Mumma's of reflux babies on meds - advice/experience appreciated

[KatBar]

My son has silent reflux, and has been on 5mg Losec (suspended in 2.5ml liquid), once per day, from 5 weeks old. We also thicken his feeds as the losec on its own wasn't enough.

He also has a dairy protein allergy, so he is on Pepti Jr formula.

Once he turned 4 months, we switched from the thickener (Aptamil) and started using rice cereal to thicken the feeds instead (approved by his pediatrician). Reason being, the thickener was giving him diarrhea.

We are in a dilemma where we have used one particular rice cereal which thickens the feeds well and helps his reflux, but it is made on same machinery as dairy products, so does contain "traces" of dairy. This results in him getting mucous in his poop.
On the other hand, we've also tried another rice cereal with no dairy contamination, and it helps his poops stay normal and healthy, but doesn't thicken the feed as well, so he appears to get more reflux symptoms again.

My question is, did you increase your bubs Losec dose as they grow? My son was about 5kg when he was put on the 5mg a day. He is now just over 8kg. I did bring up Losec dose increases with his pediatrician a month ago, but she said he was on the highest dose (he was 7.2kg at that time). Yet I've see so mums say they did increase the Losec as bubs grew....

I'm really getting over trying to rely on thickening his feeds, as as you can read above, it's proving problematic for his bowels .

 

[Teri7489]

Hi there,

it's so tough this reflux! Both my kids had it and it was a nightmare at times. I don't have a paeds bnf to give you exact dose to the losec but he probably does need a higher dose now he's bigger. both mine had rantinidine but worked on the same weight based prescription.

also, I know the rice is recommended by the paediatrician but in my experience of weaning two reflux babies, any food makes their reflux worse.You could be fighting a loosing battle with it by using rice to thicken then giving him medicine to help that's not at the correct dose. He's still little so doesn't yet have a tight enough sphincter muscle to stop the milk/rice cereal going back up. My advice would be to seek out another thickener that is suitable for his allergy and check if he can have a higher dose of medicine.

 

[ClairAye]

I don't think my LO's doses were increased but he was on more than one medication for it. He was on Domperidone, Omperazole and Gaviscon and having a few doses a day. I would see about another thickner too or maybe something else to try for the reflux. Good luck - reflux sucks!

 

[KatBar]

Appreciate your responses ladies!!

Reflux definitely is the pits!! I have his 4 month injections this week too, so us reflux mumma’s all know how fun that is right..

I’d change thickeners, but here where I am (Victoria, Australia), there only appear to be two on the market.. Aptamil and Karicare. And both the ingredients are virtually identical, so it doesn’t help to try the other in this case.

I have emailed his pediatrician to see what she thinks, as I would like to see if I can maybe add Infant Gaviscon in the mix, or similar.

I really want to find a solution, as I believe we’ll be in for the long haul with our lil guy, as he also has a floppy larynx, and that goes hand in hand with his reflux. He is not expected to grow out of the floppy larynx until roughly 1-2 years of age..

 

[AP]

Most reflux meds go up with weight. Theres also a minimum and maxium scale, i remember DD1 was on the minimum dosage for her weight and the max dosage really helped!

 

[VALiz]

Hi! I would also just be mindful and watchful of food bothering him since he already has one allergy. My son has FPIES and he started off with allergies to the protein in my breast milk and then solid foods after. He had severe reflux and has had an ulcer even, in his esophagus. His reflux would flare with each bad food. Rice is a very common trigger for FPIES. Your son may never have another allergy at all, I hope!, but I would just take it slow once you really start introducing foods and watch for reflux issues and other reactions. Sorry, I don't have much advice on the thickeners though.
Best of luck!

 

[impatient1]

Hope you've had some luck getting this sorted out. We've also had to increase my son's prescription for weight gains on ranitidine as well.