Acid reflux - going insane

The Mighty Quinn · 26-04-2020 7:03pm #1

Hi all.
Have a baby coming up on 3mths.

Uncomfortable 95% of waking time. Only through severe persistence is she taking more than an ounce per feed, as she wriggles and squirms like mad, even though she is hungry.

We first tried gaviscon sachets to thicken milk.
Then losec pills ground down and mixed with water and given that way, now on Losec liquid form.

Child seems to be getting worse rather than better.

CMPA is next to try, maybe Aptamil Pepti. Child is formula fed exclusively since about 8 weeks.

We're losing our minds, manic at the incessant crying and upset, sad that the baby doesn't seem to enjoy 10 minutes of her day and is clung to her mother, can not be put down for more than a minute without awful upset.

Can't get to a paediatrician for love nor money with Covid19, private hospital not taking new patients as consultant office is taken up for covid.

I don't even know what I'm asking. Have read that reflux is always a symptom of something and maybe tongue tie is the issue. Clutching at straws maybe.

Going demented and no family now either because of covid.

fits · 26-04-2020 7:48pm

That’s really tough. I think having an unsettled baby is the worst. Keep onto GP maybe. No idea what to advise after that only do whatever works. My unsettled baby definitely became more settled after 6 months.

lawrencesummers · 26-04-2020 7:56pm

Had it with two kids.
Nightmare
Hard to tell what worked and what didn't to be honest and we tried a lot of things. Eventually i think it was moving towards solids or semi solid foods that helped. That might be a while away

Keeping more upright for feed and in bed helped at times
Keeping upright for longer after feeds.
Non Dairy Formula - one didnt like it
Osteopath - Would recommend trying if you can find a good baby one.
We used Zantac or Zantec and it helped
There was also sachets to put into milk, which i think was gaviscon.

Never believed that tongue ties are an issue, just something that became fashionable in the last while, cant see it having the effect of reflux tbh.

What weight is baby, what was birth weight?

snoopy29 · 26-04-2020 8:07pm

My son had severe reflux until he was 1, he's nearly 3 now. He also had cmpa so we initially tried similac milk, with losec and carabel thickener in his bottle. Was like a different baby overnight, still puked but much more settled. This lasted for two weeks then the cows protein built up again and milk changed to nutrimagen. Again settled for a while but after 3-4 months became unsettled again. Took him privately losec was changed to ranitidine, milk changed to Neocate, Got a barium swallow test done and put on an antibiotic 4 times a day. Everything helped a bit, particularly the milk changes. Weaning didn't help and he still puked but more settled and slept well. All the reflux eventually just disappeared when he turned 1. I remember the pain and the tiredness well. PM if youve any further questions.

Good luck, it does eventually get easier!

padraig.od · 26-04-2020 8:07pm

I'm so sorry for your baby and your family. Two of mine had silent reflux. With my son it was literally the hardest few months of life. I don't know how my wife didn't go insane.

When you said try Losec and Galviscon sachets what do you mean? Losec has a 2 week or so run up so it will take affect until after that period.

Try to wind after every feed, no matter how long it takes. Also try to keep the child upright or as close to it as much as possible. So tilt the cot. And there are titlable rockers and day beds that you can purchase.

Both of mine grew out of it about the 6-7 month mark which coincided with solid foods. We brought them to an osteopath, not sure it had any affect.

Best of luck, it's awful but it will end eventually

iamwhoiam · 26-04-2020 8:10pm

Have you tried the thickened anti reflux feed ? ( Cow and Gate ) You can use Losec with the thickened feed but do not add Gaviscin to it . It worked wonders for my grand child when nothing else did

Liquid Zantac ( ranitidine ) has been taken off the market

ideb · 26-04-2020 8:27pm

A tip that is going to sound way out there, and I will add that I was horrified when I was told to do this.....but it worked.

