6 month old with reflux...are orange foods really bad?

[Notquiteinsane]

My 6 month old DS has quite nasty silent reflux. Currently on 20mg omeprazole plus max dose of ranitadine. Finally seems to have stopped writhing and crying whilst feeding and I now just have screeching afterwards. Have cut all dairy out of my diet as he is definitely CMPI. He lost weight when he was 5 months old and I was advised by hospital to start weaning...all went well to begin with, then he got flu over Christmas and New Year and all has been hell since!
Whilst trawling the Internet I came across people who's experience suggested orange foods (carrots, sweet potato etc) flare up reflux.
This made me realise most foods I've tried have been orange or contain orange foods. Potato (regardless of texture) seems to cause dramatic gagging, as did parsnip. Butternut squash, carrot and sweet potato was initially a success, but quickly stopped being interesting. Pouches of food are slightly easier to get down him, but they tase of NOTHING! Spent all weekend cooking and blending only for it all to cause dramatic retching and gagging.
Fruit other than pear flares up his reflux because of the acidity, so normally he is hiccuping and screaming within a few minutes of eating any. Avocado and banana are just about the only thing he willingly eats, probably as they slide down with no effort on his part.
So, not sure what I'm actually asking here...does anyone else have anti-orange food experience? And as he can't have dairy, what the hell else is there left to try? Finger food he goes at with gusto, but quickly changes his mind. Is so frustrating as he has never slept more than 3 hours other then the one evening he had a decent portion of food for tea :( but holding toys up above his head until he opens his mouth surely isn't a great attitude to approach food with?? Sorry for the essay!!

My ds, 11 months, has been quite bad with reflux too. He was on gaviscon and whilst it did help it also made him so constipated that he was sick anyway straining!

He has gained 1oz over the past 2 months because he has been so sick after most meals approx. 5 out of 7 days. He is a great eater and not fussy, the problem is keeping the food down. We are now trying a little and often approach to feeding now and for the past week he has eaten really well. I had previously given him whatever quantity he will take but it seems that his stomach just can't cope with volume.

I've taken out eggs and yoghurt as these also make him sick despite liking them. I have been giving him alpro soya yoghurts, the plain one mixed with mashed fruit. He doesn't show any other signs of a dairy intolerance so I think maybe he just isn't ready for some foods.

I haven't had much advice or guidance from health professionals and I have never heard of orange food being worse, although I did read about tomatoes being a culprit so I have also cut that out for the time being.

If I give him mashed potato I do need to put lots of butter in it as he also gags, it seems to be too dry for him, often I will give him it with something with a little gravy/sauce to help. Other mashes seem to be fine for him.

Is it a textural thing for him that he doesn't like? My ds will eat bananas as long as they are whole and he can bite but he will refuse them mashed. He also prefers buttery mashed potatos to non mash.

It is all trial and error but I do understand your frustration. My ds is a poor sleeper too and I understand the lack of sleep too, he used to sleep max 5-6 hours solid prior to weaning but after weaning he hasn't slept any great length at a time and it is heard going when you're working too.

Has your hv or doctor been any help? I was referred to a paedtrician but I just got the blank look or eye rolls whenever I stressed how sick he was as until now he looked not too bad on paper! Although he did go from between 50-75th centile down to 0.4 and is now following the 2nd line. Following a line in my opinion is not enough, nor how good he may look on their charts, it's what happens from day to day that matters too. My worry was that ds wasn't getting enough nutrition.

Sorry I've not been much help, and for the essay!!

Thanks for your reply!

To be honest, I still haven't worked out if it is texture, taste or just general reluctance! Am just concerned that he will develop a food phobia if this keeps up. Is so hard to remain positive and calm about meal times when I really just quite fancy throwing it at the kitchen window!! :)
My DD, now 2, had reflux/ cows milk problems, but weaned onto 3 meals a day within about a week of starting solids and would eat anything she could get her hands on (and still will) so I think I'm off to a losing start by comparing him to her.
Due to go back up to GI paediatricians tomorrow as fortunately the GP I saw had the same trouble with her daughter so was v sympathetic and knew who to refer to. Having said that, our 1st appointment at the hospital 3 months ago resulted in me being told he was fussing while he fed because he had a cold and couldn't breathe through his nose properly...umm...yes. Why is it such an under recognised condition and why does no one take it seriously?? I keep thinking that if DS could talk, people would HAVE to do something about it!
Typically, he has just come down with another cold, car of his big sister...can predict how the conversation will go tomorrow!