My OB prescribed Prilosec OTC

I am freaking out here, I told my OB at my 12 week appointment that I am getting horrible heartburn and that nothing helps. He gave me a script to prilosec OTC and told me it was safe to take every day. I have not been taking it everyday but I have taken it a couple times a week since then.
Well, I just looked online and it is a category C drug and is not to be used during pregnancy especially not before 20 weeks. I am only 17 weeks and have been taking it since week 12! Why did he give this to me?!?!?

[Latrice414]

What i have learned when it comes to medications and pregnancies, some doctors go off of real statistics, how many situations did a woman take this medication and something happened to the baby or mom. And in most cases the percentage is real low, thats why they make a judgement call to prescribe meds.

Just like anit-depresssants(some) are not recommended but the dr prescribes it bcuz it may harm the mom if she stops them and again, go with the low chances of something possibly could happen to baby, but again, going my statics

My best friend has high blood pressure, and needed to continue to take her medication while preggo, and the drug was not recommended, dr needed to weigh outcome, take her off the meds, or risk her having a stroke, heart attack or other problems associated with high blood pressure, like i said, the med was not recommened during pregnancy but she took it, and her baby came out fine

Realisticly, no medication is really safe to take during pregnancy and can have an affect on the baby, its all about the percentage/statistics of babies being harmed.

You can always talk to your DR about your concerns and bring it to his attention and see what rationale he gives you for prescribing the med.

I will keep you in my prayers.

[MotherOFSweetieD]

I took Prilosec through out my whole pregnancy I had verrrrry badddd heartburn!
And I was told to take the same thing, I agree with Latrice414,. My son turned out fine
but he did have GERD which he was diagnosed with at 3months so he had to be on
Liquid prilosec until he was 1. I wish you the best of luck!

[babydreams9]

I had severe heartburn and took Zantac from week 14 all the way to 41 weeks. I took 1/2 the dose prescribed though b/c I was paranoid about medications, but I HAD to take it because the pain was intense. Zantac is considered relatively safe while pregnant - the safest of all the heartburn meds - and it worked GREAT... highly recommend it. You can ask your doc to switch you to that if you want... My son is perfect and wonderful. :)

[leighanne143]

my doctor just told me to take zantac and if that does not work to take prilosec, so they do give it to pregnant women.  i am 37 weeks along but i know others that have taken it their whole pregnancy cause they had heartburn prior to their pregs.