to demand my gp does something

[Cazm2]

Not sure if this is right place to post but very fed up watching 6 week old dd in pain. She is ff has been since 1 week old. For past 3 weeks she has been having terrible trouble feeding and after. Her symptoms are very fidgety.after. bottle rubbing face into you, squirming for at least 20 mins, clawing rubbing mouth, nose. Rash all over face goes blotchy after feeding , lots of hiccups, gagging and looking like she is chewing something, wheezing, full of mucus, she be asleep and will wake up squirming or cryng. She doesn't sleep long at all. Sometimes will cry or scream not sure why can be sitting happy as Larry. I am sure she either has allergy or reflux. Health visitor told me to try colief for lactose hasn't worked, gaviscon hasn't worked, now on comfort milk not working. Gp is dismissive says colic and she will grow out of it, doesn't believe silent reflux exists. Health visitor thinks gaviscon would have worked. I have slight diary allergy myself so possible dd has. I can't get anyone to lusten. I have .6 week check this week can I demand anything from gp? Test or something?

It's possible that she has an allergy to milk also so gaviscon won't work. She needs her milk changing to a lactose free formula www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/startingsolids/safety/cowsmilkintoleranceexpert/ Please take her to see your GP, they are far more qualified then I am.

Sounds miserable.
Ask your Gp for a trial of a hydrolysed formula eg nutramigen. If she is allergic, symptoms should resolve in a week (often sooner). If it is colic, then this may also help.

If this hypoallerginic formula doesn't work, then after a week, ask for a trial of gaviscon (again try for one week).

I think the key is to firmly insist you want to try the nutramigen, even if he looks sceptical.

Can't be much help but i thought my baby had silent reflux and I went to boots and asked to buy infant gaviscon and said my health visitor had suggested it. They let me buy it from the pharmacy. If you think it might help its worth having a go. My doctor said it wouldn't hurt her at all.
Other than that I think you should see another gp. Hope you get some help.

Can you see a different GP within your practice? I think I owuld be demanding a 2nd opinion tbh

Hi sorry meant to say I have tried gaviscon didn't do anything but constipated her. Shechanged formula last week to ne whichhas 40% less lactose. Health visitor thinks I am being neurotic but I suffered reflux myself so I know what its like

I would ask to see another Gp if there's one there and get a second opinion. YANBU.

I took ds to a cranial osteopath as he suffered from silent reflux when he was a baby. It did work for us, but from what I can gather from other people it can be a bit hit and miss, and it is expensive. I guess it wouldn't do anything for allergies either, so that needs to be checked out first.

The omneocomfort is a lower lactose formula, but won't really help if she has a cows milk protein allergy.

Lactose intolerance is actually quite rare in young babies and cmpa is more common than you might think.

That's why a hydolysed formula is worth trying

You're right, wilmot. I'd try the hydrolysed formula and see how she goes OP. I hope she's feeling better soon, she sounds very miserable.

Always always go with your gut instinct (no pun intended) she is your baby and you know when something is wrong. it might be a simple thing easily put right or not. whatever it is you need to find out and get to the bottom of it because what you describe is not normal 6 week old baby behaviour. please go back to your practice and ask to see someone else. my son had to have neocate and prior to this i had a very miserable first 2 months of his life. the neocate smells vile (especially second time around) but he quickly failed to thrive and this was very worrying for all of us. i saw numerous professionals who dismissed me as an over anxious mother before the god send of an old health visitor who did the right thing. hope it all gets sorted for you.

Thanks all she is gaining weight but I think its comfort eating poss for the reflux therefore they don't feel an issue also as she doesn't throw up

All of mine had colic & what you'e describing doesn't sound anything like it (I'm not a HCP, just after 3 of them you tend to recognise it). I do know that my friends had a terrible time getting silent reflux diagnosed, they had to take their DS to see 3 doctors I think and the mum was told she was worrying too much etc. in the end they took him to a cranial osteopath which seemed to work. They did finally get a diagnosis but it took months of misery to get there.
If I were you I would go to your check up and sit there until the doctor/nurse listens to you. Be firm. She's your baby, your know something is wrong and mother's instinct is usually right! Good luck x

Health visitor should be able to refer to paediatric dietitian preferably an allergy specialist who could give some advice to you and make recommendations to your gp. I work with dietitians so know they see this kind of thing all the time.

One of mine had silent reflux, she was my third, they kept telling me it was a touch of colic, it was the most miserable 4.5 months of my life.

yes go back and demand help to find out what the problem is.

I'd insist on a hypoallergenic formula. DD1 was similar at 4 weeks and dismissed by GP. I hated to see her in so much pain and insisted on seeing an allergist who immediately saw it was cow's milk intolerance (based on seeing DD1 and symptoms). DD1 was prescribed neonate and rash/itchiness disappeared after stopping cows milk formula and put on neonate.

Please insist!!

? sounds more like an allergy than reflux?
Ds1 had reflux but wasn't vomiting when he was that young, it came later. Yes he was uncomfortable after feeds, wriggling/crying etc, couldn't settle. But no wheeze or blotchy face or mucus. For reflux holding upright for 30 mins after feeding, propping up the head of cot and quitting my caffeine habit helped, but I would talk to your GP about whether it might be an allergy - you sound very concerned.
Our GP said it was the weather making Ds1 wake up and shriek 20 mins into sleep, 24/7 , though.

does your diary allergy extend to calendars too?

Surely that is too young for actual colic? Pisses me off when doctors use 'colic' as a get out for doing nothing useful...

My DS had what was described as colic, but he was just unsettled in the evening, not after every feed.

The blotchiness would indicate some kind of allergy or intolerance to me (but I'm not medically trained). Go back to your GP and make a fuss and make them listen to you. Is there a different GP at your surgery you can see?

Alternatively, do you have an NHS walk in centre near you? You may have a long wait, but the GP there may be more open to other ideas than your GP.

Get upset, cry if you have to. Make a fuss. This is your baby and you know better than anyone if something isn't right.

yup colic is (according to current research based guidelines) caused by over stimulation and hence tends to happen at the end of the day. It is feck all to do with feeding...or wind...(except that stomach pain may tip a baby over the stimulation threshold).

Some babies have terrible digestive/reflux/wind issues but do not suffer colic and some babies (like mine) burp, fart and crap like a dream with no allergies at all and suffer full on colic.

Thank you all. I had long chat with hv thismorning. She told me to try lactose free milk and demand gp refers me to rapid access paed. It sounds like intolerance to her and poss reflux to but paed will help. They can prescribe nutigimen? If needed. So tomo is the day!

Good luck for tomorrow

entropygirl that is v interesting- can you link to research, would like to read-ta (genuine query, not being pa!!)