[lozzylots]

My DD is nearly 10 weeks old - at around 4 weeks she was diagnosed with silent reflux but not prescribed anything to treat it given that it wasn't affecting her weight gain. She had a slight improvement for a little while, feeding well and sleeping a little longer at night, but has gone downhill again. Her temperament seems to be getting more and more unsettled and irritable, she just seems so miserable so often. We get short periods of happy time, usually after a feed, and then suddenly the screaming starts. She can be extremely hard to settle down once she starts crying and in the last week it's had an effect on her feeding, she fusses the whole time, and wakes every 2 and a half to 3 hours during the night. She is bottle fed EBM and formula and has gone from having 120-150 mls per feed down to 60-90 with an occasional 120 if we're lucky. Today she'd had less than 100 mls total up until 3pm so I took her to the doctor and he seems to think it's the reflux that is worrying her. It's breaking my heart - we have these beautiful smiles and her sweet, cheeky nature shines through in her big grins, but then so much of the day is spent trying to calm her crying and screaming.

We're back to the doctor tomorrow or Monday depending what kind of a night she has tonight, to decide what to do from here. Has anyone else had this experience, and did medication help bubs enough to warrant whatever side effects there may be? When did things start to improve? I guess I just want to know that it gets easier. TIA.

[MrsMammaB]

Yes it will get better.

Our DD was diagnosed with silent relux and we put her on Zantac based on advice from our paediatrician. She is so much happier. We used to only get such short bouts of happiness and I would wonder when I would be able to start enjoying her and felt so bad she was so unhappy.

She is now 19 weeks and such a happy little camper. Sleep has gone downhill but that seems to be common around the 4 month mark. Before that she was waking for one feed a night.

A girl from my mothers group had the same issue and Losec has changed their lives around. MIserable bubs to a happy little lady.

Good luck

[xqdel]

I have had two DDs who had silent reflux. Medication led to relief for both girls. DD1 was on losec from 4-16 months. She was started on Zantac which helped a bit but not enough so the losec was tried after 3 weeks. With her we also used mylanta for any break through pain which worked very well. After starting medication she smiled for the first time.

DD2 was diagnosed by 3 weeks and went onto losec at 5 weeks. She only came off the losec last month at 22 months. We had a difficult journey with her, as she would gain weight which would cause the reflux to flare as she was no longer taking a high enough dose (she also had food issues which complicated her treatment). But most importantly when the losec dose was correct she was a happy baby, when it wasn't she would scream, and arch, and try to climb out of her own body. She also comfort fed which meant she was a very good weight.

You need a referral to a paed (or an unusually good gp) who is familiar with (and proactive in dealing with) reflux, particularly making sure that the dose is sufficient (babies process losec quicker than adults so need higher doses). Just because weight is being gained does not mean that the poor poppets are not in pain and in need of medication. I personally imagine it must be worse, at least if you vomit the acid isn't going up and down the oesophagus continually.

We did not experience any side effects from the losec.

It does get better once medication is introduced and babies typically start to grow out of it between 6 and 12 months and can come off the medication.

I remember clearly how horrendous reflux was, it does get better first via the relief that medication brings and then ultimately once they grow out of the problem.

[lozzylots]

Thank you both so much for your replies... I know logically it's going to get better at some point but it's dreadful seeing her in pain - I can handle crying, but the screaming and writhing tear me apart - xqdel I know exactly what you mean when you mention trying to climb out of her own body. I'd do anything to see more of her beautiful smiles!! Thanks again.

[lucky 2]

Dd was diagnosed with silent reflux at 10 weeks of age (by a neonatologist), she was screaming a lot and so hard to breast feed, back-arching and pulling on and off the breast, high pitched screaming. She was prescribed Zantac and it did help.
She took it well and I wasn't aware of any side-effects.
What side effects are you concerned about?

[lozzylots]

We were told firstly by hospital paed that OTC antacids like gaviscon don't do anything (despite obvious relief after 2 doses this evening), and then by our GP that antacids shouldn't be used long term because of something in them (sorry, can't remember what & he didn't specify how long 'long term' was); and then that meds like losec can increase chances of respiratory issues like chest infections. That said, I just read somewhere that untreated reflux can have the same effect. To be honest I don't have a lot of faith in the paed we saw at the hospital, she wasn't very helpful at all

[annasue]

Reflux in tiny people is so cruel. Please don't be frightened to use medication. DS who is now six had a horrible first 6 months it took me three months to get a doctor to listen to me. I was appalled when at 4 weeks my GP told me I was an anxious new mum and to put him up one end of the house so I couldn't hear him and he'd soon settle.

We ended up trying both Zantac and the Losec. I felt ripped off because I spent those first 6 months just wishing he would hurry up and grow out of it.

Once he was sitting up it did improve and by 12 months he was a different little boy.

As well as the meds anything that keeps bub upright helps. We had the head of his bed on bricks, you can buy a wedge now that they can sleep on, to keep them more upright. His Bumbo seat from three months was a godsend it helped keep him upright, as did the jolly jumper for short bursts. carrying him in a sling as opposed to laying him down in a pram made a difference, and small amounts of milk often. Unfortunately that means you feel like all you do is feed.

If I could turn back the clock and have known that it was going to get better then I would have just spent my days in the first 6 months keeping him comfortable but that's hard if you have other kids or have to return to work.

Find a good paed or as someone else suggested a GP who is good with reflux babies.

There are plenty of drs and midwives who unfortunately are not as enlightened as they should be when it comes to reflux. Some of the comments made to me by so called professionals about reflux had me wishing a refluxing child on them.

[lozzylots]

We're at the hospital now, our GP referred us in as he wanted a second opinion on the reflux. I can't believe how reluctant all the doctors we've seen are to treat the reflux, I just don't understand. At least this time they've all seen her at her worst and agree it's not right. At the moment we're waiting on urine test results as she may have a uti as well, although no other symptoms of infection. But they might actually trial her on losec this time. At least they've acknowledged her discomfort. I hate hospitals :-(

ETA: the doctor here won't diagnose it as reflux or treat it because she doesn't vomit and her weight gain is ok. I'm so frustrated I could cry, nobody is listening!!

This post has been edited by lozzylots: 14/01/2013, 05:59 PM

[lucky 2]

I am so sorry to hear you are struggling and your baby is miserable, I hope the staff at the hospital are able to help you and your baby, otherwise ask if one of them would like to go home with you to console your baby for you. Perhaps then they will feel moved to intervene.
All the bestx.

[lozzylots]

Thank you. After 6 hours at the hospital and arguing and pleading to be taken seriously with 2 doctors we finally got a script to trial losec. The official diagnosis? Irritable baby. That's what our letter back to the GP says. No kidding, but she's irritable for a reason. Anyway... I got what I wanted but it shouldn't have been so hard. We had one lovely sympathetic nurse whose own baby had silent reflux but other than that every other medical professional (I use that word loosely) seems to deny the seriousness of it, or even its existence. Here's hoping the losec helps! Thanks again everyone, your reassurance has made me feel like I'm not just a paranoid first time mum