Help with severe reflux?

[Lauren83]

DS2 is 6 weeks and has been vomiting after every feed since birth, he was originally exclusively breastfed but as he was vomiting he was constantly feeding and I felt my supply was dwindling so introduced formula which he also vomited up, at this point I saw the GP at 3 weeks and she sent me straight to A&E as she was worried it was pyloric stenosis as it was every feed projectile, they put him on ranitidine and said try reflux milk and give it a week see if it settles so I tried him on cow and gate reflux and regurgitation and it was the first time he had kept a feed down however it left him constipated to the point he had blood in his stool so the GP sent us to A&E again and they diagnosed an anal fissure.

I went back to the GP and they prescribed gaviscon to use without the reflux milk but he is back to throwing up the full feed within seconds of having it. He vomits when I lay him down, when I wind him and also whilst he is feeding he vomits out of his nose.

I have tried all the OTC remedies, 2 prescription meds, breast milk with and without carobel, formula with and without carobel, reflux milk, breast and formula in the same bottle and also 2oz of breast then 2oz of reflux milk in a separate bottle.

I have tried keeping him upright during and after, winding before during and after, tilted bed, feeding an oz at once then a break, different teats etc

I'm back at the GP Friday to tell them how he has been on gaviscon and I don't know if there's anything I should push them to try?

Have you looked at intolerances/allergy to dairy?

Hi, sounds like you're having a tough time. The only thing that worked for us to stop the constipation was a prescription on lactulose. But I would definitely push for further investigation tor allergies and try the prescription milks for allergies xx

I hadn't so just googled it and he does fit some of the signs

• Frequent spitting up
• Vomiting
• Signs of abdominal pain, or colic-like symptoms,
• Diarrhea
• Blood in stool
• Coughing or wheezing
• Watery eyes and stuffy nose

I will definitely put it to the GP Friday thanks

Absolutely push for it. Some doctors aren't keen to diagnose so quick but I kept pushing and got it after 7 or 8 weeks of persistent crying (blocks of hours throughout day etc) and sicking up, back arching, horrible nappies.

Like a different baby within short period of time. Constantly wanting to feed too not because of hunger but pain. Get a prescribed milk and hopefully it will change. There is nutramigen and neocate for it. I dont know if there are anymore available.

I totally feel for you OP!

Anything that causes constipation will only add to your problems IMO- so I'd avoid gaviscon and the reflux milk.

Does the ranitidine work? Have they tried omeprazole at all?

If your baby is vomiting but not in pain this is fine...You will probably just need to feed a bit more.
But if your baby is upset and in pain then keep pushing for a solution.

I really feel for you I've had 2 refluxy babies- one was projectile sick with every feed but my milk naturally increased with the demand and he wasn't in pain so I did nothing.
Second baby was only a bit sick but in so much pain- omeprazole worked really well.

Mummyofone1 thank you, I will definitely push them for it, we do have lactulose in from DS1 last year so I will see if they will prescribe me some for the baby too, I did use prune juice last week that helped but if stained everything when he threw it up

EAIOU Sorry you went through the same with your LO, it's a locum I'm seeing who I saw last week who prescribed the gaviscon and he was really nice so hopefully will get somewhere with him, I have seen 2 health visitors about it at the weigh clinic who sent me to the GP, 5 different GPs 2 of which sent me straight to A&E then last week another GP told me just to try OTC remedies and that it's normal, I think getting the right GP is key! There’s been comments that if he is maintaining weight he must be ok but he is feeding constantly. It's at the point I'm panicking about him needed a feed when we are out now knowing he will projectile vomit after if

Oranges Thanks for the advice, when he tried the ranitidine he was only on breast milk and after a feed he would be up for an hour in pain squirming, the ranitidine seemed to help with the pain as he started sleeping well between feeds but it didn’t help with the vomiting, the reflux milk is definitely the worst for bunging him up so I will stay away from that, the gaviscon mixed with formula or breast milk doesn’t seem to bung him up as much, haven’t tried the other one yet.

It’s just so hard to know what to feed him, I have stopped breast feeding as that was the worst for making him vomiting although I will use the freezer stash if I can. My DS1 never even brought a single feed up so it’s taken me by surprise this

I hope no one minds me posting this (figured it's only milk and there's enough cervical mucus pics on here) but as I said DS1 never brought any milk up so I'm presuming this isn't normal?