A health nurse came to visit when my daughter was a few months old. I was climbing walls with lack of sleep and worry at a constant colic and squirming crying after every feed. The nurse instructed me to boil a kettle, fill a 4oz bottle with boiling water. (this was 30 years ago!! so it was ozs. don't know conversion), add 4 full teaspoons of sugar - YES SUGAR!! - told you it was mad - stir well, leave to cool and serve.

It worked. My baby lapped it up. belched like mad for about 20 minutes and slept really well after. I used it a few time after that when the baby was really bad, but did reduce the amount of sugar a bit.

put a little pressure on the baby's stomach after feeding - I used to lay the baby on my arm with her tummy on my arm and rubbed her back gently.

You could also try to water the formula down very slightly. That worked for me also. Hope this helps.

rykzer · 26-04-2020 8:34pm

Try massaging babies belly, bicycle exercises and gently squatting knees up into belly. See YouTube videos for guidance. See if any trapped wind is released.

Mam of 4 · 26-04-2020 8:43pm

Nuby or Tomee Tipee have Anti Colic bottles , with a special straw attached to the teat . Granddaughter had colic so her parents used these , and fed her with her sitting upright , no need to tilt the bottle as the formula goes up the straw as the baby suckling on the teat .
Don't know if it's of use to you but I thought I'd let you know

Lily_Aldrin7 · 26-04-2020 8:45pm

How is baby’s poo? I’m asking because if it’s very liquid and greenish it would be another indication of milk protein allergy. Do you ever hear the tummy rumbling, does the baby have blow outs? This could be excessive gas, there is a lot of stuff you can try to relieve gas.

iamwhoiam · 26-04-2020 8:49pm

Please do not water the babys feed down . If the baby has reflux this will just make it worse as it will spill up into the baby’s oesophagus

LegacyUser · 26-04-2020 9:23pm

We had the same after nearly a year the doctor prescribed neocate which worked for her after trying it for 2 weeks. You will need a doctor to prescribe it.We had run out of ideas as we had tried everything else that people are recommending. She was getting a lot of chest infections due to the reflux. In and out of hospital, driving all hours of the night to get her to sleep just for an hour two if we were lucky. Also try surviving reflux web page has lots of good info. It took a lot to get the doctor to take our case seriously as we got the old first time parents lark off them.

lashes34 · 27-04-2020 7:30am

Sounds like my now 2 year old. The main thing that helped was Neocate(doc prescribed so back to your GP and dont let them fob you off), Losec (dissolve in small amount of LUKEWARM water, do not ground up and mix with water, the beads become useless, Carobel in the Neocate, Tiger in the Tree hold.

Mind yourself, its a horrific time. PM me if you want x

The Mighty Quinn · 27-04-2020 8:17am

All thanks for the many responses and advice.

She is on a tilted mattress at night

Is fed upright (sling mostly lately)

Kept upright after feeds for at least a half hour, even if its during the night

She uses the Dr Brown anti colic bottles with the vent

we have done the legs bicycle thing

her poos are mostly okay to the point were wondering if it can't be CMPA, as we've looked it up and this seems to need very loose nappies sometimes with excema type rash. She has no rashes and only occasional loose nappy

Born at 9lb, dropped to 8.5lb, heading for 13lb now.

Have osteopath appointment this coming week, don't even know what they might do to help but need to try everything, poor girl is so uncomfortable it'd break your heart and drive you to craziness

While I know it will pass, and so many parents have their stories about reflux and how it passed at 4 mths, 6 mths, a year (even had one woman tell us it took 18mths), we're only at the 3 month mark and I can't accept we've 3, 6.. 15 months of this, we'll be put in a home gone do-lally

Tigerandahalf · 27-04-2020 8:39am

We had something similar with one of ours.
It turned out he was probably lactose intolerant. We changed to a comfort formula and it helped. I remember the crying with baby up on the shoulder after every feed and the tension in the belly. It seemed to be worse in the late afternoon, a solid 30 mins of screaming. The only relief was the nap times.

