anyone chosen not to medicate baby for reflux?

[AnyDream]

I did Medicate my DD but I also took her to see an osteopath. She had a torticollis and the osteo explained that the same postural issue was irritating the vagus nerve (that also runs through the neck). 3-4 visits and it was pretty much all sorted out.

[Butterfly Dawn]

2 of my kids have had reflux and colic together. I just battled through the reflux- I used infacol for colic with great success. We had millions of spew cloths, used carrier and sling alot and a dummy really helped after feeds to help keep everything down.
ATM we are not able to get reflux med for children, and here they say a huge amount for children have reflux for the first 4 months as their little tummys are still developing.
I would suggest looking at Osteopath/ ciro and cranial plate work, before medicating.

[Eenee]

Yep I didn't medicate DD but I took her to a naturopath and she gave her a couple of things to take which helped heaps.

[LoveKnowsNoBounds]

Hi,
I think it depends on how bad it is. I couldn't allow my baby to suffer that much and it took awhile to understand what was wrong and then to find the help.

I would think if you could help you mr baby by adjusting position etc then it would be a milder version. We did everything we could think of and Jessica would scream for 5-6 hours straight. She would have sweat pouring out of her, arms and legs going the whole time, she scratched and pinched me. Her voice went hoarse. Her body was always rigid and she wouldn't sleep. Only a few hours in a 24 hour period broken into intervals.

She was put on medication and it wasn't enough. The poor little thing brought up blood in her vomit. Changed paed and finally got the right meds. She still cries during feeds and wants me to hold her all day long but thankfully she is getting better.

Anyway I've copped unhelpful comments even from the pharmacy assistant and I would think do you really think I'd give a tiny baby medication if she didn't need it. Uggh add to that the anti losec bandwagon and it used to upset me.

Go with your gut, you know what your baby needs but not all reflux is the same.

[Sunny Love]

My GP and MCHN both did not suggest medication, nor did I request or suggest. It was more about techniques do reduce (as mentioned by heaps of other mums on BB) and minimalise mess and discomfort until solids was established and the brain was stimualated to close of the oesophagus (I *think*) My DS Chevy, nearly 8 months old now (and 11.5kg!!!) had terrible reflux until he started solids at 4months(ish). His reflux has now gone and all is clean and comfy
Otherwise, by age 2 it should be settled, thanks to natural human development and growth
xx

[HotI]

DS saw osteo a week or so back who said he was tight from top of his tummy down to his hip on right side. Showed me how to do gentle stretches and said come back in 3 weeks. Regular MCHN said 'yep, that s what babies do'. fill in mchn (who saw DS when he ws unsettled) said 'he is definitely telling us something, looks like reflux see a dr. you can try 1ml mylanta to see if it helps'. Dr said 'i just read a paper sayng reflux is diagnosed too much these days'. and then described how sphincter not fully developed and so milk and acid comes back up (mmm, isn't that reflux?)

i don't necessarily want to medicate, i like the virgin gut theory, but i also don't want him in pain unneccesarily or causing long term problems by not.

EJ- i am checking our ABA library for 'colic solved' but if it' not available, i woud love to borrow your copy if possible.

[onthefly]

yeah, well, there's reflux and then there's reflux.
I think it makes sense to get 2nd/3rd etc opinion, try other things to see if that helps, but leave open the option of medication if you think the benefits outweigh the risks. Can you get a referral to a paed?

[*EJ*]

yeah, well, there's reflux and then there's reflux.

Absolutely and i've now seen that first hand. Sounds like you have a plan of action HotI, all the best and i hope it's on the lower end of the scale

Oh and i should have my book by Friday so just let me know how you go

[HotI]

Thanks EJ, i have got a copy of the book now. Will let you know what i find out.

DS has had a few better days. I have cut out milk, (but have had other dairy) so not sure if that is helping or if it is just coincidence. I think we are getting better at positioning DS after feeds and using gravity to our advantage too.

[*EJ*]

That's good HotI. I wouldn't say the books has any 'quick fixes' but it explains a lot. You'll find it worthwhile just being able to understand what is going on inside your DS's little body and what is to be expected with such young digestive systems.

Hopefuly with the few changes you are making and varying positioning techniques you'll figure it all out without any need for meds at all It's all just trial and error.

Good luck xo

[Feijoa Mum]

yeah, well, there's reflux and then there's reflux.

Amen to that! My 3rd DS was a mothers worst nightmare. He could not sleep, he lost weight and was labeled "Failure to thrive" he was hospitalized where he had Drs baffled, I had CYPFS (NZ version of DOCs) visit me in the hospital all but accusing me of Munchhausen Syndrome!! I lived on Brown rice and plain chicken breasts for weeks and still nothing helped.
Every time I was given a new medication to try I felt sick giving it to my tiny baby but knew I had no option.
He eventually stopped even trying to feed breast or bottle and would scream his poor little lungs out when he had to be restrained and force fed with a syringe. He was born a very healthy 4.2kg and at 18weeks weighed in at 4kg

By some miracle a US Reflux Specialist was in the country at the time, he was told about us, and flew to see us.
He immediately requested DS have a upper endoscopy where it was discovered his Lower Esophageal Sphincter was basically broken so it didnt close off to stop the acids coming back up. As a consequence his esophagus was badly burnt and he needed emergency surgery to cut out the affected area, as it was not going to heal and to try and fix his esophageal sphincter.

