I've given up - off to docs for reflux meds

[ILoveGregoryHouse]

DD is five months old, my fourth child. All have had reflux but the three boys were happy chuckers. She is by far the worst. She clearly has acid regurgitation and is very upset and uncomfortable around feeding. Because I can't get a routine established as she's so fussy, she doesn't have enough to eat during the day so is still feeding at night. This is becoming unmanageable as she's basically fussing from 2am every night and I am not sleeping. With three others to deal with, I am at my wits end. She is being fed Aptimil Comfort with Gaviscon. She is upright for feeds, has wedges in pram, cot, moses basket, has been to osteopath who says her diaphragm is the main problem and it is improving but I just can't cope any more. Thankfully, when not bothered by the reflux, she is very jolly and smiley.

So, we're off to docs this morning. Do I ask for neocate milk? zantac? what should be the next meds for her? I've heard domperidone is not proven to work. Although DS2 was a happy chucker, he developed cows milk protein and crossover soy protein intolerance and was on nutramigen as a baby and then goats milk. He's back tolerating cows milk now (I think...)

Any advice appreciated, we're leaving the house in an hour.

Sorry for the ramble.

She was breastfed until 6 weeks ago when the screaming and punching got too much for me...

See what the Dr suggests. We've been on zantac for 2 weeks now, and I'm not sure it has helped much. Well, it has a little but he is just screaming at a different point in the cycle now. Currently he is in a swing with a dummy as mummy-cuddles were not calming him down at all. How depressing is that?

Good luck!

Oh, where did you get a sleep-wedge? We have the end of his carrycot (where he sleeps at night too as he is too unsettled to be in our room - one of us sleeps on the sofa with him) raised, but he slips to the bottom and end up with his legs in the air as he wriggles so much!

Hi cobweb, this is the site selling all things reflux! DD has the shallower wedge but will probably get her the steeper one asap.

www.babyreflux.co.uk/

ds has reflux and been on ranitine since 7 weeks, did make a difference still fusses with feeds but doesnt seem in pain just like to take a couple of 0z a time over an hour untill evenually having around 6-8, i found the fussiness started again last week so spoke to my HV and she advised to wean early, and my gosh what a differnt little boy he is! we started him on rice and lunch last thursday and he wouldn stop eating it! and then finished a 6oz bottle with out a fuss, he now has rice and puree fruit 3 times a day and 4 bottle 1 with each meal and 1 to go to bed with at night, he is also sleeping 12 hours at night and is so much more settles! could early weaning be an option?

firsttimemum-just wondered how old your DS was?

DS2 is 20 weeks (but was 8 weeks prem) and has suspected reflux-we've been give IG by GP but he did it very reluctantly lol! We're seeing neonatal consultant in middle of may and am going to pick her brains more then but am also wondering about early weaning.

It sounds daft but on top of the fact that feeding him is an absolute nightmare-he'll only ever take 4 oz and each feed takes about an hour of him thrashing about all over the place (The IG doesn't really make much difference tbh) it's almost as if he doesn't like milk...which I know sounds stupid but would make sense if its hurting him because he'll always associate milk with pain.

He can't sit up independently but has great head control and I really think he'd take to food well but obviously I can't afford for his milk intake to decrease even more cause he's teeny still...he's only still under 12lb bless him!

We started her on purees a couple of weeks ago but it's taking time for her to settle down. She does like it though. I agree about the not seeming to like milk.

GP was very nice and advised doubling the gaviscon. Has also prescribed ranitidine which i'll give if the double gaviscon doesn't help, although it seems to be having some positive effect so far, fingers crossed. Going back in a week and GP will refer to specialist if necessary.

iheart i know zip about preemies but would check if the 16 week rule for not introducing solids is adjusted for him i.e. Would it be not before 24 weeks. Sorry, that's probably like teaching my granny to suck eggs! I know hOw desperate you must feel. It's bloody awful.

my ds is 15 weeks 16 on sat and we started at 15 from advice from gp and HV before we started puree and rice DS would take 25oz max in 24hours, now he easily takes 25oz a day sometimes up to 30 as well as rice and purees so obv what he needed, i agree with the not likeing milk i thought that about my ds, my hv said when they have a few solids helps line their little stomaches and stops so much of the acid coming back up which make sense and i can see the results! aslso my ds is 13 pounds so not to much more then yours, talk to your hv and see if early weaning would help, makes such a difference for me and ds to enjoy a feed rather then it be a good hours battle just to get a few oz down him!

ohh and the rice you mix with there formula so that adds a few extra oz in

Hi ILove, just wanted to let you know my experience with dd (now 3). Dd was diagnosed by pediatrician as having silent refux at 3 months, she was already on gaviscon, and comfort milk, so dr added in Zantac, colief drops and advised me to start weaning her early at 3months. I had to be careful being weaned so early that dd was not given gluten products or salt until 6 months, but after that dd could eat most foods.

It was a struggle, but definetly introducing solids really helped, my Hv wasn't too keen on the early solids, but as paediatrician had advised it Hv could not complain.

I kept her wedged for everything until she was about 8 months, when I removed them all. Make sure that you also wedge her changing mat, and when changing her nappy, try not to left her legs up too high as this can make them reflux too due to the added pressure on their stomach.

It will get better I promise..

Oh meant to say that dd's weaning food was mixed with her ordinary milk, but by 5 months dd only had a bottle at bedtime, as she was fully weaned during the day, having water in a feeding cup to drink.

Thank you both...yes thats exactly what I want to be able to enjoy feeding him as every single feed seems like a battle at the moment. He's such a happy smiley little boy-except when Im trying to feed him. He only takes about 24 oz a day as well and thats a real struggle to get that into him.

IloveGregoryHouse-Thank you...yep do feel desperate at the moment you are so right lol! The weaning age for preemies is a bit of a grey area it seems and no one seems to be able to tell me what Im supposed to do. GP and Neonatal Consultant said to wean at any point between 4-6 months actual age because they lose their iron stores the same as "normal" babies(and in fact possibly earlier than full term babies as they haven't had the last few weeks/months in you to build them up) however all the HV's Ive spoken to have said go for between 6-8 months actual age which is 4-6 months corrected...if that makes any sense at all-very confusing isn't it!?

Next hospital appointment is another month away so was going to check again then but I just want to be able to feed him without all this fuss all the time. GP did say he'd refer him to pead but it could take a couple of months so it seems a bit pointless when we are already under neonatal still.

Many thanks for all your help both of you-I think we might try some rice over the next week or so...Easter Hols so won't have to rush off to do school runs or anything!

If you've already had a child with milk/soy protein intolerance, that has to be high on the list of suspicion for your little DS too. It can have a hereditary basis. Ask for neocate or nutramigen. If it's a problem with cow's milk protein, then reflux meds won't help a great deal IME. My DS has suspected probs with CMP, but won't drink any of the alternatives :(