Abnormally high acid reflux AND food allergies!

[Anonymous]

My son Levi (13 months) had a ph impedence probe study done earlier this month. We found out he has abnormally high acid reflux – 197 episodes in 24hrs. He has confirmed allergies to dairy, soy, and corn. We’ve been struggling to find ANYTHING that will help with the acid. He’s been on countless medications (H2 and PPI kinds) and he has reacted to them. Most recently prilosec.

Anyone in the same boat? What have you tried? Other than the pediatrician, we’ve only taken him to the local pediatric GI. Should we go get another opinion?

This mommy is at her wits end! 🙁

[Anonymous]

Melissa, I am so sorry that your little one is so sick. 🙁

Both of my boys suffered severely from reflux and food intolerances. They were on special formula and Prevacid. But even with that they were still miserable. I became determined to find the CAUSE of their problems rather than just treat the symptoms. Please take the time to read my blog. (see signature) And also be sure to read the page titled “Have probiotics, enzymes, or alkaline water helped you or your child?” On there is a story of a mom that was being faced with not knowing what to do next with her child that refused to eat almost anything and everything.

This is not advertisement! 🙂 I am a real mom that was just like you… at my wits end!!!!!!

I hope that you can find some help SOON for your little one!

[hellbennt]

has he had an endoscopy? to see how irritated his esophugus is? to take biopsies?

hugs, mama!

here’s a recent post about ph probes

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15343&KW=

hellbennt2012-08-18 15:45:30

[Anonymous]

Thank you 🙂

Yes, he had an endoscopy in March which showed some erosions. However the biopsies were all negative. (The pictures sure looked like it was showing erosions though!) The GI had us try medication after medication… he reacted to them. Mostly due to the corn in them I believe. The GI told us “there is nothing else we can do.” He wasn’t on any medication for almost 2 months. Fast forward to July when the GI told me “I’m sure this is more traumatic for you than it is for him”. And she wanted to wait on doing the probe because she didn’t think it would benefit anything. It took me asking our pediatrician to call the GI to get the probe study scheduled- and low and behold what we found out. 197 episodes (189 were acid) reflux in 24 hrs. I think we’re just going to have to get a referral to Boston Children’s. The GI office we go to just isn’t cutting it! Talk about no support or empathy!

[Anonymous]

Doctors can be SO frustrating!! 🙁 I’m sorry you aren’t getting the help you want from them.

[Anonymous]

What was his total percentage of reflux? The percentage of reflux is much more significant than the total number reflux episodes. also, the number of prolonged episodes are more significant than the total number of episodes. I know 197 episoes of acis reflux in 24 hours sounds like an awful lot–but if they were only a couple of seconds long—they really aren’t significant because they don’t add up to alot and they aren’t likely to do much–if any—damage.

My daughter only had 97 episodes of reflux—but she had several prolonged episodesof reflux, and her overall percental of reflux averaged out to her refluxing almost 25% of the time. At 8 months old, her esophagus was already getting ulcerated. her longest reflux episode lasted 44 minutes long—and she slept through it—-while it burned her esophagus. Her scope looked pretty good, according the our ped gi—until he got the biopsies back. They really can’t tell much when they look with the naked eye—it is the biopsies that tell the real story.

My daughter was also failure to thrive—she could not keep enough down to gain weight. She had to have a fundoplication about a week before she turned 10 months old—turned out she had a pretty good sized hiatal hernia that had not shown up during her scope or during two upper GIs.

How has he reacted to the PPIs? It sounds like his esophagus is not getting damaged even without the medication.

It would help us understand a little more if you could tell us what the report of his ph probe said—besides the number of reflux episodes? also, tell us a little more about the report of his scope—I assume that when you say the biopsies were normal, that you mean they show no damage?

With the small amount of inof you gave us it is a little hard to tell what is really going on. A second opinion can’t hurt—but if he showed no damage, even with such a high number of reflux episodes, and his biopsies were normal–I’m assuming no damage, no esophageal thrush and no eosinophils—then I’m not sure you would get any more information from a different doctor—but, I’m only basing that on the info you gave us—–you should have alot more info from both your probe and your ph study that could shed alot more light on things and help us to be able to give you a little better advice.

Reflux is a real bummer to deal with. My daughter did exceptionally well with her fundo—but most kids with reflux are not as severe as she was and most don’t require surgery—so I hope I didn’t make you nervous when I told you my daughter had to have it—-remember, she showed severe damage and was failure to thrive—I remember asking the doctor how bad she was, and he told me she was in a class of her own. I also realized what he was trying to tell me and I finally asked,”she’s not going to get better without surgery, is she?” At that point he said “no” and told me he was sorry—and this was a ped gi who tried to avoid surgery. We were lucky to have an excellent surgeon–people come from out of state to go to him—and all she has are 5 tiny little scars on her tummy that you can barely see. She cannot throw p, but she can burp–so gas build-up isnot a problem for her.

Post all the info you can for us on both of your child’s tests—and let’s see what we can do to get you headed in the right direction!!! also, tell us his weight and any meds., etc.

[Anonymous]

hi there…i feel your pain, it is so frustrating. Did your son have allergy testing to confirm those allergies? How old was he when he had it done? My GI has mentioned it becuase my son is in the same boat…no relief

[hellbennt]

Accuracy of allergy testing & great post by sherri explaining IgE and IgG (intolerance/allergies) https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10815

Sheri’s allergy/intolerance explanation: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10223&PID=87638#87638

Another Sheri explanation- intolerance/allergy post:

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11579&PID=97442#97442

Exposure to foods & blood testing: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12993

[hellbennt]

please let us know how everything is

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