Help! 14 week old screaming at every feed and it's really getting me down.

[screaminghabdabs]

Hello all. I'm new here and I'm hoping that someone may be able to help me as we're in a desperate state. DD2 is 14 weeks old and has screamed from birth when being fed. BF exclusively for first 6 weeks and then on advice of HV gave up BF as she wasn't gaining weight and was refusing the breast and screaming...However, still fights bottles (Avent and Aptamil) and screams and screams. GP and HV have said it's colic although she doesn't draw legs up and brings wind up OK. (Plus DD1 had bad colic and this is much more severe) Tried infacol, gripe water, colief, Dr Brown bottles, homeopathy and osteopathy without any improvement. Also cow and gate FF. I'm at my wits end as it can take an hour to get 3oz down her and she screams the whole time although is clearly hungry. It's got so bad that I've been diagnosed with PND and given prozac Gp keeps fobbing me off by saying she's a difficult baby although I've pleaded for a referral to a paediatrician as my instinct tells me it's something else. In a good week she's only gaining 1 or 2 oz a week in weight and has dropped from 98th centile to the 8th. On bad weeks she doesn't gain at all. When she's not screaming she's alert and smiley but hates being put down and needs to be held the whole time. She has short naps during the day and sometimes wakes up screaming from those.
Please help as I hate seeing her in so much pain and I'm finding it extremely difficult to cope with the constant crying.

And the cow and gate comfort appears to be staying down a little better than the aptamil. Sorted the teat hole problem with a hot needle in the middle!

Good news indeed hope you are all feeling better soon.

Hi
Just been reading through your thread - I'm sure your doc will tell you this but be prepared for the drugs to take a little while to work - maybe up to a couple of weeks. Ranitidine is VERY weight dependant - the dose will have to be adjusted as your dd grows - even a pound weight gain can make a difference. My dd had reflux, it's a bloody bloody nightmare but it DOES get better. I wish you lots of luck, your little girl will be fine.

Just catching up with 'threads I'm watching' and spotted your last update screaminghabdabs. How is your dd doing now? Do the meds seem to be making a difference?

Have just found this thread (fairly new to MN) and it has really made me sit up! I have posted in the past week about my ds2 who is now 14 weeks not wanting to feed and taking up to an hour to do so. I have skim read through as looking at the symptons given for both reflux and dysphagia I feel like such a bad mummy! DS2 was given gavison for slight reflux when he was 10 weeks and I stopped using it as it just glooped (is that a word?) up his milk and it took him even longer to feed! I am definitely going to get him checked out again as he has now also got an ear infection!

Screaminghabdabs I hope things are going better for you - I really feel for you.. Frostythesnowmarslady you are a mine of info!

Also want to say how great this site has been - both for info and support

Have also been watching this thread.Hope things are better for you,and that the current meds are working

Hello there, DD2 been on the drugs (Ranitidine 3x 0.4ml and Domperidone 4x 1.2ml)for 10 days now.

Up until a couple of days ago her feeding was gradually improving so that she was taking between 4 and 6 oz a bottle without as much screaming and generally seemed more content. BIG improvement from the 2 oz she was very reluctantly taking before. However, she's now started being sick during and after feeding once she's burped and is struggling to take some of the feeds, particularly the afternoon ones once again.

The sick isn't usually milky, it's clear/mucousy and smells of acid. I'm rather confused as I thought the Domperidone was to stop the sickness.... I'm assuming that the reflux is probably at its worse now and this is probably the reason.

When she's lying in her cot in the morning, it's possible to hear her tummy churning and she's also coughing/choking, poor little thing. I've had her bed elevated since birth so that doesn't seem to help. We are seeing the specialist next wednesday 31st jan (Dr Eltumi, who is meant to be excellent at paed gastro probs) so fingers crossed. Thanks for your concern will let you know what he has to say! x

Hangster - really hope your LO's ear infection clears up soon and the feeding problem is sorted out. I know exactly what you're going through and the terrible frustration of trying to get an ounce down a screaming baby that hasn't fed for hours. I think, from my experience and taking the wonderful advice of the MN's, that you need to insist on a referral from your GP if the situation doesn't improve. I was fobbed off many many times when I knew that there was something wrong and it took a video film of her screaming and pushing the bottle away for them to take me seriously. Good luck and let us know how you both get on.

