Haven't read whole thread but just wanted to say that Gaviscon can be used with colief. All colief is is a bottle of extra enzyme - it starts off the breakdown of the lactase in the milk. This is on the idea that the baby is low in lactose at birth as our baboes are born immature in many ways. So there is no allergy or sensitivity in the baby, just an immaturity in the gut. This is why they 'grow out of it' as they mature.
Reflux is to do with acid leaking through the entrance of tummy and burning and causing pain.
Intolerance can be to milk protein or to lactose. The low lactose milks can be bought but the ones to help with protein intolerance have to be prescribed.
True allergy is different again, as it is an immune response with various symptoms.
Gaviscon changes the way the baby makes stomach acid, so it is treating indigestion essentially. It might make the milk gloopy but that is not it's job really. It turns to a gelly like stuff so it coats the tummy to work even better. It helps with reflux. If it is used religiously, and the baby is still symptomatic, ranitidine can be helpfull alongside it.
This group might be a help, especially finding your way to a diagnosis.
Dr Brown's are brilliant btw.
Am really at the idea babies have to loose weight to have any of these conditions. Mine never faltered in her weight gain [mainly as she was clamped to the boob 24/7 to help her stop screaming], but her poo was either pure acid or pure mucus. She is dairy intolerant and was a happy body withing 3 days of no dairy exposure.
Health Professionals lack knowledge in this complicated field [which I can accept and understand] and therefore resist the idea there can be diagnosis and help for these babies [which makes me see red].