Omeprazole nightmare!

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I'm on day 4 of trying to get 1.5mls daily of omeprazole into my breastfed six-week old for reflux . . . I've tried everything and I CANNOT get it into her. Mixing with milk, in a dropper, slowly, quickly and pinching her cheeks - NOTHING works. She either spits it out or, if she's swallowed it, vomits it up immediately. I am at my wits end. Please help!

Can you syringe it, in the side of her cheek right at the back of her mouth a little bit at a time so it will go straight down ? Sorry I’m probably not explaining it that well. As a baby my child refused to take calpol but we had to call an ambulance one evening and they showed me how to do it this way. Although vomiting may be her way of rejecting something she’s potentially intolerant / allergic to so is there an alternative the doctor can recommend ?

Could you try the Gaviscon drops instead? My baby didn’t notice these in his milk. I’m surprised that they’ve put a baby on Omeperazole to be honest.

I had all sorts of problems with feeding. Have you explored any other avenues? It turned out my son had laryngomalacia (floppy larynx), tongue tie and a dairy intolerance. We did the milk ladder with him and he’s fine with dairy now. Had the tongue tie cut. He’s grown out of the floppy larynx. We put his cot on bricks so he wasn’t flat when sleeping and that seemed to work. Good luck with it all. It’s an awful thing to go through. We ended up weaning at 4 months old under the supervision of the paediatrician which was the best thing we ever did. Hope you get it sorted x

My baby had omeprazole for silent reflux, gaviscon didn't work at all.

I recommend trying to string into the side of the cheek, a little at a time. Good luck.

Tried syringing it in small amounts into her cheek, towards the back of her mouth, every technique I could find on Google, @Soloparenthelp, but even when she does swallow it reflexively, it just comes straight back up.

I have a GP appointment for myself next week, I'll maybe see if I can shoehorn in a conversation about potential other causes. She's been checked for tongue tie by a paediatrician, midwives and a lady from Cherubs and they've all said they don't see one.

Thanks for responses, everyone. It's so hard

@Willyoujust I can't get DD to take a bottle (she's been EBF so far) which is why mixing the omeprazole with milk failed. I didn't actually know Gaviscon comes in drop form - we were originally given powders, and had the same "can't get the baby to swallow this" issue.

I'm quite dismayed I can't get her on a bottle as I planned to express milk for when I need a break for a few hours in the future months!

We had to do omeprazole literally drop by drop, he'd make himself sick. Ds was tongue & lip tie - refused by several HV and midwives, confirmed by dentist, and self ripped the lip as predicted, aged 4 - CMPA and severe reflux. They didn't even try gaviscon due to CMPA constipation.

Such was his issue with the syringe, we still had paracetamol suppositories prescribed at age 3, until he started a several month strep/tonsillitis battle. Suddenly he preferred meds by mouth over IV cannula.

Have you considered allergies, as you're breastfeeding? At 1.5ml daily, is that liquid omeprazole they've prescribed?

Omeprazole suspension tastes vile. For babies we use Omeprazole "mums", which are tablets that are dissolvable in water. So you dissolve the prescribed dose in 1/2ml of water in the syringe.

Sorry I meant "MUPS" dispersable tablets (which actually tastes pleasant). Been through this with my DC.

Omeprazole is commonly prescribed for babies who suffer quite badly with reflux. Both my baby's GP and paediatrician said said it's regularly prescribed. You've only got to read threads about reflux on here and other sites to see how many babies are prescribed it. No issues at all.

OP - my baby also hates it. I thought he'd never take it. But we persevered and get it down a tiny squirt at a time. Right in the cheek.

Sending hugs. It will get better x x x

@VeryWorriedMam Okay I wasn’t aware of that as it was never offered to my son. I was on Omeperazole myself for a number of years and came off it due to extensive research on the drug. I decided it wasn’t something I wanted to take any longer. You have to be quite careful with PPIs.

Omeprazole is commonly prescribed for babies. It’s generally prescribed if Infant Gaviscon isn’t working.

OP, have you tried syringing a little at a time into the inside of her cheek?

Just out of interest, how were you giving the Gaviscon? It comes in powder form but you make it into a paste with water and give on a spoon or syringe in the same way as other Medicines.

Thank you - will ask about MUPS when I see the doc this week. Another massively stressful episode trying to give it to her today - no chance. It's not happening.

I dissolved the Gaviscon and syringed it in - she accepted that, reluctantly, so it must taste a bit better than the omeprazole. Just wish it had worked!

@Nomad916

not for a 6 week old!! MUPs work best for babies over 6 months when you can dose round to a full tablet better.

@RedPandaFluff
can you try giving her a bit during a F and then a bit more or even put a tiny amou t on your nipple and BF until the while dose is given.

Also what strength do you have? Could you ask for the higher one so the volume to give is less.

alternatively if your 6 week old is bigger than 3.75KG they can have one quarter of the dispersible lansoprazole tablets which just dissolve on the tounge instantly.

I feel for you op, as I have been in your shoes, with silent reflux babies. I used to squirt it in side of cheek, and then feed straight away after as a distraction. It is tough, at least when they're older you can hide it in food/drinks! It is important though so needs must. Dc1 was given ranitidine and I never felt it worked fully, consequently still suffers from stomach acid at 7! My other dc who had omeprazole has never had any further issue, it works amazingly (once you get it into them).

With us we got the adult capsules. They have tiny little balls of the medicine in. We would open up the capsules and weigh out the dosage. Then give with milk on a teaspoon. It’s a bit of a faff but doesn’t taste of anything so DD was fine with it. Not sure if it is an orthodox way of doing things, but worked for us! Good luck, reflux is the worst.

Omeprazole suspension should be given 30 mins before milk or 1 hour after milk. It isn't as effective if it's given with or too close to feeds.

It's horrendous to start with. My DD gagged, choked and was sometimes sick straight afterwards. It does gradually get better though and eventually, they accept the medicine as part of their morning routine.

@LittleMrsPretty it was the Paeds Gastro who prescribed the MUPS to us at 5 weeks. I remember using 1/4 tablet to start.

When they were tiny we used to give my twins it in a bottle teat.
Then they started hating that and every moment was a battle, especially as the dosage grew.
Once it got to 6ml and I was at the end of my tether I asked for the double strength liquid (4mg) which halved the amount, then I started giving it in the syringe as others have said, into side of cheek at back of mouth just a little bit at a time. It does get better, mine at 6m now open their mouths when they see the syringe!
It tastes like mint, I think it can just take them a little while to get used to it.

...of the 10mg tablet