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Original poster

Silent reflux - ranitidine not working

9 replies

LostAtTheFair · 28/04/2016 10:50

My DS is 2 weeks old and was diagnosed with silent reflux this week. The GP prescribed ranitidine and infant gaviscon. It has helped a bit but hasn't solved the problem - he is still screaming in pain between feeds, arching his back etc. However his crying spells are shorter since starting the meds (1/2 hours instead of 3/4 hours). He is also tongue tied and I wonder if this is affecting the reflux...

I understood that the ranitidine should work immediately but it hasn't - does anyone have experience of it kicking in a bit later? I know that there's another drug, omeprazole, and I would be interested to know if anyone has had success with this after trying ranitidine...

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Sandsnake · 28/04/2016 12:34

With us it made DS (about ten weeks at the time) worse for about a week and then it started to get much better. The Ranitidine works to reduce the acid produced - meaning that the baby still refluxes but it is much less painful. From what I understand babies with silent reflux tend to get a very sore throat as a result of all of the acid coming up into their mouth. I think that Ranitidine allows the throat to heal (by reducing the acid) and that it is when this starts to happen that you notice the real difference in the behaviour of the baby.

I was told to wait for two weeks by my doctor and then to return if there wasn't any improvement so if I were you I would do that (I understand that feels like forever with a baby with silent reflux). If it's not better by then I would absolutely go back to the doctor and enquire about other medication.

Lastly Flowers for you - I understand how difficult it is to have a baby with silent reflux. If it helps at all to hear this once the Ranitidine kicked in my DS went from a near perpetually crying baby to one who strangers comment on how cheerful he is (though he's still a crap sleeper!).

Original poster
LostAtTheFair · 28/04/2016 13:08

Sandsnake thank you very very much. It's good to know that we might be on the right track even if it might take a bit of time.

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Acorncat · 28/04/2016 13:14

It took a week or so to kick in for my DS but also once we got the dose adjusted. He had to be on the maximum and increased frequently as he put on weight. His was made worse by diary and soya intolerances so once we cut that out it improved. We used omeprazole too but I didn't find it helped much. I just kept going back to the GP until they referred us to paediatrics.

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ruby242 · 28/04/2016 16:13

If he still has tongue tie that may well be the cause of the reflux. DS had silent reflux and was on ranitidine too until we had the tongue tie cut, we then weaned him off. Tongue tie can cause issues with gagging and struggling to eat solids and possible speech issues in the future so I'd recommend getting it snipped-made a world of difference to DS

Original poster
LostAtTheFair · 28/04/2016 16:29

Thanks all. We will persevere with the meds and will consider the tongue tie snip

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flamingoshoes · 28/04/2016 21:36

Reflux is the pits. We started ranitidine at about 6 weeks for severe reflux would help for a couple of hours then back to the constant screaming 3 to 4 hour stretches a few times a day with nothing working. Saw paeds who prescribed omeprazole and this mixed with a dairy free and soya free diet has made life a lot easier. Still lots of vomit (ds is now 20 weeks) but not the pain with it and a big reduction in crying. If ds throws up his medicine we get the crying again, also if I accidentally eat anything dairy lots of wind, screaming and a rash. So if ranitidine is not working for long enough might be worth looking at seeing if you can try omeprazole as I think I would be a crying mess through lack of sleep if we didn't have it.

TheLesserSpottedBee · 29/04/2016 06:55

I was in a different position where the paed doc I saw wouldn't prescribe meds until we had tried formula. Ds was about 16 weeks and formula fed by this stage.

We tried Enfamil AR (anti-reflux) which we had to order in at the pharmacy. It works (I believe) by thickening on contact with the stomach acid so you can use normal teats but it is a weird formula. I had to mix it with cold previously boiled water and then warm the mixed bottle up.

It massively helped and not only that but we were able to get it on prescription so it didn't cost us anything.

But, I was a SAHM so wore a sling, Ds slept upright on me in the day and in a propped up cot at night. He is now almost 10 years old and still refluxes occasionally. It took a long time for him to grow out of doing it at night when he lay down. Up to the age of 7 he would reflux pretty much every night Sad

Kim82 · 29/04/2016 07:07

My dd had horrendous silent reflux - screaming for 12 hours a day without feeding or sleeping. Ranitidine didn't work for her unfortunately. She would stop crying for half an hour max just after taking it but then the screaming would start again and continue until the next dose. She was put on prescription formula for cmpa (Nutramigen Lipl and then Nutramigen Puramino when the Lipl didn't help) and coupled with high dose omeprazole (20mg per day) she has been a complete different baby. No screaming, lovely and pleasant. She's now 21 months and still on the formula and meds but still symptom free thankfully.

Original poster
LostAtTheFair · 29/04/2016 12:16

Bee and Kim, thanks for your input. Good to know about the prescription formula.

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