Hi

Thought we had my DD's reflux under control but am rethinking that now. She has been on omeprazole since she was about 8 wks old and we even managed to wean her successfully off it about 2 months ago.

Then she got a tummy bug and back it came, with an increase to her omeprazole dosage and trying ranitidine in conjunction we got it back under control again. The ranitidine didn't seem to work for her, gave her a very windy tummy and as the reflux was again under control we took her off it.

Since new year though we have been getting increasingly bad nights. She has a constant cold it seems and often a cough which I had put down to teething but? At first I thought the sleep issues were teething but the teeth are here and still the same issue. She will settle herself to sleep but then after 45mins - hour she wakes screaming. Only way to resettle her and get her back to sleep is in the buggy as as soon as I try to lie her down she screams and arches again. Her cot is on an incline still but obviously not enough. If I am lucky once she is deeply asleep I can transfer her to her bed and she is ok. Have used gaviscon again with her at night and the first night excellent, but not since.

I don't know what to do next. Should I see the GP and try to get the omeprazole
increased again (DD is 11kg and is on 10mg)? Last time I saw the GP re this she said DDwas on maximum dose and that's why we ended up with ranitidine as well. Is there anything else anyone can suggest. Something has to change but I don't know what to try next. I keep being told she will grow out of it. First it was 'oh once she is sitting she will get better', then solids, then the magic 1 yr mark.

I have heard all those magic marks they are meant to grow out of it by, lol, never actually found a magic mark here! I don't know what doses are meant to be but know my daughter was on 20 mg at about 12 months. Good luck! It is so hard dealing with reflux and lack of sleep!

Hi I've just notified this one to Roz and she might be able to help further but as a heads up we're not meant to discuss weights/med doses here because each case is medically different.

Reflux can be a sneaky wee thing and just when you think you have it under control it comes back to bite you on the bum!

I don't know where you are or if it's possible for you but maybe ask the GP for a referral to a paed to discuss the meds. Not that many kids need both ranitidine and omeprazole and often it's a matter of tweaking doses which a paed may be able to do better than a GP.

How long have you been trying the diff meds this time round? How many nights on gaviscon, when did you go back to the omeprazole etc? Because it can take some time for any reflux damage to heal and for them to be consistently improved so it might be a little too early to panic yet.

Hugs I know how hard it is and esp when you think you had it sorted!

Hi Jay

There is still room to move on that dose, but there are some issues being questioned around prescribing Omeprazole to infants and young children at all. If your doctor doesn't feel comfortable prescribing more, then you could see a specialist. Can you afford to see one privately? Here is a good article that may explain a bit more to you: http://www.thechildrensclinic.co.nz/omeprazole-the-good-and-the-bad

Paracetamol and a teething remedy should be enough to settle teething pain. Thinking about the time when things got worse, did you introduce any new foods? Have you tried a dairy free diet?

Oh, I just thought. Are you giving Omeprazole granules? If so, are you giving them with a little fruit and before the first feed/breakfast of the day (prefably half an hour before)?

Also when I said there is room to move on the dose, it is also within the dosage range for her weight.

Thanks for that. We have been to our GP and she doesn't want to increase dosage. She has suggested splitting it and using half in the morning and half at night, so will try that. I would prefer no increase well but I just don't know what else to try. Before now she has always been great on the bare minimum dosage.

Roz - We give the granule with pear in the morning, and are lucky enough that DD happily waits 30 mins for breakfast. In terms if food she had been eating heaps of orange and melon and I think it was the orange that perhaps started the flare up. We hadn't added any other new foods. In terms of dairy she is on nurture starter formula still as we had reflux flare ups on the next stage ones. Yoghurt is fine but cheese (other than in cooking) is a no go.

Oh well. Tonight is a new night and we shall see what it brings!

The split dose is worth a try, especially as the problems are mostly at night? Give the last dose about half an hour before her last bottle.

Yep, orange especially may be a problem. It also sounds like dairy could be impacting so it could be worth investigating this further.

Have had a few days with splitting does of omeprezole now and each night have had a full night sleep from DD. I have still been giving her some gaviscon as well but will cut back on that tonight and see how we go.

Great news!