My daughter has GERD( acid reflux)?
My baby is 5 weks and was diagnosed with acid reflux at 2 weeks she vomits everything(forcable vomitting). They are considering surgry but I’m so scared. The medicines aren’t working (Zantac, Axid, Reglan) I just dont know what to do please give me advice.
March 16th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I did the same thing when I was a baby, but back then they hadn't heard of GERD. I ended up with GERD later on in life, but what they ended up finding out about me was that I was violently allergic to milk. My mother told me she used to lay me on my back on one end of the couch and I'd vomit so hard that it would reach the other end of the couch. This was happening when I was just a few weeks old, too. But when they finally tried putting me on a formula with soy milk, it went away completely…. I don't know if your doctors have tried this strategy yet, but it may be worth checking into…
March 16th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
my daughter was born daughter was diagnosed with GERD also and she also had a defect called gastroschisis which made her acid reflux even worse….by 6 weeks she had to have the surgery done or fundoplocation as they call it…..i know you must be scared but if your child has acid reflux that bad than surgery is probably the best way to go…..if your baby can't take in much formula than your baby won't gain adequate weight and it can damage the baby's esophogus….this surgery will make it so your baby won't be able to burb or throw up but if they will explain to you about what to do and what it looks like if your baby tries to do either…..i am not sure if you know what they do or not but the surgeons will take the top part of the baby's stomach and wrap it around the esophogus to stop anything in the belly to come up eventually this can come loose and your baby may be able to burb and throw up but by the time that happens your child should not have any more problems with acid reflux…..my daughter is now a healthy four year old girl and hasn't got any problems….please listen to your child's doctor's. i know it's hard but if they have tried everything then surgery is the only option….i know how you feel and what you are going through….i had to deal with my baby being in the hospital for 3 months, two major surgeries one when she was only three hours old to put her intestines in her stomach and now as a result has a doctor made belly button and a tube in her chest to give her the nutrients that she needed and then on top of all that a g- tube for 2 years…..don't worry your baby will be alright and you will be too….it is tough i know all about it….if you have any questions you can message me on yahoo messenger….take care and best wishes.
March 16th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Have you tried different bottle? Or are u nursing? Dr Browns bottles helped my daughter a lot when she was suffering from it. Medicine didnt do to much for her either. Im sure the doctors have told you everything but if you are using formula, there are special kinds that are available now and not just the soy ones. I think the new ones have rice powder in them to thicken them some. Dont just put rice cereal in the bottle tho. Also smaller amounts closer together. Trial and error with bottles and formula and feeding schedules is what finally worked for us. Good luck!
March 16th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
BEING IN THE MEDICAL FIELD I'M TELLING YOU GET 2 OR EVEN 4 DIFFERENT OPINIONS BEFORE ANY SURGERY BEIN SO SMALL YOUR BABY, IS A BIG THING MY BABY HAD GERD AS WELL TRY NOT TO LAY HER ON HER BACK WITH OUT HAVING ANYTHING UNDER HER MEANING TRY FOR HER TUMMY TO BE ABOVE THER FEET AT ALL TIMES EVEN AT NIGHT PUT A PILLOW UNDER GER MATTRESS AND YOU CAN BUY THAT PILLOW THAT WON'T LET THE BABY ROLL OVER YOU CAN FIND THAT ON BABY'S R US LOOK FOR IT AND TRY IT AND WELL MILK GIVE HER SOME RICE WITH IT BUT DON'T GIVE IT TO THINK ETHER THAT WOULD BE TO HARSH ON HER TUMMY. GOOD LUCK
March 16th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
I agree totally with the response Bananahead gave you. It is superb advice, and she deserves the 10 points!!Chow!!
March 16th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
My younger son had acid reflux, and fortunately for us (and him!) the Zantac worked, and he was fine after about 4 months.Before you even CONSIDER surgery, please please please get a second opinion. Even though most doctors are ethical, there are some who are out only for $$$. Have they actually done any tests (upper GI, x-ray, etc.)?