The difference it made to my baby was unbelievable, we did have some ongoing issues, like starting solids and some respiratory stuff but to look at him now at 9 you would never guess that he (or me for that matter ) might not be here had it not been for that wonderful man, Mr Jamison.

It does depend on the level they have as in hindsight I do believe my 2nd DS had it too but I just thought he was a bit demanding so he wasnt medicated.

[entreat]

No way. It was HELL without medication, then we did another 6wks with the wrong dose of losec. Horrendous.

I guess it depends on how bad it is. Jack had reflux and high acid. He was actually burned (blistered) on his bum from the acids.

[*EJ*]

Feijoa Mum what a journey you guys travelled. I know where ours took us and it was no where near that severity. Thankfully you are well and truely past it and so thankful that the US Dr was able to see you guys.

Slightly off the subject of reflux itself but more so on the medication zantac. After about 5 months of breastfeeding DD i started to get two itchy dermatitis looking dry patches of skin close the my n!pple area (on each breast). They were extremely itchy and began to grow in size. I eventually went to the Dr's about it and was given a cream for dermatitis to apply sparingly for 1 week only. I applied it for 1 week and then left it another before i went back with no improvement and if anything it getting worse. After this i was never able to see my regular Dr and the Dr's i saw started treating it as thrush (even though i questioned it as isn't thrush in the n!pple?? and DD had no sign of it whatsoever). So anyway anti-fungal creams made it go crazy, it got bigger the irritation got angrier and i began to be in huge amounts of pain whilst feeding. My skin was red raw and weeping. I was trying to apply bandages while leaving the n!pple accessible for DD. Eventually i stared to get an all over body rash that was 1000x itchy, i would scratch myself until i left bruise marks all over my arms, legs and stomach. Finally after SIX Dr appts in 1 month i was referred to a dermatologist. He prescribed soaks in the bath and applying a cream daily for 1 week, it worked for the body rash but it was only a bandaid solution, once i stopped the rash came back again. Went to him again which was pretty much a wasit of time. I got to the point where i didn't want to see another Dr, put anything else on or in my body i just wanted to curl up and hide away. It was costing my a fortune. I decided to try a naturopath and it was the best thing i did. She was fantastic, assessed the situation and said the rash was a way of my body trying to get the 'bad things' out, as a result of what was going on with the breast. I started taking fish oil and a probiotic and i was applying burrows solution (from the dermatologist) to the breast area. The rash after a couple of weeks was disapearing and the breasts were starting to improve. It wasn't 100% though and talking with the naturopath again she was still really unhappy that DD was on zantac for her own health reasons. I then mentioned to her my theory that the skin condition around the breast area and DD being on zantac seemed to be way too much of a coincidence. Obviously neither of us could prove anything, the Dr's brushed it off whenever i mentioned it but sitting in the appt with her that day i decided then and there that i'd take her off it. She was now 6 months told and i figured i'd deal with the concequences, anything had to be better than the agony i'd been in. After a week there was a huge improvement and after 2 the irritation was barely there. In the first week of DD being off zantac we noticed the tell tale signs and were a little worried but it seemed that it was just her body readjusting as by the second week she was fine. With the way my skin looked i was certain that my bb's would be scarred but now you wouldn't even know and thankfully all that is a distant memory now

My theory (uneducated but just from personal expereince) is that the zantac in DD's mouth salivas started to irritate my skin hence the initial dry patches, me scratching them broke the skin and allowed nasties into my system which then began the horrible journey that i had, the red raw bb's and the all over body rash. My blood was tested a number of times, i did get a staph infection, i was on a couple of lots of anti-biotics but nothing really made any sign of improvement until DD was off zantac.

Maybe there is no connection at all What would you think?

So as i said in an earlier post at a time where i knew no better DD being on zantac was some what of a life saver in that the poor girl no longer had to scream and DH and i didn't have to feel so helpless to help her. But would i ever consider using it again with another bub? Probably not. I would do all i can to not have to go down that path. I had a couple of threads on here asking for help and i think some ladies had had some other bb/skin issues but not quite like mine. So i'm maybe a one off who knows? I am more than happy to know that there aren't many out there who have had to experience what i did to help their babies through reflux.

All along the hell, pain and desperation i was going through i was not ever going to give up breastfeeding my little girl. Brings tears to my eyes remembering that time, my god am i so freaking glad that is over and far far behind me now.

So HotI once again i wish you all the success possible to get through the best way you know how for your littl man xo

[smallmum]

I used Garcol (spelling) its a natural thickner added to food of stroke victems.
My pead is natural medication friendly! bub hadnt gainded weight or slept much due to pain and progectile vomit, i was warned he didnt think it would work, but tryed it as we where in hospital, also she slept with a 45 deg angle, after 9 days in hospital, she was discharged (9 weeks old) and finally came of thickened feeds at 2.5 yrs. She did have bad teeth from the constant vomit in her mouth.

[lise]

Another who chose to medicate. I would have rather not given my baby medicine but he was in so much pain and nothing worked (tilting the bed, keeping him upright, changing my diet, using a dummy, positioning, feeding lying down/standing up/bending over DS, you name it we tried it. Feeds were an absolute nightmare, he would only sleep in my arms and he was obviously so unhappy and in pain. Losec was a life saver, as was an osteo. If other strategies had worked I would have been very happy but I couldn't let DS stay in pain when the Losec might help him, despite my misgivings.

Hopefully you can find some techniques that work for you xx