Reflux, Losec & Smelling like Acid :-(

Things seemed to be going well with DS3's reflux, stilling bring up heaps but more settled, getting his losec into him has been fun (not) but we have been doing it.

Anyway he woke this morning around 5 for a fed, and was extremely unsettled afterwards, LOTS of grunting and wigglying, it was the longest he's slept so I started putting it down to the amount of milk my boobs threw at him... Then he started vomiting and it had a strong acid smell, he brought up quite a bit and was rather unsettled.

What could cause this? Does the losec not work anymore?

Every now and the Ds has salvia smelling like acid, along with his chucks. For him it coincides with teething, as they cut the gum it gets much worse.

Would vomiting if he was sick be different from vomiting from reflux?

I brought new nappies yesterday (huggies) and the last two wet ones last night had a stronger smell. I thought it could just be this packet as the last packet didn't smell like that.

From my knowledge, the losec doesnt stop the milk coming up, more neutralizes the acids so it doesnt hurt as much when it does come up. The only thing you could do is maybe try giving something like gaviscon before you feed him to help thicken the milk in his tummy. How long has he been on the losec? DD2 has been on it for a few weeks for silent relux and even though it has made a drastic improvement, she still has the occasional acid attacks.

Thats a tough one. You would think the Losec would stop the acid smell. I would be inclined to think he may be a little sick and bringing up abit of bile or something when he chucks.. hence the smell.

Have you eaten anything different that could be adding abit more "acid" so to speak in your milk? I think the cuprits are tomatoes and citrus.. (i think there is more but i cant think of them off the top of my head).

If it doesnt pass soon.. they may need to increase his dose.

Is it possible that because he went for longer without a feed that the acid had more opportunity to build up in his tummy? My bub has silent reflux and I was told that feeding more frequently eases the reflux symptoms but that could have to do with the fact that smaller feeds more often means less vomiting. If he is on the Losec the vomiting shouldn't be causing him pain. My DD is on Zantac and apparently medicines for reflux will neutralise the acid in their tummies but not eliminate the vomiting etc. Is he still gaining good weight? I think so long as he is gaining weight and is more settled etc not screaming for hrs on end in pain then the Losec is doing its job. My DD is a terrible vomiter, she has a bib on constantly when she's awake. It does sound like the longer space between feeds has set of his reflux, you know how we feel acidy in the tummy if we don't eat, perhaps it was that. If you're worried though hun or it continues maybe see your paed again. As they get bigger their doseages usually need to be upped a bit. Is he on Losec once a day? Maybe he needs it morning and arvo. We give Zantac in the morning and then again late arvo so that the acid doesn't build up over night. If he is having it just in the morning, that's 24 hrs before he has it again and maybe that's too big of a space between medicine. Just some ideas for you, hope i've been of some help :)

Thanks ladies, he has 10mg in the morning and again in the evening, it's possible that the distance between the feeds caused it so will see how he goes today and tonight and if it continues will take him back to the GP. I believe he is still putting on weight, but is due to be weighed this week so will tie that in with a GP visit also.

I haven't eaten anything that is more acidic or had any changes in my diet apart from less food (ie no upsize lol)

I'm not worried about the vomit just the smell and the fact that with that smell he was unsettled, been a pretty restless morning also :-( poor wee mite :-)

DD2 is on the same dosage of Losec, morning and night and Gaviscon every feed to try and keep the milk in (it is a thickener), and still has acidic spews at 7 1/2 months old, but we have found the Gaviscon helps a lot at keeping it down, without it or the Losec we are left with an inconsolible bubba and I can only imagine how much worse it would be without them. We are waiting and watching now and will be doing a full review at 9 months as she hasn't put on weight in the last 5 weeks and not taking to solids yet without throwing up the solids and the milk and getting very distressed, and no signs of her growing out of it anytime soon.

If you do go down the path of Gaviscon as well, you need to keep and eye out for constipation (as it thickens everything) as DD2 is suffering from that as well so we are having to give her Coloxyl as well to try and keep things moving. We use 1/2 a satchet of Infant Gaviscon, give it between sides, and we give the Losec at the start of the feed, we use a compunded suspension of Losec, or if we run out the tablets, the tablets may be more effective as it can be more fresh than the suspension.