Once the baby went on solids we fed some cheese and it was vomited up. After chatting about it we decided to try a lactose free cheese and it solved the problem. It was never vomited up. After a couple of years normal dairy was introduced and now there is no issue.

Best of luck with it. It can be a horrible time. Be sure to give each other plenty of breaks and get out in the fresh air for a walk.

Edit to add
Just to say comfort formula is thicker than normal formula and you should use a wider teat for the bottles. Otherwise the baby won't be able to suck the formula out and become tired and frustrated.

s7ryf3925pivug · 27-04-2020 8:46am

Tilting the cot base might help but it can also result in problems with keeping sufficient oxygen which causes them to wake up. I wouldn't be keen to try it with a three month old.

Spending a long time burping them is the simplest thing that is likely to help. We would spend longer on that than feeding.

I'm also skeptical about tongue tie releases. Got one done on advice. Regretted it a lot, and found little evidence that there was much point the type of tongue tie release. It was the type where it is near the base of the tongue. The type at the front is a smaller procedure and I think there is more evidence to suggest there is a point to it.

thomas anderson. · 27-04-2020 8:50am

Losec was the only thing that calmed down our little ones reflux.

I gotta say, you're just going to have to go through it. I know it feels like you are in a black hole with no light at the end but believe me when I say IT Will subside. Battle through to the 6 month mark.

I wince when I hear the word reflux, I can still her hear screaming. It was honestly the hardest thing I've ever been through.

Stay strong.

fits · 27-04-2020 9:48am

Yes, know that it will pass and things will get easier.

Dravokivich · 27-04-2020 10:10am

The Mighty Quinn wrote: »

All thanks for the many responses and advice.

She is on a tilted mattress at night

Is fed upright (sling mostly lately)

Kept upright after feeds for at least a half hour, even if its during the night

She uses the Dr Brown anti colic bottles with the vent

we have done the legs bicycle thing

her poos are mostly okay to the point were wondering if it can't be CMPA, as we've looked it up and this seems to need very loose nappies sometimes with excema type rash. She has no rashes and only occasional loose nappy

Born at 9lb, dropped to 8.5lb, heading for 13lb now.

Have osteopath appointment this coming week, don't even know what they might do to help but need to try everything, poor girl is so uncomfortable it'd break your heart and drive you to craziness

While I know it will pass, and so many parents have their stories about reflux and how it passed at 4 mths, 6 mths, a year (even had one woman tell us it took 18mths), we're only at the 3 month mark and I can't accept we've 3, 6.. 15 months of this, we'll be put in a home gone do-lally

Why are you going to an osteopath? If you're going to book an appointment with anyone, book it with a Doctor!

s7ryf3925pivug · 27-04-2020 12:21pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

Why are you going to an osteopath? If you're going to book an appointment with anyone, book it with a Doctor!

Yes absolutely. Oesteopathy is quackery. No evidence that any of it works at all and the practitioners have no medical qualifications. (Ditto chiropractors ditto homeopaths.) If you need any specialist the best person to advise you of that is a GP.

krissovo · 27-04-2020 12:31pm

My two both had savage reflux so I feel your pain, both needed slight variations of treatment to keep it in check.

Child 1 needed Dr Browns bottles, Nannycare goats milk, liquid Zantac
Child 2 had Dr Browns bottles, Nutramigen milk (smells like sick) & Zantac, goats milk did not work

Gaviscon only worked when they got older, any off the shelf anti reflux formula's were a waste of money

lawrencesummers · 27-04-2020 2:06pm

Dallas Chubby Bottle wrote: »

Yes absolutely. Oesteopathy is quackery. No evidence that any of it works at all and the practitioners have no medical qualifications. (Ditto chiropractors ditto homeopaths.) If you need any specialist the best person to advise you of that is a GP.

Have you ever been to an osteopath? I would say it’s fair to say you haven’t. It’s not quackery And they do have qualifications.

