Nicki's Page

Hi Nicki - Have been there with baby number one and now reliving the whole experience again - nightmare and I really feel for you. The positive thing is that it does get easier and I now have the happiest, fantastic little boy who is 2 next week and it really is worth it so hang in there. We had a similar experience as I think most people do - silent reflux seems to be even harder to diagnose than reflux. I can't believe you only got him on meds at 5 months? How have you coped for so long? My experience is that you will need to go back to the paediatrician and get the dose increased. My son was on medication from 2 months until 13 months and the dose was increased every couple of months as he gained weight the meds become less effective and thus the dose needs increasing. You should do this right away and your life will be changed! On one occasion with us we were up every 2 hours in the night trying to settle him, this went on for a month before we went back to the consultant who increased the meds and within 2 nights he slept through the night for the first time. Not sure where you are in Essex (i used to live in Billericay!), but we saw a consultant at the Portland in London, he was fantastic and have just booked to see him with my daughter who is 4 weeks and screaming the house down!! We have a CD called sleepy head which calms her down when she is screaming - it is a vacuum cleaner and extractor fan - mad but true - might be worth a try! I could write a book about the whole experience - it is a real nightmare and I really feel for you.

This is quite useful info.... http://www.paediatricgastroenterologist.co.uk/development.htm

hI NICKI This is ferns mum. She and rebecca are in hospital. After the midwife, health visitor, hospital midwife all said they thought she was suffering from reflux she went to the doctors on thurs am and he refused to refer her to a consultant. That night she was sent to a doctor at 10pm ny NHS direct. Both doctors said to burp her baby and that she was unlucky and had a collicky child!!. We all went to a & e friday am and she was admitted were they have been monitoring her behaviour. Last night an older nurse reported that the crying was definately not normal and asked the registra to attend but low and behold he was too busy and the episode had passed before they could observe. The doctors started on Infant gaviscon, ranitidine and domperidone at 12.45 lunchtime today. By 13.30 she had fed and was asleep and looked and behaved a different baby. She slept until 15.30 which is the longest she has ever slept in a daytime period. Funnily she is fed in mums bed at night and isnt moved and the screeming sessions dont happen? She has been breastfed and fern has been feeding throughout the 16 days of her life so far, 24/7. The doctor said that the milk was giving her some relief from the acid. Obviously we are not impressed by the treatment from the doctors and if nothing had happened we had researched on the internet and had an appt with dr massoud who practices at the portland. Maybe he is the one michelle had experience of. Fern has been accused of being a neurotic first time mother but the doctors ignored the concerns of three health professionals who had all witnessed the distressing episodes when it made you think the reactions to the food you were providing was being received as though it was a poison. we dont intend to let matters lie as this illness causes such a strain on famillies that you can imagine people get to the end of their tether and when help is asked for you just hit your head against a brick wall. Will let you know of the outcome.

Hi Nicki, Sorry you are having such a nightmare - I just wanted to say that i completely sympathise. Both of my children have reflux and it has been the most stressful few years of my life. My eldest had it really badly and screamed and projectile vomited constantly for the first few years and he barely slept. He still has reflux now aged 3. Our youngest has reflux and also a dairy allergy and developed colitis as a baby so he was screaming day and night for months - i was so distressed.

People who've never experienced severe reflux really don't understand what you go through.

How is your littlun now?

hi nikki, i to am a nikki and live in essex.....
.....so sorry to here about your bubu, its terible isnt it. our little fella is 8 wks on sunday, our 3rd boy and has silent reflux, he dont sick.......but screams in pain if his not held uprite all the time, he has a wedge in his cot now, and we have bought a sling, which he has settled in, i still sit here and wonder thou if the dr's are wrong. Harrison feeds well, and he dont vomit, but does arch his back and is in pain after feeding? ? ? / ?, cannot be put down flat, he screams when we try and change his nappy, so now we have to try that on a incline to..........oh its very hard isnt it, i feel for you hun with your little one being sick as well.

Just feel so helpless sometimes.

Its so hard to think he has this condition, and the dr's just said to us he will grow out of it................they put him on losec and gaviscon..................5 days ago, no change with him at all.