sick on pepti junior and neocate....help!

[lennyloo123]

My baby is now 5 weeks and has dairy intolerance and silent reflux. I was solely breastfeeding but was diagnosed with the intolerence and silent reflux on Wednesday and put on pepti junior but it made him projectile vomit (also through his nose!) So the paediatrician said today to change to neocate. I am gutted that after 2 feeds he has projectiled again! I thickened up with clarobel and sat him up for half hour after the feed. I propped his moses basket up so it wasnt flat. I think neocate is supposed to be for really sensitive babies so I dont understand why its made him so sick. He was never sick when breasfeeding or the occasional aptimil (used when he was comfort feeding and i had no milk lwft). Anyone else experienced this? Should I have introduced it gradually rather than giving full 3oz? Ive been getting around 2 hours sleep each night for past 5 weeks and just cant stand seeing my boy wriggling around and screaming in pain all night. He is so much better in the day. Help! X

[ilovepowerhoop]

did you want to give up breastfeeding?

[lennyloo123]

Hey ilovepowerhoop! I breastfed my first boy for 9 months with no problem and wanted to do the same this time but he was losing a lot of weight due to the intolerence and so I was advised to go onto formula. Im gutted to do it because I love bf but will be easier in the long run because theres something in my milk which gives his pain (we assume dairy but I cut dairy out for a week and he was still in agony although I know it will take longer to get it all out of my system). Im exhausted and emotional after no sleep for 5 weeks and so bottle will also mean my husband can help. Im just confused as to why these specual milks are making him so sick and its only at night. He isnt sick in the day. Hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel at the moment and feel bad not spending any time with my 3 year old. X

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

Is he on reflux meds? I expect he's worse at night because he's lying down. Do you tilt the mattress? Keep up right for 20 minutes after a feed and wind him regularly. My DS was on Neocate and has reflux and a dairy allergy, never had any vomiting issues to be honest.

Thickener helps with the feed not coming up but only meds like ranitidine or omeprazole helps with the stomach acid which can be painful.

[lennyloo123]

Thanks for your message pobblewhohasnotoes. He is on ranitidine. Ive tilted his moses basket and also tried him sleeping in bouncer but he was still sick during the night. How long has your lo been on neocate and how long did it take to see an improvement?

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

He was on Neocate at about 5-6 months til a year when I switched him to soya. Started off on gaviscon by 8 weeks and ranitidine not long after as gaviscon just made him constipated. He's got eczema, reflux and a dairy intolerance and we see a dermatologist and an allergy consultant.

Sleeping in a bouncer isn't ideal as it can tip their head forward and obstruct breathing, tilting the mattress is fine though. Is it a lot of sick? DS used to projectile vomit every feed and was miserable. Are they increasing the ranitidine with his weight? When you were bf did you cut out soya too?

I can't remember how long the Neocate took to work as he's 2 now. But it did, it can take time to work, same with the meds. Omeprazole is the next option if ranitidine doesn't work. Having a baby with reflux is really hard and exhausting, I totally sympathise. Do you see a paediatrician?

Sorry, asked a million questions there.

[lennyloo123]

Oh hadnt considered that about bouncer, thanks. Maybe I need to prop his moses basket up even further. Im trying a dummy tonight to try and help him deal with his pain but as usual he is screeching, kicking and wriggling his way through the night!

Last night was projectile vomit and scared me when he was so distressed with it coming out of his nose. He is currently doing a high pitched shriek. Its do horrible.

Only been on ranitidine since Wednesday so maybe that will improve things in time.

My gp told me its a 4 wk wait to see paediatrician on nhs do I ended up paying for private on wednesdsy but cant afford to keep doing that. He prescribed the neocate, carobel and ranitidine but I need to have access to a paediatrician to monitor him (im case he loses lots of weight again) and to ask questions when they arise. Just feel that nhs have left me to get on with it and have heard "he will grow out of it" from hv and midwives but they dont have to watch him in so much pain all night! He was in such a state last night, I took him to out if hours doctor today and he says I should return to gp and insist a referral to nhs paediatrician next week as its not right to wait 4 weeks with duch a young baby.....im going round in circles!

Its good to hear from people who have been through this and hear it can get better.

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

Ah yes the 'he'll grow out it' line. I got that one too. It's true, they do grow out of it eventually, but that doesn't help you now. When you've got a screaming, miserable, vomiting baby being told they'll grow out of it is so unhelpful! My DS is still on ranitidine at 2.

The other one is 'he's putting on weight'. My DS always put on weight (no idea how) yet still projectile vomited all his feeds.

You can pay to go private for a one off appointment. We did with the dermatologist as my GP want interested in treating DS's eczema, we then went back to the GP with the letter and prescriptions and got an NHS referral.

Paediatricians are a mixed bunch when it comes to reflux and milk allergy, some of them don't seem to believe in reflux at all (I'm also a paeds nurse, and see a lot of kids with it). You might be better off finding an allergy team as they can do skin prick testing (unfortunately it can be inaccurate in babies) and they treat milk allergies and reflux. We see an allergy consultant and he's great and we also see a dietician. I'm not sure where you live but if you're near London I can recommend several people.

[lennyloo123]

Thank you. We are in leigh on sea in essex. Could you give me any contacts as a recommendation would be great. Dont know how long I can continue to function on such little sleep! Is your 2 yesr old happy now? X

[Superworm]

DS is allergic to dairy and soy, I bf so eliminate those from my diet.

Whatever you do, it takes 2-3 weeks to see an improvement as that's how long the milk proteins take to leave the body.

I tried neocate but found he was unsettled on it so went back to breastfeeding. It's hard going but give it time and I'm sure you will see some improvements.

[laura2323]

My dd (9month) is on neocate, ranitidine and omzerpole. Like you I couldn't breastfeed in hindsight she was reacting to my milk. My dietician and allergy specialist says It takes 4-6 weeks for all dairy proteins to leave the body so your baby may still be reacting to what's in their system. It could also be the heat. My dd reflux been under control for a month now but she has been vomitting the past week due to heat, it's like her reflux is back (but doesn't have the acidy smell it used to have), and it's like a scene from the exorcist again. Make sure they're getting fluid in, we've had to syringe water into dd. The reflux does get better with solids and when sitting up, but that's just my experience so hopefully it would be the same for you.
Before we got diagnosed my dd liked to be in her bouncer or have a wedge under her Moses basket/cot blanket. Or sat in her car seat, not strapped in, and id use my foot to rock her. Hope you get sorted soon

[lennyloo123]

Thanks everyone. I will just try and get through the next few weeks and hopefully see an improvement. I returned to gp again today insisted on a referral to an nhs paediatrician asap so fingers crossed it wont be too long. Im just really struggling with the lack of sleep at the moment amd feel our whole lives are on hold while having such a sad baby. X