I have over the years for multiple sports injury and their ability, and knowledge of the human body is way beyond anything I have had from Physiotherapists, and that includes Physio’s who have worked for professional sports teams, and individuals who have represented Ireland at various sports.

I’ve a child who has had multiple hospitalizations and a major part of how we prevent that now is visits to a brilliant osteopath. It’s expensive and long drive so I would prefer not to do it but it has made life changing difference to is.

A friend brings their severely autistic child to the same osteopath and notices a huge change in him after every visit that lasts for a few days.

No everything needs a doctors notepad, not everything is resolved with a prescription pad. It plays a part for us and out kid but it’s not everything.

lawrencesummers · 27-04-2020 2:11pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

Why are you going to an osteopath? If you're going to book an appointment with anyone, book it with a Doctor!

Some osteopaths specialize in treating babies for a lot of different symptoms. A birth is very traumatic thing for BOTH mother and baby and treatment can be very helpful.

Doctors are limited in what they can do. You either get a drug from them or a referral to a more expensive doctor, and that might well be needed in some cases but not in others.

Medicines are not the solution for everything, they are for a lot of things, every parent should question putting a three month old on a course of medicine, so if the non invasive treatments of an osteopath were to work it’s worth a go.

s7ryf3925pivug · 27-04-2020 2:27pm

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Have you ever been to an osteopath? I would say it’s fair to say you haven’t. It’s not quackery And they do have qualifications.

I have over the years for multiple sports injury and their ability, and knowledge of the human body is way beyond anything I have had from Physiotherapists, and that includes Physio’s who have worked for professional sports teams, and individuals who have represented Ireland at various sports.

I’ve a child who has had multiple hospitalizations and a major part of how we prevent that now is visits to a brilliant osteopath. It’s expensive and long drive so I would prefer not to do it but it has made life changing difference to is.

A friend brings their severely autistic child to the same osteopath and notices a huge change in him after every visit that lasts for a few days.

No everything needs a doctors notepad, not everything is resolved with a prescription pad. It plays a part for us and out kid but it’s not everything.

They don't have medical qualifications. They have qualifications in oesteopathy which is not a medical field.

Look at the Effectiveness section of the Wikipedia for a summary of lots of studies finding no evidence for its application in almost anything. Except low grade evidence for certain back pain. Like a massage or stretching might achieve really.

That's great that the trips to the guy you found help your kid all the same. I just doubt it's anything to do with oesteopathy that is achieving it.

lawrencesummers · 27-04-2020 2:38pm

Dallas Chubby Bottle wrote: »

They don't have medical qualifications. They have qualifications in oesteopathy which is not a medical field.

Look at the Effectiveness section of the Wikipedia for a summary of lots of studies finding no evidence for its application in almost anything. Except low grade evidence for certain back pain. Like a massage or stretching might achieve really.

That's great that the trips to the guy you found help your kid all the same. I just doubt it's anything to do with oesteopathy that is achieving it.

I only speak from experience on this. And my experience of two particular osteopaths. I’m sure like any field there are good an bad but my experience is that I have received far better treatment for my own injuries than any other person ( GP included). I’m going to trust my experience over what Wikipedia says, and as a suite of measures we use for our kid the osteo is a major one of them. We notice an immediate difference post treatment.

I’m not sure what your pedantic point about it being a medial qualification is? The osteos I’ve visited have studied for 4 years full time because I asked about it.

The main point here is that what works for one person may not for another, a quick read through this thread shows that a GP 12 months ago would prescribe for your small kids reflux a medicine that is no longer on the market, why is it no longer available?

When you have a small child in distress like the OP then you try anything to help it, osteopathy has worked for me and other I know and from my experience it’s worth a try.

krissovo · 27-04-2020 2:50pm

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Have you ever been to an osteopath? I would say it’s fair to say you haven’t. It’s not quackery And they do have qualifications.

