Reflux support thread

[floofymad]

Hi,
Thought this might be a good idea, to share ideas, support each other or just have a little moan (!), for those of us who have LO's with reflux.

I've found it soo hard to get anyone to listen and recognise that LO has reflux. The doctor, HV and midwifes just kept saying colic. Hubby always says 'oh she's just a bit under the weather today'
Finally, we got the doc to prescribe gaviscon (didn't help)
Then he suggested changing to cow's free milk (Nutrimigen) which was helping but yesterday it was back as bad as ever....
Will give it a few days but then think I'll be back at the docs. He said before he wouldn't prescribe meds cause they're not licensed for babies...

Here are the symptoms our LO has:.....................
Crying/Screaming during feeds and after feeds
Asking for feeds in between times to soothe stomach
Arching back
Sticking tongue out lots
Vomiting
Vomiting clear liquid
Foaming at the mouth
Squirming/Twisting/Bringing legs and knees up and kicking out.
Not sleeping properly/waking up after not much sleep
Waking up screaming
Doesn't like laying down
Clingy

 

[smiley330]

Hello!

My DS is the same, does every single thing you've listed. He's only recently started to suffer - he was in hospital the other week with meningitis and the HV said all the antibiotics he was on have probably upset him. DS1 also suffered with reflux - I thought we had escaped it this time!

My HV came round this week and was brilliant. She diagnosed it straight away and got me some gaviscon without us needing to see the doctor. It has helped LOADS!! After the first feed with it he was so settled again. He is now really constipated though so going to make an appointment with the doc next week to try get some ranitidine instead as thats meant to better for not causing constipation.

I cant understand why your doctor won't prescribe meds, can you see another doctor?? I think I'd have to hound my doctor daily if he refused!!

It's so hard seeing them in pain when there's nothing u can do I hope the milk starts to help again!

x x x

 

[floofymad]

Hey. Yes I'm going to see another doctor for her check and ask. The other doctor said meds aren't licensed for babies... Glad your LO is a bit better x x

 

[fairy3853]

Hi Ladies, great idea for a thread.

My LO is suffering terribly at the minuate, his reflux is so bad we co sleep as I couldnt settle any other way as hes sick so often. Iv been passed from pillar to post and no one wantiong to help, but iv persiveared (s) and got my doc to help. He perscribed gaviscon which diddnt do a thing, so I went back and doc refered Lo to the hospital as he diddnt want to mis diagnose reflux as its common for baby boys to have blockages. Well hes fine, just reflux and were now on Ratanadine (s) to neutralise the acid and yesterday was put on domperidon. So far its worked fantastic for us, it by no means cured his reflux, but it has made a significant difference. Whilst they may not be licenced for babies, there is meds available and I think its a case of if you scream loud enough someone will listen, its took me 8 weeks to get a perscription for my son that is helping him some what, but help is available if you stick at it.

 

[floofymad]

For some reason the nutrimigen milk is suddenly causing lots of puking again. Not really sure if it's normal baby sick or reflux...

 

[steph1505]

Floofy...

Oliver is sick more with the nutramigen but it doesnt bother him! He jst sits and brings up a little sick!

Ive found the nutramigen has helped loads, he hasnt had any bouts of screaming for over 2 weeks now! I jst wish id started him on it sooner! Xxxxxx

 

[floofymad]

Floofy...

Oliver is sick more with the nutramigen but it doesnt bother him! He jst sits and brings up a little sick!

Ive found the nutramigen has helped loads, he hasnt had any bouts of screaming for over 2 weeks now! I jst wish id started him on it sooner! Xxxxxx

Yeah, actually we haven't had much screaming, apart from Friday. Hopefully that was a blip!
Just realised that our LO's were born on the same day! And I'm also a 'Steph'

 

[steph1505]

Haha! Really? R we the same person? Haha!! Thats cool!!

My HV said that sometimes wind can aggrivate reflux, so maybe thats wot happened on friday with ur LO! I am so glad nutramigen exists! Do u still use gaviscon with it? We do! Xxxxx

 

[AngelUK]

Both my boys have reflux. First Dominic started with it about 4 or so weeks ago and now Sebastian also does the screaming while feeding, poor lil darling! My doctor prescribed Ranitdine for Dominic right away and there was never any mention that it isn't licensed for babies? It has made a huge difference to us! We used to have a baby who cried at the end of every feed and when ever he wasn't asleep! Sebastian was ok at first with Gaviscone but it seems to not work now so we have given him Ranitidine as well, although we can only get the ok from the GP on Tuesday hopefully. But already he doesn't scream as much and feeds much better. I would definitely advise you ladies to ask for this stuff and see if it cannot help your LOs as well. Good luck xxx

 

[oh my belly]

Hi ladies, so glad for this thread.

