need to avoid it, atleast for the first 14 weeks, then you can see if you can slowly tolerate more spice.
Try using natural taste substitutes - lime, thyme, oregano etc, instead of pure chili.
2. Avoid eating meals for atleast 2 hours prior to bedtime.
3. Space out your food - have 5 - 6 small meals instead of 2 - 3 big ones.
4. Drink a lot of water.
5. Have a glass of chilled milk before bedtime.
Inspite of these measures, if symptoms persist, you would need to consult a gastroenterologist.
But in my mind, with avoidance of spice, the symptoms will disappear.
All the best
Please feel free to discuss further.
Patient replied :
thank you for your thorough answer.