pH Probe Test
Hi, my dd is having a pH probe test on monday, and I was wondering if anyone had anymore info that I don't have. I know that a nasogastric tube with pH probes (sensors) will be inserted into her stomach for 24hrs. She will have her arms splinted so she cannot remove the tube, and will have a computer strapped to her belly. But I don't know if she has any sedatives or how she'll react to it. I don't know how long the insertion and removal will take. Can anyone help me?
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oh I'm sorry mummycate, I've not had to go through it. I would think that they would sedate her to tube her but maybe not? I know of some mum's whose children have had to have NGT who haven't had sedation but holding tightly. Have a look in the forum for Children's medical conditions under long term tube feeding... I'll see if I can grab you the link.
ETA: Long Term Tube Feeding of an older child (toddler) here it is.
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I thought it went down like how a normal NGT is inserted and is just taped in like that too, and most bubs are ok with this. I didn't think that insertion took too long? Then there are cords leading to a little screen/computer thing that records all the data. The nurse presses certain buttons on it to record when feeds are happening and what position bubs is in (ie- lying, upright etc), and if there are any vomits etc. I thought there was also some probes that are placed into the bub too (maybe on there back and front?). I could be completely wrong with this info though so please don't hold me to it!!
All the best..Elouise looks so cute!
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I am so sorry to hear that your little one needs a probe. Parker has had two probes, one was put in while he was under with an endoscopy, and the other put in at the hospital. WIth this one they did not sedate him, they laid him down (not the nicest thing with a refluxer) and inserted the tube like they would a normal G tube. Parker cried during this, but it was more of a what the heck, instead of pain. It probably took less than a minute till they could sit him up and then tape it.
We had bandages on his hands which were covered in socks and he rarely even touched at it. It is connected to a small moniter, which depending on which one you have you will press when they have anything reflux like, so maybe in the next couple of days take a real good look and listen at her symptoms, like coughs, hiccups, urps, swallowing whatever her symptom is.
There are other moniters where you have to press a button and write the time and what the reflux symptom is.
We were allowed to go home with both, and it was fine, at night they do get a little tangled, and this is where I worried the most that he would pull it out. The dummy is a problem as they can't put it in their mouth, and this was about all Parker was upset with.
Taking it out takes about 2 seconds, and just basically pulls out through the nose, no pain, but generally a lot of clear gunk. They then download the computer and see the results and given a score as to whether it is reflux or not.
Just out of curiosity, I was wondering why you are getting it done? Is she getting really bad symptoms or not responding to meds? Here pH probes are generally only done when medications don't work or if they are having problems like Failure to Thrive. Is she on medication? If so, please check if you can get it done still, because it will make the results invalid. They should be off all reflux medications including mylanta (and some even say panadol) for at least a week, so it doesn't alter the results.
Basically if they are on meds, it will come back as no reflux, sometimes they do them on meds, just to make sure they are working, unfortunately it is never the same everywhere.
Overall it wasn't a bad expierience, I remember being more worried about the second one because he was older, but again he was fine, as I am sure your little one will be.
If you have any other questions, please ask. Hugs to you!
She is not on any meds. The paed wants to do this test to see what kind of medication to give, either something like losec or zantac rather than trial and error. She was on mylanta but I've not given it to her in a few weeks, as I was giving her homeopathic meds, which weren't working. She had panadol on Friday afternoon, and her test is Monday morning. Is that bad? I had to give it to her, she was in so much pain. I don't remember the test lady mentioning anything about panadol when we were organising the test.
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It is great she isn't on any meds, you get the best results that way, on Parkers second one he had been on losec for a year and then only off it for a week, his results come back pretty good then, but it actually took him a couple of months till his reflux got really bad again.
I think panadol is fine, when I hear of doctors telling people they can't have anything, I get kind of mad (generally in America) sometimes you have to give them something, I KWYM. Just try get through the weekend and it will be over before you know it.
I think that your doctor has done it the right way, if your bub is only just being diagnosed and is older it is a concrete way of knowing, I don't think it is necessary in a newborn who has uncomplicated reflux and the meds are working. But if you are just starting out, it is better than putting her on the meds, them working and then they say, well we have to do a probe now cause she is getting older or whatever, then it is painful taking them off the meds.
And one way or another you will know, with reflux when the meds take away the pain you kind of doubt yourself and think oh they are better, and you take them off them all the time to see, if you have the paper telling you it is reflux it does validate it for you.
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How did it go Catherine?
It went well. She screamed like a banshee when it went in, as she was already scared of the surroundings and getting hungry. DP got up to resettle her at 11pm the night before and I got up at 1am and 3am and dream-fed her at 5am. She had to tube out the next morning. Got upset but was easily settled by bouncing and moving her up above me. But she's been more fussy during feeds and will now not stay on her back. I've bought a Safe T Sleep off ebay and just waiting on it in the post. We see the paediatrician on friday, to get the results. Unfortunately it means I miss out on mothers group then, but DP informs me its his friend's birthday and we will meet her and others afterwards for lunch. So there is some socialising for me this week. Thanks for all of your help and support.
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*hugs* mummycate, it must have been so hard to go through that. I hope there are some clear results for you on Friday.
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So how did the paed go today? Any results from the test?
The paed said the results show that the reflux is not acidic so we can't give her any medications. Have to wait it out. But we have to go back if she gets worse. Last night was the worst night ever. She screamed for 6 hours, and had a couple of naps during. She finally went to sleep at 2.30am this morning. And my depression got to the point where I wanted to die. But that's another story, I'm expecting the mental health people to ring me at 11am and again around 3pm. The earliest I can see my GP is tomorrow. Unless I see a different doctor, but its better I see the same one for this stuff, as she's the one who's referred me to the psychologist.