How old is she now?I have to say that around about 7 months (2 weeks post gaviscon) dd seemed to improve hugely.Not sure if it was the meds entirely or she was just "growing out of it".However I do notice if she is poorly/teething the acidy sick comes back as does the bad breath smell!!She is 13 months now and a smily little thing,and has hugely put on weight in the last couple of months,having a really good appetite.Hope this gives you some positive vibes.Good wishes.

Thanks Wrinklytum and Kamikayzed. She's now 20 weeks (yikes!) and her poos are now every 3 days and foul - either green and runny or brown, sticky and hard to expel (sorry if TMI) The constipation has only happened since she started the cow and gate comfort and before that they were always green & runny which I know is a sign of a reaction.

I'm going to ask the specialist if she can be checked for milk/lactose intolerance. The other thought that ocurred was that comnpared to other babies of the same age with reflux she seems to be on a very low dose. I know it's weight dependant and she hasn't gained that much since starting, but does the effect of the Ranitidine wear off over time and the amount needs to be increased with tolerance????

Apologies for my numerous posts - it's only you lot that have offered me any kind of information or support. So thanks

Hi screaming, sorry to hijack your thread, but i am having feeding problems with my DS who is 9 weeks.
He was prescribed gaviscon, which seemed to help for a bit but not for long. The problem with him is that he screams for food and gets really worked up, is okay while feeding (as long as the bottle isn't taken away) and then screams the house down when the bottle is finished. The HV said to feed him more, but i don't believe the amount of food is the issue. He will pretty much finish everything in the bottle no matter how much i put in , 120mls or 200mls, makes no difference to him! He usually throws up after a feed, and sometimes is still throwing up a bit over an hour after he finishes feeding. He also has some coughing/choking/swallowing issues. He often wakes himself up swallowing loudly. He has put on weight and if he isn't thinking about food he is generally a happy baby. Do people think this is reflux ?????????
Thanks

Hi Kaybeeandzak, sorry to hear you're having such a hard time with feeding. Frustrating isn't the word for it!

The coughing and choking certainly sound like reflux symptoms but I could never get my DD2 to drink anything at all so I'm not so certain about that part of your problem! I'm sure there are others here who may be able to throw more light on what could be the reason. I also found that the Gaviscon worked for a short while and the same with ranitidine before the effect wore off. I hope you manage to find some answers soon.

Update on my DD2:
We saw the consultant who confirmed reflux (surprise!) and has put her on 10mg Losec and 2ml domperidome. He made it clear she should have been seen earlier as she would have been easier to treat.... Also trying Nutramigen hypoallergenic formula to see if it makes a difference as he thinks cows milk allergy quite likely too.

I received an apology from my GP and HV as well - they're sorry that they didn't refer her sooner so at least there's hope for other poor babies. Shame mine had to suffer so much before we were taken seriously.

Good news is she gained 11oz in a fortnight (the most ever!) and is usually drinking 6-7 oz each time with less spewing so a great improvement already

Hi Kamikayzed, hope you're having a great time abroad - lucky you!

I'm assuming that the consultant meant that her oesophagus had had 18 weeks worth of damage done to it so would take longer to heal?????

I'm seeing him again in a couple of weeks so will ask more. To be honest it was such a relief to have him formally diagnose reflux and write a prescription out for better drugs that the questions that I wanted to ask went straight out of the window as I gushed my heartfelt thanks and relief all over him

DD2's started arching her back again and refusing feeds although not to the same extent as before so I'm assuming that the dose of Losec needs to be increased to morning and evening perhaps.

Thanks again for your support

Oh that's great news screaming. So pleased to hear that she is doing better and gaining weight again.