March 16th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Has your doctor explored every option? My son is 10 weeks old, and seems to have reflux(as did my first son). As of right now, his doctor has suggested we put rice cereal in his bottles. Just enough to thicken it up a little. Something with it being thicker is supposed to help. It's working so far. But with my first son, we tried EVERYTHING. What finally worked for him was switching to a soy-based formula, and a prescription of Zantac. I've also heard of putting a little of the dark Karo syrup into their bottles to thicken it up more. Of course, don't try anything without first discussing it with her doctor. I know where you're coming from, it hurts you to see them hurt like that. As long as you're trying everything you can to help, there's nothing more you can do. Best wishes to you and your little one.
March 16th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
I would think your doctor would or should have given you a diet suitable for your child.The fact is that certain foods will trigger your body to increase the production of stomach acid. Cow's milk is one of these. Tomato based sauces. Chocolate and even iceberg lettuce can cause these triggers.Ask your doctor for a list of these foods or look online. I'd check the ingredients of the baby foods for any of these ingredients.
March 16th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Hey there…. Honestly I have 4 children and I had to recently go through the exact same thing my daughter was born almost 6 months ago she was 3 months premature and has severe prohjectial acid reflux and uses zantac whatever the dose of med. is your doctor gave you for baby double it dont even ask him just double the dose twice a day every twelve hours so for a 5 month old i would give in my daughters case she gets 1.5 ml of Ranitidine every twelve hours and every 6 hours she gets 10 ml of gripe water …..acid reflux is heart burn and makes baby throat burn also so it causes them to vomit they have no other way to releive the feeling tht is causing them so much discomfort you may even want to try thickining his or her formula with a small amount of rice cereal the thicker the formula the less chance of coming bck uop and tlk to your pediatrician about maybe a [blockage in the intestine] tht also causes reflux symptoms and surgery is simple and nothing to be scared about its going to fix indefinetly the problem your child is having maybe even consider oval drops which are an over the counter med as well they have the amount required but its worth a try and as a last resort think about a hypo allergenic formula like nutramigen it is covered on any drug plan ……which is nice just need a perscription but only get one can at first to try hate to stop up on something of no use to you!!!! Good luck hope this helps!!!
March 16th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Have you considered pyloric stenosis as a diagnosis? Ask your doctor about that. Also give the meds a good week or 2 before you give up on them.
March 16th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Listen to the experts, the physicians who are treating your baby. I know it must be hell to watch your baby suffer. But please don't let strangers tell you what to do.I strongly suggest you go to blogaboutacidityproblem.com and I bet you will find answers@
March 16th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
I can totally sympathise……………my daughter nearly 13 now…was born with severe GERD…….Micro Gastria..(tiny, tiny stomach) and other medical problems…it has been quite the learning experience raising her… Oh where to start….. First off…..What surgery are they recommending? NisoFundiplication? If so PLEASE research….. How many PH probes have they done on your baby? Do you have the baby sleeping upright? Feeding upright? Thickened feeds? Where do you live? The medicines that they are prescribing will take some time to works and wont make a massive change overnight…. What about Losec? Are they suggesting any medication to speed up the digestion…cant remember the name now…. My daughters muscle at the stomach/Esophagus…..was always open and wasnt functioning at all……….so we used a drug before I fed her to speed up the mobility to get the feed through quicker… After 7 long months of frustration…and vomitting blood etc…… we inserted a J tube…and fed her directly into her intestines…. something will be sorted soon….hydration is your main concern at the moment….dont worry too too much about weight gain…if things get bad Im sure they will suggest TPN….vein feeds which my daughter gained some weight with until they decided what to do….. To cut a long story short…. shes now a few weeks away from 13 a picture of health although not totally healthy…..a perfect weight and eats on her own…thanks to my persaverance….(stuborness more like!!) the feeding tube came out when she was 3 and has never gone back in although they said she would be tube fed her whole life…my biggest piece of advice is that your baby is your baby….you have to be the voice…research….and go with your gut feeling….dont lay back and always agree with the doctors….listen but have an opinion….always be on guard……..good luck…God Bless……..and feel free to email me……Remember SLEEP WHEN BABY SLEEPS….EVERYTHING ELSE CAN WAIT… L.Butler