The ranitidine is really important (also maybe omeprazole). Pain can cause food aversion and it becomes a vicious circle. Also not nice for them to be in pain. The Gaviscon is a food stabiliser, it makes the food more viscous (stocky) and less likely to be vomited back up.

If Gaviscon plus ranitidine/omeprazole is not working, maybe worth looking at allergies.

How is his weight doing!

Larry They had told me to stop the ranitidine and swap for the gaviscon but going to put him back on the ranitidine now thanks, his weights stayed steady on the 50th which I think will lead to them trying to fob me off but it's only hourly feeds that's kept him there, paediatrician who saw him for query pyloric stenosis said she doubted it was that as he was maintaining weight which is fair enough.

It's hard to say what's normal really. As I said previously my first baby would projectile vomit after most feeds. I'd have to change him & me multiple times. It was awful but he was a very happy baby. So I did nothing.

The ranitidine should help with the pain. So I'd be inclined to give that a good go and deal with the vomit (providing your baby isn't in anymore pain). Then it just becomes a laundry issue..

Gaviscon is also notoriously bad for causing constipation in babies. It certainly did with mine.

But full disclosure, I am not a dr!

I do really appreciate you advising from experience, I have tried the ranitidine and he has kept his last feed down so far and gone to sleep sat up in his mamaroo so fingers crossed it stays down

Does he know what to do in a series of emergencies eg what to do if the electricity trips? What happens if the water is turned off?

Sorry, wrong thread?

I would try Rantitadine again and if he can tolerate Gaviscon then he can have both together but I would also push on the allergy front. Babies rarely have lactose intolerance so I would not accept a low lactose milk.

This sounds identical to my baby.
We too were referred to the hospital for suspected P.S. I tried so many different milks. Including around 4/5 different ones the doctor prescribed incase it could of been a number of intolerances. Nothing worked.

I then come across Aptimal Anti reflux and Regurgitation. It was a life saver. My little girl has been on it for 5 weeks and is barely sick. It's amazing. Other brands didn't work either. It's only the aptimil that stopped her reflux etc.

X

Personally I would keep pushing with the GP. Mine both had reflux and ranitadine was the game changer with them both.

Does your DC have any other symptoms of a possible allergy or intolerance? Any rashes, eczema etc? What about nappies, are they runny and stinky? How is your baby generally other than feeding? Happy or grumpy?

If there are symptoms of an intolerance or allergy, you need to change milk otherwise it won't make a blind bit of difference. If there are no other symptoms other than vomiting and they're generally happy, then it's probably a matter of treating the reflux. So ranitadine, omeprazole etc.

I hope you get somewhere with it OP. My eldest was an absolute nightmare baby because of it.

Sounds like my dd who has a milk allergy. She was 7 weeks old when we were given prescription formula and it took 48 hours for her skin to clear up and I would say a good few weeks for her mood to improve but she's the happiest baby now. No screaming in pain, no skin issues, no arching her back.

She's on ranitidine and omeprazole but ranitidine has been cut back as I was advised to wean to help with reflux. So far so good.

Keep pushing them op. They seem reluctant to diagnose cma.

Hormones I gave him both meds today and he has seemed a little better, constipated but less vomiting. I will definitely speak to them about trying a prescription milk thanks

Hello Sorry your little one has been through the same, glad to hear it wasn't PS, the GP was worried it was that and sent me to children's hospital straight away and said take an over night bag so I was panicking but the surgeon he saw said he wouldn't be maintaining his weight if it was that, they did say if things didn't improve they would scan him to double check though, I will look at giving that milk a go thanks

Fatted I hadn't even thought about allergies until it's been mentioned on here, I will have the conversation with the GP Friday as he does have some of the other symptoms although no rashes/hives/swelling etc.

It's hard to know how effective the ranitidine was as I started it at the same time as reflux milk but he can't stay on that due to the constipation, it's just moved the problem to the other end! Just hoping I can find the best way to feed him as obviously I feel for him but it's also so hard feeding him out and about, we have a holiday to Spain booked in a few weeks and no idea what milk and meds to take as still in the middle of trialing them all

Moving thank you, glad to hear your DD got sorted, he does have some signs of CMA but not the rashes/hives, will be putting it to the GP Friday and will report back