Reflux Help & Support Thread

[babybx2]

My twins are 9 weeks old. born 4 weeks early.

They have been diagnosed with reflux and cows milk allergy. Prescribed with nutramigen formla and ranitidine & domperidone. We have been using them for 2 days now and although things have improved of an evening, arond 8-11pm they seem really uncomfortable and dose on and off look shattered but wake screaming.

We were not told how to administer the meds so use the syringe b4 bottles.

Is this the way to administer???? Please help????

 

[prgirl_cesca]

I use a syringe with my sons meds!

 

[babybx2]

OMG!!! I am going insane!!! One of the twins won't stop crying/screaming! How long does it take for the meds to work??????

She seems to be in so much pain!!! I can't help her or do anything??!?!?!?!??!!??

 

[gilz82]

Sorry you are having such a rough time babybx2 I know exactly how you feel. As far as the meds are concerned each time we've started a new one we've been told to wait 7-10 days before expecting to see an improvement. I can't comment on whether that's a realistic timescale as nothing has ever worked properly for Noah.

As for times to give the meds we were told the following...

Ranitidine to me given in equally spaced times, so if three times a day then 6 hrs between doses eg 7am, 1pm and 7pm obviously changing the starting time to suit your routine.

Domperidone we were told to give at least half an hour before a feed so that I gets to the tummy in time before any food.

As for us, took your advice Steph and managed to get the losec mups into Noah last night. He had puked acid sick all day and any time you moved him he was being sick even hours after feeding so a massive step backwards. Got the mups into him and felt quite optimistic that they would work better than the omeprazole solution but nope no difference at all. Suppose it's only one more day until the consultant and I will be getting my referral sorted for Ross hall either from him or the gp on Monday!!

 

[babybx2]

Thank you Gilz82. It seems the screams were due to constipation with them both!! Very full nappies this morning!!

Thanks for the info, really appreciate it

 

[michelle82]

Leo is 6 months now, on 3 solid meals a day, but his reflux seems to be getting worse!!!

Hes not on any meds as the puking doesn't seem to bother him that much, but i'm cracking up, its getting to the stage where we can't even leave the house!!

Surely things should be improving slightly by now, instead of getting worse?

Any of you ladies in the same boat? When did you start to see an improvement?

 

[gilz82]

Hi Michelle82 :wave:

Unfortunately I can't offer advice as to when things will improve as we haven't got to the stage. I just wanted to say I totally understand how you feel. I don't go out with Noah, he can't even go in his pram without being sick. We've cancelled two sets of baby massage and baby swimming classes as he just screams and throws up all the time.

Sorry weaning hasn't seemed to help, I hope your son starts to see an improvement soon but maybe it would be worth chatting to your gp to see if there's anything they think would help even though the vomitting doesnt seem to worry him

 

[aliss]

Leo is 6 months now, on 3 solid meals a day, but his reflux seems to be getting worse!!!

Hes not on any meds as the puking doesn't seem to bother him that much, but i'm cracking up, its getting to the stage where we can't even leave the house!!

Surely things should be improving slightly by now, instead of getting worse?

Any of you ladies in the same boat? When did you start to see an improvement?

Well I hate to bear bad news but for us, it didn't go away completely until 13 months, however it gets a LOT better. 6 months was just as bad, but 8-9 months and things really started to take off.

Even with the introduction of solids, you are still dealing with immature digestive systems etc. and a little more growing/age can make a big difference.

 

[aliss]

Hi Michelle82 :wave:

Unfortunately I can't offer advice as to when things will improve as we haven't got to the stage. I just wanted to say I totally understand how you feel. I don't go out with Noah, he can't even go in his pram without being sick. We've cancelled two sets of baby massage and baby swimming classes as he just screams and throws up all the time.

Sorry weaning hasn't seemed to help, I hope your son starts to see an improvement soon but maybe it would be worth chatting to your gp to see if there's anything they think would help even though the vomitting doesnt seem to worry him

Gilz, have you tried going out & about with him being kept upright in a sling? I used to put a really thick puke rag in between his face and my chest (in a sling facing inward) and it reduced the amount of vomit, and still let me go out & about and live a somewhat normal life... no classes or anything, but at least a short walk around the mall or something.

 

[happyface82]

I'm sorry to say that at 15 months Katerina is still suffering. Not much, it is much better than what it used to be but enough to be on a small dose of losec in the evening.

 

[gilz82]

Aliss I've tried everything, we bought a carrier before he was born and the action of walking in it still makes him sick. I can get away with swaying side to side but that's it. Thought maybe there was too much movement in the carrier so borrowed a friends sling before buying one and the same outcome!

I wouldnt mind the sick if it wasn't all acidy and doing damage to his insides. Our current paediatrician has transferred us to the specialist children's hospital now to see a paediatric gastroenterologist as Noah is at the max dosage of omperazole and still no improvement.

We go on Monday so fingers crossed the specialist has a fresh view and can suggest something to at least minimise the problem.

 

[aliss]

Awww I wonder if with such a severe condition they are going to consider some form of throat surgery? My neighbour's girl had it so severe that they did give her a minor throat surgery to correct a valve issue. A scary thought I know esp. as your bubs had a rough start in the first place, but hopefully the gastroenterologist can really help.

 

[happyface82]

Another possibility is that if wasn't treated straight away he could have developed oesophagitis, which basically means that there is inflammation within. It is nothing serious but requires antibiotics and this could explain why you are not seeing an improvement.

Hope the appointment goes well!

 

[gilz82]

Thanks Aliss I hope it doesn't come to surgery but I just want things to be a little better for him

Happyface I hadnt heard of that so I'm off to google and stick it on my list of questions for the specialist, thanks

 

[aliss]

Of course hun, I wouldn't wish reflux (especially severe reflux) on anyone Good luck with your appt

 

[KellyC75]

Thinking of you all & your LO's

 

[gilz82]

Thanks Kelly

 

[stephybump2be]

gilz howz it goin now? any better? sure hope so ...

 

[stephybump2be]

Awww I wonder if with such a severe condition they are going to consider some form of throat surgery? My neighbour's girl had it so severe that they did give her a minor throat surgery to correct a valve issue. A scary thought I know esp. as your bubs had a rough start in the first place, but hopefully the gastroenterologist can really help.

The surgery is caled 'fundoplication' . It's only used where there is a major problem witht the valve itself. However most baby's have a valve thats a bit weaker and reflux is worse because they have a liquid diet and spend a lot of time lying down (easy for the liquid to run back up into the throat). Thisaffects all babies to degree, but as long as they're not in pain, or failing to thrive, there's no need for treatment. In most cases problem reflux is a combintion of a weak valve, liquid diet, lots of time spent lying down, increased stomach acidity, poor motility (food moving through system too slowly), and cow/soy protien intolerance - several of these factors usualy contribute to create reflux problems, so valve surgery isn't usually the answer.

Jst had a check on antibiotics for oesophigitis - Soph had this but nobody mentioned antibiotics - but seems they're only needed if it's 'bacterial' oesophagitis rather than acid damage.

How did people get through reflux hell b4 they could access forums like this? must have been even lonlier and scarier in the past than it is now...hard to imagine that's possible though!

Keep up all the great support everyone x

 

[stephybump2be]

Kelly - jst havin a laugh at your ticker for ds2 - would be appropriate for my LO too - wonder if all ds2's are jst that little bit crazy?

Hows the bump doin girlie - bet your knacked n not gettin much ZZZ's!!