Reflux Help & Support Thread

Originally Posted by KellyC75

Hi Girls

I was hoping I wouldnt ever have to ask for advice on this thread again (in the nicest possible way of course) But.....My Daughter has started being really whiny all day, pretty similair to when she was 1st diagnosed tbh

She is now 1 year old & not really having much milk, but the milk she does have isnt a reflux one

She has been a little bit sick now & then, which again hasnt happened for ages, but is similiar to when the reflux 1st started

So, all in all, I think she is being bothered by it again

Wondering if anyone has any suggestions, as I now live in Australia

Aw Kelly thats so rubbish - sorry to hear she's suffering again. Could be something she's eaten right enough, or maybe a tummy bug or cold or teething or constipation has caused a flare up?? Who knows!!

On the + side, Sophie is jst over a year too and keeps really well now, but still gets flare ups for a few weeks at a time (beef or rich food defo seem to set her off), despite still being on domperidone and omeprazole and avoiding dairy! She's been a bit crap for weeks now but other kids have had tummy bugs and she's also had a couple of chest infections (probably cos reflux babas are more prone to them!). However, it's NEVER gotten anythin like the 'bad old days', so hopefully ur LO will be the same and it will jst pass. I usually switch to cooled boiled water for all her drinks as this helps break up wind and help constipation, and sometimes I give lactulose for a few days if her poo's a bit dry - dunno whether foods trigger symptoms or symptoms put her off food (chicken or the egg?).

Go and see the doc's, even if you feel she might not need meds - knowing what options are available if you need them should help put your mind at rest . (They defo use omeprazole as I have Ozzy friends with a reflux baby)

I know the timings bad for you cos you'll be worryin how you'll cope in a new country, and with a new baby to care for soon - but you will jst keep on bein a great mama. Plus, it's highly unlikely that ur 1yr olds reflux will go back to being really bad, and if ur new squishy does have a bit of reflux is not likely to be another really severe case.

Keep ur chin up honey and try not to worry about 'what if' x

Originally Posted by stephybump2be

Aw Kelly thats so rubbish - sorry to hear she's suffering again. Could be something she's eaten right enough, or maybe a tummy bug or cold or teething or constipation has caused a flare up?? Who knows!!

On the + side, Sophie is jst over a year too and keeps really well now, but still gets flare ups for a few weeks at a time (beef or rich food defo seem to set her off), despite still being on domperidone and omeprazole and avoiding dairy! She's been a bit crap for weeks now but other kids have had tummy bugs and she's also had a couple of chest infections (probably cos reflux babas are more prone to them!). However, it's NEVER gotten anythin like the 'bad old days', so hopefully ur LO will be the same and it will jst pass. I usually switch to cooled boiled water for all her drinks as this helps break up wind and help constipation, and sometimes I give lactulose for a few days if her poo's a bit dry - dunno whether foods trigger symptoms or symptoms put her off food (chicken or the egg?).

Go and see the doc's, even if you feel she might not need meds - knowing what options are available if you need them should help put your mind at rest . (They defo use omeprazole as I have Ozzy friends with a reflux baby)

I know the timings bad for you cos you'll be worryin how you'll cope in a new country, and with a new baby to care for soon - but you will jst keep on bein a great mama. Plus, it's highly unlikely that ur 1yr olds reflux will go back to being really bad, and if ur new squishy does have a bit of reflux is not likely to be another really severe case.

Keep ur chin up honey and try not to worry about 'what if' x

What a lovely reply Thankyou so much, bought a tear to my eye....

It now appears that what I thought was reflux was a virus.....Long story short'ish:

We were in a supermarket, LO started screaming, so I took her outside, my DS2 said 'mummy meadows eyes are swollen'......OMG they so were, she then started getting really drowsy I was so worried, thought she was gonna loose conciousnus, ran back in to supermarket & DS1 rang for an ambulance, LO was still crying, but sooo drowsy & now she had a rash on her head, arms & body the emergency operator told us to keep her alert.....

Ambulance arrived (after what felt like hours!) she started looking a little better Got to hospital, they diagnosed a virus, gave her ibruprofen!

Just got ambulance bill through......$825! But, of course, they provided us with security, in case anything did happen to her

Its taken her a good couple of weeks, but she seems much better now

Merry Christmas to all Mummys & LO's!

I finally got my letter through (on thursday) from the hospital to bring in Eliza to start proper treatment for her reflux! finally going to get to go to someone who will give her stronger medicine than gaviscon and domperidone! gotta ring up wednesday to book her appointment.
Though on a downside i think she has a chest infection, she is coughing up green phlegm poor baby xx

I just wanted to update this and say that M now has no issues with reflux at all.

She still has an aversion to milk/bottles though from all the pain memories so we are lucky to get 5-6oz in her across a whole day but she literally eats like a horse from morning til night and drinks tons of water from a cup. She has a healthier diet than me and has no allergies, intolerances or issues with any food. She feeds herself 80% of her meals quite happily. Early weaning really was the answer for us!

She is a very happy, healthy toddler, if still a little small and underweight from the weight/feeding issues when she was a baby, but otherwise you would never know the issues we had!

Fingers crossed baby no 2 (we are due in July!) has no issues with reflux, it really was HELL and is not something I ever want to go through again.

Originally Posted by stardust599

I just wanted to update this and say that M now has no issues with reflux at all.

