Gaviscon and reflux-advice please!

[stellarmum]

My dd has just been diagnosed with reflux at ten weeks. She has gained weight well and is developing fine so no worries there, but the constant vomiting is a pain for her (and me- all that washing!) and she suffers discomfort when feeding, especially in the afternoons for some reason.
The doctor prescribed Gaviscon, which seems to have had no effect at all. Does it improve over time? He said take half a sachet but on the box it says two for babies over 10 lbs-she's 15lbs! Should I up the dose? or are there other things which are more effective?

Used it with my DS in dose on box. Definately worked - as any attempts to take it away dramatically proved! He ended up on it until he was about a year I think. Some babies settle down with the reflux once they are on solids.

Gaviscon did nothing for either of mine. One (girl) outgrew it (reflux) when she was 8 months, and boy when he was 12 months but both still vomit if they get bad colds and cough a lot (and boy can vomit on demand but thank gawd he has stopped doing that) so still feel like I am washing for England.

There are other medications but often are stronger and they won't give them to you unless the child isn't thriving or they have done a 'proper' reflux test. Its tough though - I hated it and felt like a social outcast as wherever we went they were covered in pukey clothes and my clothes weren't much better! Also having kids spewing milk in cafes etc. is not great. I feel for you, hopefully you don't have many months left of it.

P.S. forgot to say, paediatrician told me that a lot of reflux he sees where babies aren't losing weight is just overfeeding where little ones gulp down too much milk. I'm not suggesting that you are doing that but its good to check that she's not taking in too much milk too often for her little belly!!

The doctor did suggest that she might be overfeeding, so I've cut back her feed by an ounce but seems to make no difference! She's just hungrier!
I'm so fed up having to warn people every time they pick her up for a cuddle, and then draping them in 'sick'cloths!

I dont think your doc knows anything about the dosage DS was also diagnosed at 10 weeks and has 2 SACHETS of gaviscon in each feed!!!

Bloody bloody doctors! I try to avoid them as much as possible as they never seem to help... I'm going to up the dose and see what happens!

When I started giving ds it it worked very quickly and if I forget to give him it he is very sick, so its obviously doing its job.

For baby over 10lbs 2 sachets in 8oz or more of milk.

Let us know how it goes Stellarmum. I can't remember all the dosages and I was breastfeeding at the time, but when I switched to bottles I do remember 2 sachets making it a whole load thicker! I was vey annoyed with the doctors - they didn't seem to be bothered at all by it especially as mine weren't losing weight (though they were on the slim side!) and only the paediatrician (who we saw for something else) was any comfort. Hope it goes well - I felt like muslin woman because I always had plenty in case anyone picked up either of my two so I know how you feel (and they always puke on people who don't have kids just to make you feel even better )

My sympathy goes out to you! Both my ds had reflux, ds2 had it v. bad until 8 months (he is now 12 months). Administering Gaviscon after a BF was difficult so I had to change to bottleF at about 12 weeks. Gaviscon helped (as per dose on packet) but more useful was SMA STAYDOWN FORMULA. It's the tin with the purple writing on and a giraffe (long neck ha ha!), they sell it in large Boots/LLoyds chemist. We left a bib on him all the time to catch the smaller sicks - easy to change, the big ones we tried to catch in muslin squares. We often ran out of (adult) clothes, particularly if we had visitors and they all ended up borrowing clothes to go home in after a cuddle with the baby!!
My ds1 grew out of it earlier, at weaning time. Hope it gets better soon, good luck!

Weel I,ve tried it (whilst staying at my mums!), using the two sachet dose. At first I thought it didn't seem to make a difference, but now I'm not so sure... the big vomits seem to be fewer and further between, although we're still getting the little ones. So I'll stick with it for now!
My poor mum, dd was sick all over her new carpet!

Have a friend who has a baby with bad case of reflux, she has high dose of gaviscon, ranitidine and a thickening powder to mix with milk formula. I think it depend on age of child...this little girl cannot take many solids as she has other problems associated with a disability so she has a lot of milk still at 16 months. However they have always said the thickener was more effective than the drugs at 'keeping it down',might be worth asking doctor. Word of warning tho, it can lead to constipation so you need to weigh up the cost/benefit.