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I am so so sorry. I have a lot of expierience with reflux mums and I totally understand what you are going through, both from myself and also from many mums who have told me the exact thing above.
The thing with the probe it is one day in the life, it may or may not show results, it may also be something else, there are further things that can be looked into.
Most doctors will medicate before they do a pH probe test, if you look at all the people here whos children have been on reflux meds, I would say that very, very few would actually go for the pH probe. Most would medicate. The best thing about reflux medicine is that it only helps reflux, if the pain is something else then the meds won't work. Most doctors prescribe meds on this basis.
But again as someone who is still undergoing this and my child was not properly medicated until 14 months, because doctors kept telling me he would grow out of it at one, and whose child had serious complications because doctors were not taking it serious, if you baby is crying that much and totally unsettled, I don't think it is non acidic reflux that is for sure. Non acid reflux doesn't have the pain associated with it as although the stuff is coming up, the acid content isn't causing pain or inflammation, so hence less or no crying, generally termed as a happy spitter.
The other thing is if your child is crying and doesn't have reflux that much, then it may be something else, there are other things that it could be.
There is a thing called Delayed Gastric Emptying, which will cause a baby to have reflux symptoms and also vomiting, which is charateristic by it being vomitty for hours after eating.
The other thing is something calles Esinophillic Esophagitis, this is a thing that mimics reflux in that all the symptoms are the same, but a normal pH probe.
There is reflux that is called larenpharengeal reflux, which is reflux that isn't very acidic but goes high into the throat and can cause reflux symptoms. But the pH probe is normal.
What i am trying to say is that a normal pH probe doesn't necessarily mean that your bub doesn't have reflux or something that needs looking at, Parker had a normal probe in January and 4 months later, he is back on losec, at higher than adult doses.
I am so sorry to hear that you have depression, you know what it would be hard not to. Parker was my second child and it was only because I had another child that I knew it was wrong, and I knew it wasn't me, that I was doing something, it was that my baby was very sick and very sore. I think it best too if you see your GP. When I say I know how hard it is to be a mum and have your child cry and scream, and not be able to be settled, the lack of sleep and the problems it causes with your family, I really know. Please email me any time you need to talk.
Thanks Scarlet. I'll aske the paed about DGE, it seems most likely to be the cause. I looked it up on the net and this infant reflux site suggested hypoallergenic formula, so I might get the HAAR formula. Thanks for this info, I'll ask the paed.
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Sorry to butt in here... but the HA AR isn't hypoallergenic. Its easier to digest and thickened, but not hypoallergenic.
We've been dealing with reflux and allergies over here and Matilda went on the HA AR on the paed's advice with her silent reflux, we didn't do the probe test (may yet have to do that one). Matilda is 3 and just this week was diagnosed with a milk allergy. According to the masses of blood tests run, she's also anaemic and has thyroid problems. The milk allergy has apparently distroyed the lining of her stomach and she isn't absorbing the food she is eating.
I've been to see GP's and paeds about her weight loss and been totally ignored since I put her on HA AR. Now I know why it didn't work. She's allergic to milk. So... after getting that all out LOL
You can get hypoallergenic formulas like Neocate which are totally hypoallergenic. You need a script from your paed or GP. Jovie was on supplemental formula when she refused to breastfeed & couldn't have anything but the Neocate.
Its not necessarily being hypoallergenic, but the site recommended the formula will be easier to digest and moves through her tummy quicker. Not sure how it will work. What do you think Christy? Elouise hasn't shown any signs of allergies to anything.
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Matilda's only sign of allergies was loosing weight and reflux. We had no idea. Jovie broke out in ezcema which was a good sign for us & we wouldn't have picked up on Matilda's if it weren't for Jovie. ykwim?
Also 80% of babies with milk allergies have reflux. Reflux is sometimes a symptom of milk allergy. Milk allergy attacks the lining of the stomach which can cause reflux and acidity problems as well as malabsorbtion from food.
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Christy I totally understand what you are saying about the milk allergy vs the milk intolerence. I see both points but I do think it a very good move to go to an over the counter hypoallergenic formula and see how it does for Eloise.
By hypoallergenic OTC, it isn't as good as the neocate, but it is broken down more and more easily digested, which is basically what Catherine is needing if Eloise has DGE. SOmething that will digest easier and not sit in the tummy longer. If after a couple of weeks it isn't helpign, then maybe the neocate is needed.
Parker has a lot of problems with milk, but he is not allergic, we have had two lots of RAST testing and also skin ***** testing and it has been deemed an intolerence. We breastfed and didn't have much of a problem, but when we went to milk had a ton of problems, and for us goat milk has solved this problem (or rice milk) but this will not work for an allergic baby, as the allergens are generally the same.
Christy I am really, really sorry that you have been dealing with this the whole time, she has had reflux for 3 years? Does she a Paed Gastroenterologist? That would be a really good step. Babies with reflux past 18 months, really should be seen by a GE.
And you are very right, a LOT of kids with reflux have either allergies, intolerences, asthma, eczema...they seem to all be intertwined.
If anyone ever needs any help with reflux or things that are going on, I would be more than happy to help, and maybe shed some light on some of the things that may be confusing.
We have no family history on both sides of allergies. She eats yogurt no problem. She's never vomited yogurt or cried eating it. But we're going to try the HAAR and see if that helps. We recently bought 2 AR tins instead of one so we were one ahead, but now changing the formula, I rushed to out recycling box and couldn't find the receipt to exchange. Good thing is I found a receipt for another time. Same item, so it will work. Pheew, would have cost $22 for a new tin. Oh well. Thanks for the info, I'll let you know how it goes.
I habe some antidepressants for 2 weeks and then a review, plus by then I'll have my first therapy session. Already I'm starting to feel more relaxed, but the side effect nausea is annoying.
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