Mums with experience of reflux and / or constipation - please help me!

[edel2]

Ok, so:

Baby has reflux - one doctor prescribed losec, other doctor appalled and told me not to give it to him. Baby is thriving so not seriously bad, but makes him uncomfortable...do I try the gaviscon sachets? Any advice?

Baby is constipated - think it's due to the Aptamil anti-reflux formula. 2.5 ml of lactulose every day isn't helping. His poos are hard and pebble-like, and the other day there was a bit of blood in his poo. GP suggested prune juice....anybody any advice? I do the bicycle kicks and tummy massage.

If your baby is already constipated, please don’t give loads of Gaviscon. Omeprazole might be a better answer. Can you push with your HV to look at other options like that?

We were prescribed Gaviscon initially and the Dr’s dose was mix with every feed, just not exceeding 6 in 24 hours. HV advised us not to use it in every feed as it would make the uncomfortable pains from suspected reflux even worse as it basically hardens the poo into a play dough texture and clogs them up. We didn’t use a lot but it still was enough to make her constipated, more uncomfortable and more crying 🙈.

We’re going through suspected CMPA/reflux. No one knows which it might be, both or what to do, we’re just trialling lots of different things. Thankfully we have a HV who’s clued up and she’s just guiding us/liaising with the Dr and advising them.

Our baby is technically thriving as putting on weight well but HV has told us that’s not an indication as babies can put on weight yet still suffer awfully. We’re on Neocate prescription milk mixed with Omeprazole and still not much relief so we may have to look at a thickener like Carobel. Has your HV/Dr mentioned anything like this?

Hope you get sorted soon, it’s an awful time seeing them in pain!

I agree with pp- do not give gaviscon, it will make constipation worse.
My baby suffered with both silent reflux and constipation from about 6 weeks until about 10m (13m now and all settled down).
She was put on omeprazole for the reflux, it helped to a point but we had to keep getting the dose increased as she grew so it was always a fight to keep up!
She took lactulose for constipation, I was never convinced it made a massive difference but did seem to help a bit. We were also prescribed movicol but she had severe stomach pains on that so we stopped it quickly and went back to lactulose.
At 12 weeks she was put on dairy free formula by the paediatrician for suspected cows milk protein allergy (referred by the GP at about 8 weeks). Initially nutrimigen which was a disaster as she wouldn't drink it at all so changes to neocate. I won't say it made an instant difference but paired with the meds she seemed much more comfortable. Still only pooped every 4 days but didn't scream with it.
Problem with neocate is it's very thin so she was actually sick more on it's- her reflux had been silent so no real sickness before. However she didn't seem in the same discomfort as when we would hear the reflux before.
The only other thing that made a noticeable difference to us when she was tiny was small amounts of cool boiled water between bottles. Even now I notice if she hasn't drunk enough she doesn't poop.
Constipation started to improve about 6m as she got more mobile and she goes every day now.
The vomiting from the neocate improved slowly (with increasing doses of omeprazole) from about 5m.
She was able to come off the omeprazole at 10m- had stopped increasing it at 7m. And off the lactulose about 11m.

We also had no problems with weight gain (Chunky monkey is 95th centile!) and initially the GP tried to fob me off with- she is fine she is gaining weight. It took a lot of phone calls and pushing before they would try the omeprazole. And they referred to the paediatrician as she was on 2 meds at that point. However GP still kept saying it was CMPA as she wasn't projectile vomiting or losing weight, even tried to tell me CMPA was rare (it's not!).
Paediatrician said CMPA as soon as I went through our story and basically said the GP was talking nonsense!

Sorry for the essay!

I would agree with the Gaviscon- it made my daughter have awful wind and constipation. We have eventually been prescribed omeprazole which has been fantastic for her reflux. She still has wind overnight which keeps her awake, but she is much better than she was.

My little boy had awful reflux so went on gaviscon which caused constipation. Then went onto omeprazole and switched to kendamil organic formula and it was like having a different baby! I sympathise with you Op it's brutal xx

To you lovely, lovely mums

Thank you SO much to each of you for taking the time out of your evenings to write a response and help me.

Gosh, the GP today was so against the Omeprazole....😞😞 I am definitely steering clear of the gaviscon after all of your advice. Has anybody tried the prune juice?