She still has an aversion to milk/bottles though from all the pain memories so we are lucky to get 5-6oz in her across a whole day but she literally eats like a horse from morning til night and drinks tons of water from a cup. She has a healthier diet than me and has no allergies, intolerances or issues with any food. She feeds herself 80% of her meals quite happily. Early weaning really was the answer for us!

She is a very happy, healthy toddler, if still a little small and underweight from the weight/feeding issues when she was a baby, but otherwise you would never know the issues we had!

Fingers crossed baby no 2 (we are due in July!) has no issues with reflux, it really was HELL and is not something I ever want to go through again.

Thats great news ~ Its such a relief when they outgrow it

I too am praying that my new LO (due soon) has no reflux issues

I need help! So my LO has silent reflux, which got really bad at the end of month 3. She has always been a comfort feeder, although now she only comfort feeds when she is tired. She is exclusively bf and I am on dairy and soy free diet. We were fobbed off with gaviscon but I kept coming back and eventually we were given ranitidine. That helped for about a week and we went back to the docs who upped the dose to max. Again, it seemed to have eased the symptoms slightly, but they were far from gone. Ok, so ahe doesn't cry histerically after every feed now but moans and groans, arches her neck, keeps having tummy spasms etc. we are back to square one after 2 weeks of high dose of rani. I can't take it anymore, I cry every day, very often as I carry my crying daughter in my arms. The cycle is as follows: feed, during or after whch her attack begins, which varies in intensity throughout the day. Then she wears herself out and falks asleep on me, often just comfort sucking. Then a bit of normal time if I am very lucky, feed and the cycle continues. I find it much more difficult than when she was a newborn. I am exhausted and I can't take it anymore. Is there anything left for usthat could be tried?

Originally Posted by satine51

I need help! So my LO has silent reflux, which got really bad at the end of month 3. She has always been a comfort feeder, although now she only comfort feeds when she is tired. She is exclusively bf and I am on dairy and soy free diet. We were fobbed off with gaviscon but I kept coming back and eventually we were given ranitidine. That helped for about a week and we went back to the docs who upped the dose to max. Again, it seemed to have eased the symptoms slightly, but they were far from gone. Ok, so ahe doesn't cry histerically after every feed now but moans and groans, arches her neck, keeps having tummy spasms etc. we are back to square one after 2 weeks of high dose of rani. I can't take it anymore, I cry every day, very often as I carry my crying daughter in my arms. The cycle is as follows: feed, during or after whch her attack begins, which varies in intensity throughout the day. Then she wears herself out and falks asleep on me, often just comfort sucking. Then a bit of normal time if I am very lucky, feed and the cycle continues. I find it much more difficult than when she was a newborn. I am exhausted and I can't take it anymore. Is there anything left for usthat could be tried?

Aw im so sosrry it sounds like you're at the end of your tether My LO's reflux is finally controlled on soy/dairyfree diet and omeprazole, my GP (who also happens to be a paediatrician who had a reflux baby of her own) eventually said (after we had been fobbed off with gaviscon and wrongly prescribed domperidon on it's own) "let's not faff with the ranitidine, i'm going to put him straight on omeprazole" .... so that might be an option?
as fat as im aware ranitidine is extremely weight-sensitive, so as your wee one gains weight, the dose is "diluted" (for lack of a better word) more in your wee one so not as effective. Also they can build up a tolerance.

Hope this helps, and if it's not any better and if GP refuses to listen, take LO to the nearest kids hospital A&E and refuse to leave til they've done somethiing.

Originally Posted by booda

Aw im so sosrry it sounds like you're at the end of your tether My LO's reflux is finally controlled on soy/dairyfree diet and omeprazole, my GP (who also happens to be a paediatrician who had a reflux baby of her own) eventually said (after we had been fobbed off with gaviscon and wrongly prescribed domperidon on it's own) "let's not faff with the ranitidine, i'm going to put him straight on omeprazole" .... so that might be an option?
as fat as im aware ranitidine is extremely weight-sensitive, so as your wee one gains weight, the dose is "diluted" (for lack of a better word) more in your wee one so not as effective. Also they can build up a tolerance.

Hope this helps, and if it's not any better and if GP refuses to listen, take LO to the nearest kids hospital A&E and refuse to leave til they've done somethiing.

Thank you, I will ask for omeprazole. How is it administered? I have to say, it's a struggle with ranitidine, she was taking it easily to start with but it is a real fight now. How quickly have you noticed the difference in your lo? I do sometimes doubt myself, because she never had any proper tests done, but I believe that it is silent reflux, as it is to do with feeding and she has a lot of textbook symptoms. My husband was against strong meds, but he is also at the end of his tether now and willing to try anything. We tried all sorts of colic remedies but nothing helps and if it was colic/gas related then surely she would have outgrown it by now.

Omeprazole is an absolute bitch to administer. You have to like crush the tablet then dissolve it in water/juice and syringe it in but it leaves loads of leftover pellets which are actually the medication. And it tastes so horrific my son would often just vomit it back up or spit it out. Just the experience I had.

FWIW my son's reflux was at its worst at 4-5 months then got so much better after he learnt to sit up, so I would spend as much time as you can encouraging LO to sit unaided. We had one of those big rubber ring things as I found the bumbo put too much pressure on his belly and he would be sick.

We have only ever had ranitidine (apart from the brief 2 week hell that was omeprazole) and just keep going back to GP every month or so to get the dosage changed. At 6 months they can also have a higher dose twice a day rather than smaller doses three times a day and for some reason that worked well for us. Luca hasn't built up a tolerance to it as far as I can tell.