Reflux in baby, getting worse after medication, HELP!!!!!!!

[pevie]

My 5 month old has been unsettled, windy, sicky, colicky, etc. since beginning. Finally seen at hospital and told reflux, which we suspected. Told to up gaviscon and put on rahitidine or something. did this and also started solids as advised by HV this might help. Gaviscon, etc. did help her to be less sicky but meantime wind has got worse and worse to point where she barely sleeps at night always pulling up legs, crying out. Last night was every hour from half twelve. Am demented. Any experiences? she sleep in an ambi baby nest by the way which we were told might help. Sleep has never been brilliant, although she did sleep through once or twice when younger. This is just nightmarish!!

I stopped giving my dd milk and she slept in her car seat or on my tummy while I slept upright. It does get better - honest!

A cranial osteopath may help.

Have tried cranial osteopath. Went back last week and seems to be much worse since then. Is this what reflux babies do, just pull up legs all night long? Even when on my chest she still pulls her legs up. When does it get better cocolepew??? did you have medication for it and did it help? did weaning help? What do you mean you stopped giving milK? Altogether? cos obviously is too young for that.

Is she bf or ff?

She was bottlefed and was allergic to milk, put her goats milk for a while but she got a reaction to that eventually. I just stopped giving her bottles and put the milk in porridge etc. She was younger than 5 months when she stopped. Tried lots of medication and different milks from health visitor. Once she stopped the bottle she got better very quickly as it was burning her throat to the point it was completely inflammed. Sometimes they can be much worse after cranial oestopath,but should settle after couple of days. Pulled legs up, didn't want to be held,screamed all the time. She can tolerate all milk products now. Sorry this is disjointed, I'm typing as I think of things.

My LO is bf so doctor has said before that its unlikely to be a reaction to milk!!! However, the bit you said about it burning her throat, there is definately something that irritates her throat as she coughs a lot and seems a bit sore. She was never as extreme as screaming all the time and not being put down. Screaming tended to happen after feed and doesnt happen so much now. Always complained a little when put down but nights used to be okay so not sure why it would have got worse now. When trying solids have stuck to baby rice and potatoes as advised, so no windy things or formula milk. Been mixing baby rice with breast milk or water. All I can think of that has changed in past month when has got worse is have started weaning and have upped her medication on advice of hospital.

Could it be her medication? Have the hospital checked her for anthing else i.e stomach or bowels? Is her bowel movments ok?

Actually if she has a cow's milk allergy she could be reacting to your bm, as the protein can go through. I have cut out all dairy (and beef) and that helped ds a lot.

He was on omeprazole and metoclopramide, and that really helped. Gaviscon didn't help at all.

I was told that around 40% of babies with reflux have cow's milk intolerance.

Oh, I forgot to say ds got worse and worse.
I racked my brains thinking what I might be doing to make it worse, but it was just that his oesophagus was getting more and more damaged so the pain was getting worse

I really feel for you it's awful. Just to encourage you, he was on meds for only 7 weeks and the reflux basically went away (and he was better from day 1 of the treatment)

Thanks for advice. Had another terrible night last night where she was up every hour screaming and wouldnt even settle on me very well after about 4 in morning. Hell on earth!! Felt so sorry for her and felt like a zombie today!! So called both my GP and consultant at hospital. Neither of them feel that Gaviscon can make it worse and want us to continue with it, but my gut feeling is it doesnt help so am cutting it down. Have also to try rahitidine for longer as have only been on for about 10 days. Consultant did say he would arrange to bring her in for a test to see how much acidity there is, ultrasound I think. Cos I am worried that she is getting more and more damaged as you say. Hopefully when we get the test they will review meds. How did either of yours cope with weaning? Have thought about cutting out dairy. Does it have to be really strict, no chocolate, etc. or can you just cut out cheese, butter, milk, etc.??? I need some consolation to keep me going and a world without both sleep and chocolate seems rather bleak!!

I've been really strict about the dairy, but there's plenty of very good vegan chocolate to be had!

I don't know about an ultrasound test, ds had a pH probe. We were dreading it, but are very glad to have done it as it allowed us to see the effect of things we did on his acidity levels, which was very useful.

It also helped us to empathise with him and learn about the ways he expressed his discomfort. At times we could see his pH was almost at zero so we could imagine how much he must be suffering!

My dd was like a new baby with weaning,literally within days the screaming stopped. It took longer for her to be able to settle at night still, but it was better. I don't know why she didn't keep up with the allergy, but she takes soya milk anyway, but can eat yoghurts etc. I think the biggest problem was the pure milk touching her oesophagus from the bottle. When I took her to our rapid response unit once, another consultant,lifted her legs up to look at her bum(hole), it's had always been darker and a bit discloured. He told students this was a sign of soya intolerance,as well. Unfortunately, my consultant disagreed. I have a very good 'alternative'therapist who I have trusted for 18years, so i got alot of help from her.
I was lucky that my dh was home during the day, at the time, because I had to leave her with him sometimes, before I went mad, so I know how hard it is for you.

Reflux is awful. Nightmare to deal with when you are well rested let alone after a bad night.

DS had silent reflux when he was a young baby. It didn't get treated properly until I asked the Dr to be referred to a paediatric gastroenterologist (the wonderful Dr Eltumi). HV/GP and general paediatrician didn't take it very seriously even though DS had dropped to the bottom centile. The gastroenterologist was great - I can't tell you how relieved we were when he saw DS and said "you are right he does have a problem and we are going to fix it". He put him on omeprazole (Losec) and it sorted him out. The Losec actually helps the acid damage heal but it took a couple of months until DS stopped having his food aversion - he had to learn that bottle didn't equal pain and I had to give him a special formula until he got back up to his original centile. DS was fine by the time he was 10 months and had no problems when he came off the meds.

Have you raised her cot at the head end? We also used to put DS in his reclining baby bouncer after a feed so he was at an angle rather than flat.

It may not give you lots of comfort at the moment but IME reflux was nightmare at the time but feels like a distant memory now (DS is now 18 months). I hope your LO reflux gets better soon.

thanks again. asked consultant re.other medicine and he said ranitidine should fix it. we,ve to give it another week and take her in if no better. have also started dairy free diet. dark choc.is ok isn't it? Will keep you posted.

Hope your dd gets some relief some. And you too