Page 4 | All new deluxe reflux support thread

Fumblefawkes · 02/11/2011 21:25

Hi, Am pleased to say our reflux days are over (DD is not 17 months) but have definitely been on the darkside with reflux. I don't post much but hang around and lurk a bit to see if I can help by answering anyones questions.

Devon Yes, teething can aggravate. Something to do with different enzymes in the saliva at this time which can aggravate.

We were told it is ok to use Gaviscon at the same time as Domperidone and Ranitidine, which we did on particularly bad days so may be worth a try?

Buttonmoon Sorry if you already have but have you tried squirting the syringe in the side of the mouth? In little squirts at a time? Apparently they can't spit it out then. DD got wise to me though and used to purse her tiny lips at the mere sight of a syringe

Support to everyone else too. It does eventually get better,even if that appears forever away a long way off at the moment.

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 02/11/2011 22:36

can't spit it out?! Pah. Think ds must be part camel then

Actually, he takes the ranitidine fine now. He still screws up his face but he swallows it now. And as that's the only meds he's on I'm not worried about that.

On the appt front - we'll be seen within 3 weeks. So another lifetime then...

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Sargesaweyes · 03/11/2011 08:37

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buttonmoon78 · 03/11/2011 09:47

My ds was the same when we first put him on gaviscon. He was having C&G formula at the time. I swapped to aptamil and the effect was almost instantaneous - no problems at all!

We're a long way down the road after that but for that particular problem that was the answer for us.

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Sargesaweyes · 03/11/2011 12:15

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fizzypigs · 03/11/2011 12:23

we gave our baby lactulose after gaviscon brought on constipation for baby. it is a stool softener rather than a laxative. didn't help us much. but hopefully it will be a different for your little one. we are now on domperidone instead of gaviscon - which has reduced sickness but not stopped it completely. still having probs with constipation (6wks later!!) - no longer sure if gaviscon was the culprit in our case...

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 03/11/2011 12:46

Have you tried anything else though? The point is that not all formulas are the same for every baby. For eg mine vomit profusely on SMA whereas my friend's ds flourishes!

I preferred to try another formula first as I really didn't want to go down the route of medicating to deal with the side effects of medicating. After all - where does that end?

In you shoes (which I was ) I would be trying another brand of formula first.

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fizzypigs · 03/11/2011 13:08

I hear you button about the reluctance to medicate the side affects of other medicine! Just to offer some reassurance - lactulose is very gentle and apparently you could take every day till your 100 without any harm - I'm quoting the out of hrs dr at hospital who was reassuring me about baby taking lactulose for a few weeks.

fizzypigs · 03/11/2011 13:12

Meant 'you're' not 'your' - am sure there are other mistakes in my post so will stop re-reading after posting and try to to do it in advance next time! :)

MamaLaMoo · 03/11/2011 19:03

Oooh, hello, a new reflux thread!

I was on the old one but had given up after baby trauma (DD2 was hospitalised for 6 days with reflux, DD1 in hospital for 15 days with terrible eye infection/injury).

All is much better now, DD2 is 12 weeks EBF and since she got proper Gaviscon (I will explain) and ranitidine and domperidone she has become more and more relaxed, developing well and sleeping for longer and longer. The most amazing thing is the complete lack of hysterical, inconsolable screaming.

Do you do gaviscon as it says on the packet? In hospital the nurses mixed up 6 sachets in 30ml of cold boiled water and gave her 2.5mls by syringe before each feed up to the maximum of 12 doses in 24hrs keeping the solution in a sterilised bottle for the day. This is sooooo much better than making up the 15mls by spoon that the packet says.

The poo issue resolved itself after 10 days, her body adjusted and she poops once a day or more, sometimes playdough poo, sometimes more like porridge. Too much lactulose made her very windy. We do 1ml in about 10mls of cooled, boiled water and it works to relieve her and no excess wind.

Syringes are definitely the way forward, as she has 4 doses or domperidone, 3 of ranitidine and up to 12 of gaviscon a day, we got little 1ml and 3ml syringes from chemist in town and keep them full of and sitting in sterilising fluid (good old milton and water) in a glass until used.

ekkiethump · 03/11/2011 19:24

new to this thread but wish i had known about it with my first ds. he had silent reflux and those days were terrible as wasnt diagnosed till 5 months.
now have my second and she also has reflux. on gavsicon currently and helped a lot - no longer having screaming fits (well sometimes) but still fussy with bottle sometimes will only take 2oz before getting upset and stopping. eventually can coax her to have more but takes up a lot of my day.
anyway, in people's opinion would you advice further treatment to help her feed more comfortably or would you just leave it and accept it is better at least? dont know what to do - seeing paeds next week and want to know what i would prefer as am sure they will give me choice.
just remind me it does get better doesnt it?????