We took our son to a highly recommended Osteopath in Cork, we were willing to try anything to reduce reflux. It was absolute bonkers "treatment" and at one stage my baby son was taken through the process of another birth with my wife in berthing position. Did nothing for my son apart from encourage a reflux attack at the time. We stuck it out for as long as we could but at the 3rd session I called a halt, its a modern form of snake oil sales IMO.

Dravokivich · 27-04-2020 2:51pm

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Some osteopaths specialize in treating babies for a lot of different symptoms. A birth is very traumatic thing for BOTH mother and baby and treatment can be very helpful.

Doctors are limited in what they can do. You either get a drug from them or a referral to a more expensive doctor, and that might well be needed in some cases but not in others.

Medicines are not the solution for everything, they are for a lot of things, every parent should question putting a three month old on a course of medicine, so if the non invasive treatments of an osteopath were to work it’s worth a go.

Which is their job. Osteopaths are not trained medical professionals, you won't get a doctor sending you to one.

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Have you ever been to an osteopath? I would say it’s fair to say you haven’t. It’s not quackery And they do have qualifications.

I have over the years for multiple sports injury and their ability, and knowledge of the human body is way beyond anything I have had from Physiotherapists, and that includes Physio’s who have worked for professional sports teams, and individuals who have represented Ireland at various sports.

I’ve a child who has had multiple hospitalizations and a major part of how we prevent that now is visits to a brilliant osteopath. It’s expensive and long drive so I would prefer not to do it but it has made life changing difference to is.

A friend brings their severely autistic child to the same osteopath and notices a huge change in him after every visit that lasts for a few days.

No everything needs a doctors notepad, not everything is resolved with a prescription pad. It plays a part for us and out kid but it’s not everything.

Sounds like what you needed was regular stretching and massages.

lawrencesummers wrote: »

When you have a small child in distress like the OP then you try anything to help it, osteopathy has worked for me and other I know and from my experience it’s worth a try, and if it works and you don’t have to use prescription medicines then win win.

It needs to work for the kid, not for you. Don't put them through that, so you can feel better that you are trying to do something.

MOD

No promoting of Osteopathy will be permitted here. When unsure, a person should always seek advise from a Doctor.

lawrencesummers · 27-04-2020 2:54pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

Which is their job. Osteopaths are not trained medical professionals, you won't get a doctor sending you to one.

Sounds like what you needed was regular stretching and massages.

Far from it.

lawrencesummers · 27-04-2020 2:56pm

krissovo wrote: »

We took our son to a highly recommended Osteopath in Cork, we were willing to try anything to reduce reflux. It was absolute bonkers "treatment" and at one stage my baby son was taken through the process of another birth with my wife in berthing position. Did nothing for my son apart from encourage a reflux attack at the time. We stuck it out for as long as we could but at the 3rd session I called a halt, its a modern form of snake oil sales IMO.

I’m not here to defend osteopaths but it’s worked for me and for one of my kids. The other kid was going for a while and I called a halt to it very quickly because it wasn’t doing anything.

Dravokivich · 27-04-2020 3:00pm

lawrencesummers wrote: »

I’m not here to defend osteopaths but it’s worked for me and for one of my kids. The other kid was going for a while and I called a halt to it very quickly because it wasn’t doing anything.

And it's the very thing you are doing. I expect this response was done as I updated my previous response. Please refrain from promoting Osteopathy any further.

McCloskey_A · 27-04-2020 3:03pm

brought my 18 month old to a chiropractor who also practices as an osteopath as she just wouldn’t settle to sleep and we had a screaming child on our hands most nights
Tried everything else, gp, PHN and gp nurse opinion was some babies just don’t sleep......
game changer for us, very quick birth had resulted in some pressure on the back of the skull which was not picked up
4 sessions, screaming gone and she’s sleeping!

Only you know what is worth trying for your own family, work with your family doctor and seek whatever solution you can

Sleep deprivation and a screaming baby are killers
Especially when you know there’s something wrong and just can’t get an answer!

Acid reflux - going insane

Comments