Omeprazole causing constipation

[LCF2021]

DD is 6 months and has been on omeprazole for reflux for the last 9 days but it’s made her so constipated. She hasn’t had a proper 💩 for over a week and what she does get out is solid, like rabbit droppings, and it takes a lot for her to do it. It’s coincided with her starting solids but she only has the tiniest bit of veg once a day and we didn’t experience this change with DS. Has anyone found that omeprazole blocked their LO one? I took her off gaviscon because it wasn’t stopping her vomiting and was constipating her. I’ve tried giving puréed prunes, peaches, pears, tummy massage, reflexology to stimulate her bowels. She’s been prescribed half strength movicol which she’s been on for two days (half a sachet) but nothing yet. I feel dreadful for her. She’s now been referred to the paediatrician to discuss her reflux as it’s shown no improvement 😢

Anyone have any experience to help? I’m so stuck as to whether keep her on it or to go straight for a dairy and soya elimination diet to rule out CMPA being the reason for her reflux.

I am in the same boat, did you get anywhere with it?

Hi @LexieElla I took her off it as it wasn’t doing anything and eliminated all dairy and soya from both of our diets for 7 weeks. That made no difference. She’s been on movicol every day for months now which helps somewhat and we’re now trialling gluten free to determine if that’s the cause. Blood tests ruled out coeliac disease but paediatrician wonder if she could be intolerant.

@LexieElla i should add that her reflux improved by 7 months and I would say disappeared by 8 months. The constipation is the main issue now.

How do you administer movicol? My 4 month DD is on omeprazole and giving it to her is a nightmare as we have to dissolve the tablet in water and give via syringe which she hates and often spits out or gags

@StarlessSea123 I was syringing it but it was a nightmare as she wriggled so much and I had to give her about 5 syringes worth so she now has it in a cup with a couple of drops of sugar free squash to mask the flavour and she’ll have all of it. 4 months might be a bit young though. Mine is almost 12 months now.

Yeah she can’t drink from a cup yet we tried adding it to her bottle before to mask the taste but the pill particles blocked the teat 🙄

Ahh thank you so much for replying. My girl is 15 weeks and we have tried non dairy formula for weeks, been on omeprazole since 4 weeks, all they do is just keep upping her dose. Still no improvement wirh reflux pain just horrendous cramps. Cries all day in pain. Back and forth to docs and getting nowhere. I am on sertraline for PND because each day is just torture for us both. Nice to know there will be some light at the end of this tunnel :(

@LexieElla It does but I know that when you’re in the thick of it it’s hard to even consider another week of it yet alone a few months. My eldest never had reflux so this was a shock.
if you’re on instagram this lady gives a lot of great advice around reflux and how it’s so often caused by something else rather than a diagnosis in itself. GP’s don’t know enough about it hence just upping meds
instagram.com/rockabye_hub?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

@LCF2021 thank you so much I will take a look. I never had this with my other 2 either so it's a complete minefield and constantly questioning whats what and how to help her well us both! Am literally counting down the weeks til it's meant to get better. This is definitely my last baby lol. Thank you for the replies. I do appreciate it. Hope you get to the bottom of your little ones constipation :) hard work this parenting lol