Bad reflux!! any advice on medication??

[Mairead86]

Hi guys this is my first post my wee boy is now 4 months old. When he was 6 weeks he was admitted to the hospital with suspected pyloric stenosis turned out he didnt have it and it was very bad reflux. They kept us in for the week and sent us home with carobel (a thickener), gaviscon powder and omeprazole mups. This helped the situation alot - before this Rory was going through 10+ changes of clothes a day and could never get peace to get a proper sleep.

After a few weeks my GP changed it to Omeprazole oral suspension 5mg in 5ml and this was fantastic he settled so well and we eventually got him into a routine and finally he started sleeping through the night last week.

The doctor decided on thursday (15th dec) that we would go back to the mups and I have had an awful time since. Rory is in awful pain and cannot sleep and his crying is heartbreaking. i can only assume that this was because the omeprazole oral suspension is so expensive (£150 for 30mls)??

Does anyone else have little refluxers?? and what medication helped your LO's?? Please help me?!!

My DS2 was on Lansoprazole (commercial name Lansox) and it was by no way so expensive. The tablet dissolved in 3ml of bottled water and I had to give him 1 ml in the morning and 1 ml in the evening. Each time I used a new tablet (so 2 every day).
May it be an alternative?

If the Omeprazole oral suspension was really helping him then I would insist that he be put back on it. I know it is expensive (DS was on it for 6 months or so) but if your lo is in pain and suffering without it then he does genuinely need it. I am fed up with cost being considered before the needs of the patient, especially when they are so little. It is heart breaking seeing them in pain and knowing there is something that will help them but the GP won't prescribe it. I personally would sing, dance, shout etc, until I got what my lo needed. We are their voice at this age and we have to stand up for what they need. If GP really won't budge then ask to speak to the manager of the surgery, speak with the BMA, threaten to go to the local paper, etc. I'm sure if it was the GP's own child he or she wouldn't hesitate to prescribe it. Good luck

I agree totally with Poptart. It is very difficult to administer mups to a baby, as I'm sure you know, and so should your GP. Though at least he/she acknowledges that reflux exists, which is a plus!

Poor little boy, have you told the gp, that he settles better with omeprazole suspension. Your his mother, you will know him better than anyone else. Speak to your HV, maybe she can write to the Doctor. I also agree with poptart, don't give up.

thanks for all the support!!

So i rang the surgery this morning and got the doctor who i argued with that he needed the medication, 'we are under directive not to prescribe it...to be honest because of the cost' i said well he needs it and started crying i was very upset that financial constraints were putting my child in pain, after all we both work and pay our taxes!!! so she ended up saying theres nothing we can do blah blah blah i was very insistant so she got humpy and barked 'bring him in at 10.40' followed by a hang up!! how rude?!

So i went in and ended up seeing another doctor who had zero problem prescribing her patient whatever he needed i was just glad that i got one that was happy to follow her hippocratic oath!! i think when i showed her the vest i took off him last night which was BLEACHED (yes like someone had poured bleach on his vest) from blue to pink where my lo had been sick convinced her!!

So got it all sorted out in a jiffy can believe the fuss the first doctor made and how upset and furious she got me wish i had of got Dr no2 first!!

Thanks again

Oh, I am so happy that you got what you need for your DS. Well done!