Reflux and Infant Gaviscon

[Sandi102]

I've read various threads on this topic, but cannot seem to find anything that would answer my questions and was hoping some1 could help me

ds2 is 12 weeks and has been fussing at the bottle for 6 weeks..it got to the stage where he was drinking less and less, so last week i took him to the GP..she said he has hidden reflux and prescribed Infant Gaviscon..he's now back to drinking normal amounts and fusses a little less..I have the following questions re. the medication:

1. how long is it advised to give infant gaviscon?
   2.is ds still getting all the goodness from the milk? (he's on aptamil 1st)prebiotics etc
   
2. As a result of Infant Gaviscon ds2 is now constipated which I would really like to avoid at all costs, because his left kidney is dialted and he's on antibiotics to help prevent infection/ scarring to the kidney. Any tips on how to ease the constipation..
   
3. What is thick and easy? should I put that in the milk instead?

[Sandi102]

thanks jazzy1..i explained to my gp how ds was fussing and screaming when trying to drink his milk..she said he may have indegestion and asked whether he was sick after feeds, which he isn't and then the gp mentioned silent reflux.i'm going back on Fri to request further tests..how are the tests done and what will it show, that;s if it is reflux

[jane313]

My son had not hidden at all reflux (ie sick 20 odd times a day) for 10 months. It did help a lot and didn't make him constipated at all, but he was breast fed. I gave it for about 6 months. A friend who bottle fed her son with reflux was prescribed some sort of thicker milk but I don't the name of it though, but think it was made by SMA. It worked for her son and she saved a ton of money.

Ive not heard of hidden reflux.

Sorry that probably didn't help at all! Water in between feeds helped another friends babys constipatation

[Sandi102]

the last 2 feeds have been terrible again..screaming after taking 3 oz and then not taking the bottle until after a 30min break, at which he'll happily take another 3-4 oz..shud i just accept that this is the way he will be fed?..i dread to think what its going to be like when he's on solids..i'm hoping he won't fuss as much..

i used to think he had colic, so gave infacol and gripe water, but he'd bring up wind (both ends) no problems at all..then i started to think he had a aore throat or a swallowing disorder of some kind..the reason i say that is because of the way he feeds..and he's not a sicky baby, just mild posseting now and again..but i shouldn't rule out reflux until he's had the tests.

[Joshuasmum]

Sandi102,

Not sure I can offer much advice as I have a similar problem which I have not been able to solve either! My DS is 4 months and I stopped breast feeding largely due to the fussing. I'm also trying the Gaviscon which has stopped the sickies but not the fussing.
One thing I can suggest is using C&G OMEO Comfort milk as an alternative to Gaviscon. It is supposed to be gentle on the digestiona nd makes the milk thicker. I tried it and struggled to get it through the teats (it is a pain to make up!) and at the time the problem wasn't so bad so I gave up. I'm starting to think I might give it a go again!
By the way, where do you get thick and easy from??

[clairabelle]

Joshuasmum with the omneo comfort you need to make sure that you use variflo teats and make sure that you always squeeze the end of the teat with your teat tongs prior to giving it as quite often a blob of milk settles over the opening and is very difficult to dislodge.

[clairabelle]

sandi102 how is your ds?

[Sandi102]

hi, sorry for not replying sooner, just got back 2day from my mum's, where we've been staying for the past week..

ds is not much better at feeding..i've been getting rather down about it and i've tried absolutely EVERYTHING!..GP said only put one dose in the 7oz of milk i make up, but ds was still fussing, so i decided to put 2 doses in 8oz milk (as the instructions state) and ds fussed a little less and took more of the milk..which is good..BUT the problem he now has is that he's constipated..so i want to avoid giving 2 doses of gaviscon at each feed..

i tried the dr brown's bottles, walking around whilst feeding..feeding whilst sitting in his bouncer..but he still fusses..i actually think he's in pain whilst swallowing..because he just screams and screams..but when i take the bottle away he's playing and smiling fine...and i just think oooohhhh i love him so much..but wish he would feed

spoke to my hv on fri and she suggested to get ds re-assessed on mon by the GP..so will let you know more by then..shoud, i request for tests? If so, which ones? Can a test confirm whether ds has reflux?

[Sandi102]

bump

[LIZS]

Hi Sandi,
sorry to hear you still have problems. I'm not sure what form any tests for reflux take but they can certainly investigate it, perhaps by ultrasound, but tbh it seems more trial and error in the treatment. GP would probably need to refer you to the paediatrician, perhaps the same one who is treating the kidney problem.

Joshuasmum,
I'm not in UK so got Thick and Easy from our paediatrician but you may be able to get it from a pharmacy or HV clinic in UK. You do need to use the variable flow teats - we used Avent ones.

[Joshuasmum]

Clairabelle,
Thanks for the tips on using Omneo Comfort, just started using it again and am finding it quite effective. I'm now using med flow teats which seems to work (my ds can't seem to cope with the variflow teats or I am not doing it right...?)and giving the bottle a good shake to get rid of the 'blob' (was wandering what was causing the blockage!

Sandi,
Sorry to hear you are still struggling - my ds has also been diagnosed with acid reflux (not a severe case since he is still gaining weight but enough to make him uncomfortable). By the way they didn't actually do tests to determine this...!?
The paediatrician says he could be old enough to associate feeds with discomfort and that is why he is fussing at feeds - could that be the case with yours?.Omneo Comfort milk has reduced the sickiness and seems to sit much better in his stomach. In fact he drinks quite a few of his bottles straight through now which is quite an achievement.We have been given ranitidine for the acid (Gaviscon doesn't help)- scary thing is that apparently this treatment makes things a little worse before it gets better........

By the way, I couldn't get my ds to take enough water to prevent constipation so I resorted to spoons of baby fruit juice (1 about 3 times a day until the stools were soft again)- you know the type that you buy in bottles from Hipp or C&G etc. I figured that as it was made for babies it should be gentle enough - certainly gentler than the orange juice that was suggested to me...?