Dealing with reflux, anyone?

novelblessings

Anyone else dealing with crazy reflux? DD was finally diagnosed over a month ago but we have only had one good week since. She's on zantac and it's been upped twice now.

She throws fits after feedings which last 20-30 minutes. She's been to the point of refusing to eat from breast or bottle for hours despite being hungry; cue screaming for hours. She also struggles with sleeping because of it. So frustrating.

Her meds were upped last week and this weekend she was great, but now I feel like we are going downhill again. Tonight she refused to eat again and screamed for a good hour.

I'm pulling my hair out. How are you dealing?

coreyeliz

Ellie was just diagnosed with reflux. She's not on an antacid, though. She's on a low dose of erythromycin to help with stomach and digestive coordination. I don't know if it's working since it's only been one full day so far and it sounds like your LO is in more pain. But maybe you could ask your pedi if they think erythromycin might be helpful in your case?

DTNZ4Ever

We just got diagnosed with reflux it just got bad the last 2 weeks. We just started our 4th formula and Zantac today. I'm stressing out since I go back to work next Tuesday and he starts DC on Wednesday next week. Luckily I know the DC teachers I just feel awful that they will have to deal with DS and the other babies. Plus I feel horrible for DS since he feels horrible. Luckily DS is sleeping through the night and only had periods of screaming throughout the day, but I feel I can't leave the house. Our pedi dealt with reflux with her daughter over the last few years so she is wanting to get this resolved ASAP. I have to follow up with her on Thursday.

novelblessings

Yea. I feel so bad for DD and for when she starts daycare. I don't have a start date yet for my new job but I'd rather deal with her than have others try to. Like my MIL who keeps asking to watch her but doesn't believe she screams most of the day. I don't think she would last long.

I'm going to give it another day and if she continues on this spiral I'm calling the pedi again. I just feel like it's a never ending battle. I keep getting told it will get better, but so far I'm not believing it.

DTNZ4Ever

@novelblessings‌ you need to advocate. Don't feel bad about calling you pedi or asking for a referral for a GI specialist. DH and I pretty much went to the pedi today and said we weren't going to leave without meds since the pedi we saw on Saturday just thought he was having a reaction to antibiotics he was on. I'm in the camp if things aren't better in 3 days something needs to change.

novelblessings

@DTNZ4Ever‌ Yea. Just frustrated I keep getting told the same things when I do call or go in. "It will get better", "she's gaining weight, so you are doing something right". I did break down and cry last time and she went to see if maybe some testing would be worth it but she came back and said she doesn't have such and such symptoms so she is healthy otherwise and it wouldn't be worth it. Ugh. If I go in again, which I'm sure I will, I'm bringing DH with me.

DTNZ4Ever

I was totally crying on Saturday at the office. I didn't see our regular pedi. I guess the one I saw on Saturday told our regular pedi and our regular pedi said that I'm a pretty calm mom so it must be serious if I was freaking out. Plus our regular pedi just dealt with reflux with her LO so she was totally empathic.

elliebean14

My little one has reflux and we tried Zantac for about a month. Zantac never really helped, despite increasing the dose, so the pedi finally agreed to try Prevacid. Multiple friends of ours said it helped their babies when Zantac did not so we asked our pedi if we could do a trial run. After about four days he became a totally different baby- smiling and happy all the time instead of writhing in pain after feedings. Good luck! I hope your little one feels better soon!

novelblessings

@FFwifey‌ I did cut dairy way back when she was maybe a month, thinking that was the issue before we found out about the reflux. It didn't seem to make a difference. I might try it again though.

I've looked up about dairy intolerance and some websites say you can just cut the obvious, like milk, cheese, ice cream. Did you also cut foods containing dairy?

RoxyV111582

Lucas had bad reflux started at 4 weeks, the ped gave us a medicine, she wasn't worried because he was gaining and everything else was normal, but he was in pain! The med helped but not by much. I then read about milk protein sensitivity, at 6 weeks I said i'd go off dairy (he is EBF) just to see if it helped and literally in 3 days he was better, I kept using the med for maybe another 2 weeks, and by 8 weeks he was off the med.

When I went to see the ped for his 2 month check up, I told her I went off dairy and his reflux disappeared she was like yeah that happens. I'd recommend if the pediatric doctor isn't doing much and you are still worried go to a pediatric gastrointestinal doctor, they will test the poop and see if there is a milk allergy.

Basically babies tummys can't digest the protein in milk, it is too big for them to digest it, some babies are more sensitive then others, like Lucas can't handle if i drink milk, eat cheese, yogurt, sour cream, etc. but I can eat things that contain milk in it (think breads, cookies, cakes) because the protein has been somewhat processed in the baking.

Sorry his turned out so long, but i'd really have a gastro check thigs out!

Edit to add Lucas is 13 weeks today, reflux free since 8 weeks.

novelblessings

@RoxyV111582‌ Thanks for the info. I guess I'll try no dairy again. It isn't like I eat dairy much anyways because I'm only really a fan of ice cream....yum! Anything to fix this issue at this point because she doesn't sleep well at all when it gets bad and I spend most of my days trying to feed her and deal with her screaming at this point.

bumpuser10054788

Our LO has silent reflux. She was always a bit fussy after eating, but it started to get bad around 6 weeks. By 8 weeks we scheduled a trip to the doc because she was inconsolable pretty much all day. She only wanted to be held straight up and walked around and screamed her head off if you put her down at all. DH and I were getting to our wits end.

At the doc they put her on Axid (similar to Zantac) and recommended switching to Enfamil AR formula. (She is FF because I failed at BFing :-/ and was previously on Gerber Gentle, then Gerber Soothe.) The Axid didn't really do anything, but the Enfamil made a huge difference. We mix 16oz at a time and put 7 scoops of AR to one scoop of regular Enfamil to thin it out just a bit. She is still a bit fussy right after feedings but her mood has improved markedly. She smiles again. We can play with her, and we can put her down sometimes. The doc says most babies will grow out of reflux in a few months so we're keeping our fingers crossed.

PS: I've been hesitant to post on this board because I haven't had time to post a birth story yet and I felt like a cheeseball. Like some others there were some complications with labor/delivery/recovery (which also ended up screwing up BFing). Between dealing with feelings of sadness/guilt over what happened, and being insanely busy taking care of LO, it's all I can do to just read once in a while. I am feeling a lot better than I did, and maybe sometime I'll get a chance to share, but at this point I hope you all don't mind if I start posting again

novelblessings

Thanks ladies. Glad to know I am not alone. Our pedi said originally she may only need meds for month because babies grow out of it. Last time she said 6 months when she starts solids but I have read up to a year. I have a friend who has a 9 month old and still dealing with it. I'm hoping it is sooner rather than later.

novelblessings

Well DD is getting switched to Prevacid. I hope it helps. I'm also going back on the no dairy train. I just feel so bad for her when she is exhausted but throwing a reflux fit.

DTNZ4Ever

novelblessings said:

Well DD is getting switched to Prevacid. I hope it helps. I'm also going back on the no dairy train. I just feel so bad for her when she is exhausted but throwing a reflux fit.

Glad the doc made the med change. Hope it helps! Keep posting it helps to know you aren't alone.