DS was just diagnosed a few days ago and we are just starting ranitidine. Having lots of trouble having him take the medication with a syringe as he is spitting it up. I've heard it isn't the best tasting medication. Any advice on how to have him take his meds? We are EBFing and was wondering if anyone mixes ranitidine with formula/milk and had any success. I know it is best to give while on an empty stomach.

Really hoping this will work. For the longest time we just thought DS was a miserable, colicky baby and we dealt with the crumby cards we were dealt. Even after diagnosed with reflux, OH maintained he was diagnosed incorrectly and was just super fussy. Now after hearing DS cry in agony, he realizes its reflux. Hoping it gets better soon.

 

[floofymad]

Oh my belly - oh has been insisting she's just fussy or under the weather too. I just knew there was something wrong.

Today has been a bad day. She has been resisting sleep and will only sleep on us. Every time I lay her down asleep she wakes up screaming x

 

[londonbump2]

I've been told 'babies cry' 'babies are sick' sooo many times it's unreal!

LO didn't like neutramigen so I asked if we could try Pepti instead (it's less broken down, so less disgusting), along with his ranitidine and gaviscon he's much better! Still not quite there, and still has a few issues, discussed with the doctor about if we should try something more broken down again but they were reluctant with our paed appointment FINALLY in 2 weeks.

Took ages to get them to put him on it in the first place, and finally doctor who agreed to it sent us to an urgent paed who looked at me like I was insane for taking my babhim' but agreed that he should definetely be on a different kind of milk.

Neutramigen might be making him puke because it's a lot thiner, do you put gaviscon in it?

 

[AngelUK]

Oh my belly my LOs don't seem to mind the taste but I do shove their dummies back in just after squirting the stuff in their mouths, just as a precaution. If you are using a dummy maybe try that, as it makes them swallow? Good luck xxx

 

[oh my belly]

Thanks, I'll try a dummy after squirting the meds.

 

[esmemuppet]

Everyone toldme teething, colic etc but I just knew it was more than that...we got ranitidine at 16 weeks...helped loads...still a few bad days but overall fantastic improvement...dummy really helps too after a feed...good luck and trust your instincts!xx

 

[Lyo28]

We are over the worst of it here I think and it is mostly down to Nutramagin and now solids seem to help. The puking is still as bad as ever but he has no pain now.

We had tried gaviscon, zantac ( rantadine) and losec ( omaprazol). The losec helped some bit but he went back to full on screaming during feeds and his weight didn't move for 2 weeks, then we tried the nutramagin and no looking back, he started drinking full bottles and sleeping bit better. The puking is annoying but once the pain is gone that's all I care about.

I could never see light at the end of the tunnel but at 5 months he is a lot better and getting better every week.

 

[steph1505]

Lyo28 - ur post has given me hope!

I see a huge change in Oliver since we started the nutramigen so hopefully he follows the same route as ur LO! Like u say, as long as their not in pain, we can handle some sick!

R u being cautious with weaning him? My HV said we will have to be careful wen it comes to weaning incase we give him somethin that aggrivatee his tummy!

Xxxxx

 

[Lyo28]

Steph I really hope the nutramagin keeps working for you, we still had an odd bad day but normal baby bad day ifywim. We would have been lost without it. It took a good week to kick in though, I remember posting on here about it worried it wasn't working then suddenly a new baby!

With weaning I have so far been giving veg purees and fruit purees and baby cereal with no added milk. I am still not sure what I will do about milk yet! He did have a jar food yesterday as I was out and it had milk in it but no reaction. I suppose to answer your question I am not being particularly careful, fruits and veg can't go wrong really. But I will have to wait and see how careful I will be with milk after he is 6 months.

I know how hard it is but it does get easier.

 

[floofymad]

Bump!

 

[aliss]

Big hugs to you all, mine had it for 14 months and he'll be 2 on Friday. It is heaven without it, I actually enjoy being a mom now.