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 07/11/2011 17:20

AIBU to want one sodding evening where ds does not shout at me and try to claw at my face and chest? And why is it that 99% of the time dh is about he is fine?

10 days til our paed appt. I can't bloody wait!

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bishboschone · 07/11/2011 18:25

Hi all, can anyone tell me do their babies cry alot during the day but sleep all night? Tia

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 07/11/2011 18:47

Yes - mine. If it wasn't for the amount of puking he does at night (btw - he wakes for 2/3 feeds but sleeps again straight after) I would think he was a totally different child from the one I have during the day.

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Sargesaweyes · 07/11/2011 18:52

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buttonmoon78 · 07/11/2011 18:57

Don't pin your hopes on it helping immediately. It might take a few days as there might be some damage to the bottom of his oesophegus which will need to heal.

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Sargesaweyes · 07/11/2011 19:12

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bishboschone · 07/11/2011 19:28

My ds is on ranitidine and domperidone .. He is 5 months old 7 weeks prem) and he sleeps 12 hours at night but is very grumpy during the day. He can be distracted though. Do you think this is the reflux and is it pain or just annoying him?

ekkiethump · 07/11/2011 20:09

my dd sleeps well at night until 4-5am and then cannot get back to sleep. i am pretty sure she is not waking up hungry as when she is hungry she wakes up by sucking her fingers. when reflux wakes her she wakes up with a lot of squirming and grunting before crying.
during the day she hardly sleeps at all but think it is because she only drinks 3oz at a time and so is always hungry.
does anyone find that they wake in the night and are tired but wont go back to sleep but not crying either? that happened with my ds and now with dd too. they drink from their bottle just about fall asleep and then wake up and stay awake.
waiting for my paeds apptment on friday - cant wait. am scared i might just walk in and burst into tears though and then they will think i am just a neurotic PND mother.

Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 07/11/2011 20:16

I hear you ekkie. I was so convinced I'd do that with my first appt I insisted that dh stayed home that day to come with me.

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ekkiethump · 08/11/2011 06:52

this is so hard. been up since 4.20am and still no signs of sleep. she wont drink an milk and i am so tired. toddler will wake up any minute and any chance of sleep will be gone.
i cant do this anymore. i know it will get better but this is so demoralising. nothing else to say apart from this is so hard i just want scream or break something.
i dont understand why this has happened to me twice. i just want a normal baby.
i am sorry to go on but this is the only way i can think of to vent my frustration without throwing my baby out the window. i feel all alone. my husband has just left me for the week and i dont want to call my friends or family as i think they think i cant cope and am exagerating.
it will get better, it will get better, it will get better...

Sargesaweyes · 08/11/2011 07:05

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Original poster

buttonmoon78 · 08/11/2011 07:07

i dont want to call my friends or family as i think they think i cant cope and am exagerating mine though that until they turned up one day and happened to witness a bad session! /they were gobsmacked!

It will get better and I know what you mean about being alone. Let it out here. We're all in the same boat - no judging.

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ekkiethump · 08/11/2011 08:02

had a big cry and now feel much better.
as you said today is a new day.

MamaLaMoo · 08/11/2011 09:17

ekkiethump I know just how you feel, I felt so awful after weeks of escalating crying and sleeplessness I started thinking about harming the baby. I told my health visitor and she sent me to the doctor that day. It got worse over the following week until me and the baby were admitted to hospital. I also have a toddler and that lying in bed knowing there is no point trying to sleep because she'll pop in any minute is a familiar feeling.

I hate the word coping, it seems to mean getting on with it so as not to bother others. Not coping means letting others know you need help! I am all for not coping. Seeing the GP and getting help was the best thing for both me and the baby. So what if you walk into your appt and burst into tears? Do it. I couldn't speak without crying for 4 days at one point. There was no doubt in the docs minds about how exhausted I was or what a crisis we were in. Paediatricians treat the mum and baby as a unit, so should your GP. If they see you are at the end of your tether they will act faster.

How old is your DD?