My daughter was put on Nutramigen formula and Zantac and both transformed her.

Not prune juice but once she was weaning we tried prune purée and it does nothing for her. Water was much more effective.

Thank you @Cuwins - I'm going to definitely give this a go. Would you start with 2.5 ml between feeds?

How old is baby?
We didn't start till she was about 3m old I think so put 60ml in a bottle and just let her take what she wanted- she would take about 30mls normally and it went up over time.
Advantage now is she loves water!

He's 10 weeks 🥰

I would put a couple of oz in a bottle then and just see what he takes. Probably a few sips to start with and pull a face!
We used to offer it a couple of times a day.
As far as I'm aware the only time water between feeds might be an issue is if they are low weight then you wouldn't want their tummy's filling with water but that was never a problem for my chunky!
Just make sure it's cool boiled water.

We were given Carobel to mix into formula. Big advantage is that you can tailor the dose, so have it only as thick as you need to do the spit up, thereby minimising constipation issues. I think it's the same stuff as they use in the anti reflux formulas, just means you can tailor the thickness.

Paediatrician recommended prune juice (50/50 with cooled boiled water) and CMPA for DS when lactulose wasn’t working (about 3 weeks old).

Both worked almost immediately.

It’s so bloody hard, you have my every sympathy. We’re 9 weeks tomorrow and every day can feel like a battle or that you’re missing out on the enjoyable parts of a newborn.

Don’t be afraid to push your Dr - they’re most likely reluctant because of the cost of omeprazole / better prescription milk (sorry, I’m cynical but our community nurse agreed) but they don’t have to live with the crying / seeing your baby in pain. Our Dr didn’t want to move us from Nutramigen to Neocate until my husband essentially said he wasn’t leaving unless something was done and my MH couldn’t take it anymore.

Echoing what others say. All gavisgon does is thicken formula so no point using it in already thickened anti-reflux milk.

If your other child needed specialist formula, I would be going back to the GP, explaining that and pushing for it. DS1 had bad reflux and it was a PITA getting it diagnosed and treated. With DS2, I was at the GP at the first signs of reflux when he was a few weeks old. I politely explained ranitadine was what helped DS1 and I wasn't waisting my time with anything else.

Although ranitadine is now banned in the UK. So omaprazole it will have to be.

I am so grateful to all of you for responding. THANK you.

He had his worst night ever last night - from 3 am he was up every 10 minutes. He got two 40 minute stretches. He would pass wind and then burst out crying from it, so it's actually hurting him passing wind....

Sitting in the GP's waiting room now. Praying he listens to us and helps us! My poor lad. He's been wheezy, congested and uncomfortable from day one.

Mine had 15 months of horrific reflux.

16 years later and we’ve just had the revelation that it’s a dairy allergy 😳

he cut out dairy voluntarily as he’d read it helps with skin issues. It was almost instantly obvious that’s what have been causing so many issues- all relatively minor and easily attributable to puberty/bugs/gastric issues/fussy eating etc. but step back and look at the whole picture and it was a bit of a lightbulb moment…

The snuffling and cold like symptoms are all related to the reflux bless him. Sorry you had an awful night, it’s absolutely horrendous not being able to console them.
Hope you have a positive result today.

Hi everyone

So, the GP was adamant we get the constipation sorted....he doesn't want my little guy to develop a fear of pooing, which he said he could when it hurts this much. He advised me to continue with 2.5 ml of lactulose, and to give him as much cooked boiled water between feeds as he'll take, to rehydrate the stool.

If I'm two weeks he's still constipated, I can increase the lactulose to 2.5 ml twice a day.

I gently "encouraged" him to prescribe Nutramigen formula, which he did TG. My daughter was on it as a baby for a few months and it sorted her little pains out. I've lactose intolerance since I was a baby so I'm hoping like his sister, my little guy has a mild intolerance that he'll grow out of.

And FYI...my house is a shitshow. Nappies everywhere. Dirty clothes all over the place. I need SLEEEEEP! 😅😅😅🤣

*cooled boiled water, not cooked, stupid autocorrect

Glad to hear that you have a plan atleast. Hope it works