To Losec or not to Losec???

After another almost totally sleepless night I took Jack to the doctors today...I just wanted to get his ears checked (in case he had an ear infection) and just a general check up too see if there was a physical reason for his night restlesness.

He self-settles and sleeps great during the day (usually has two sleeps in the day) and then self settles fine at night in his cot in his own room. He may sleep for a couple of hours and then wakes constantly for the rest of the night. At his first waking after I have gone to bed I will take him to bed with me but he still wakes constantly and is just really restless, he will get up on his knees, squirm, and grizzle...ALL NIGHT...this has been going on for a couple of months now and I am SERIOUSLY sleep deprived!!

The doctor said that maybe he is getting heartburn (which I took to mean silent reflux). He prescribed Losec, which he said to give him for a week and see if it makes any difference. My question is, what if it isn't heartburn? Will the Losec be bad for him? Wouldn't he be crying or screaming if he had heartburn, not just restless? Wouldnt he not sleep in the day as well?

Any advice appreciated...

My DS had silent reflux and it took untill he was about 3 months old to get diagnosed. He was the opposite of your DS, he slept well at night usually from abou 9:30-3 and then again untill about 6ish, but was HORRIFIC during the day, unsettled, restless, easily disturbed. Once he was on Losec he was a different baby, and I got my sanity back for the first time in months.
I am pretty sure that Losec won't do any harm, it just inhibits the production of stomach acid (please someone correct me if I am wrong). It did take a good week or more for us to see real improvement, but once he did improve it was a HUGE improvement. DS is off it now and has been for about 5 months, and he has had no side effects etc from taking it.
My suggestion would be to try it for at least 10 days and see if it makes a difference, if not then you can stop, and no harm done.

Thanks heaps Ali.

I thought of another question....

This sleep behavious started at about 4 months. He had never slept through before that, but we would get at least 4 hours at a time...sometimes 5 or 6.
Can reflux start at a later age? Or is it probably not reflux if it didnt start from birth?

i had my dd on zoton (simialr to losec) and it help only a little bit , BUT i have taken her to accupuncture (no needles for babies , they do a special pressure point/ meridian treatment)
and sice then she is a different baby and i have not medicated her since ..

maybe try other avenues for his restlessness , osteopath /chiro/appuputncre/massage ..
saves you wasting $$ on medcations and most natural therapies are non invasive ...