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[Guest guest]

,

We did not know Madison had reflux until we were released from the hospital

and I took her to the pediatrician for the first time. I told her how she

effortlessly throws up. She does not wretch or gag, it would just flow out

of her mouth. Is this what does? Anyway, the ped put her on

cisapride (aka propulsid) and zantac. The cisapride was a wonder drug for

us. Immediately, she would be able to take between 1 and 2 ounces at a time

and continued to increase her intake.(orally, no NG at that time). The

zantac was for her esophagus, to help with the stomach acid that could be

burning her esophagus. Cisapride is a drug that helps the stomach to empty

out faster.

All of this happened the first 2 months of her life. Then, when she was 2

1/2 mos. old she had to have her heart repair. After this surgery is when

the eating thing went bad for us. It took 2 hospitalizations and about 3 mos

to figure out why she wouldn't eat and would throw up if I tried to give her

some thru the ng tube. we tried everything...formulas, laying her on her

right side to facilitate emptying, at one time they said she had an allergy

to milk protein.....all wrong, until I finally said...I thnk she is just

full....BINGO...They did a stomach emptying test and found that she only

emptyed 10% per hour. (liquids) 80% would have been normal. the problem

has been finding a solution. The GI doc thought that the reason she ate good

until her heart repair was because the surgeon injured the VEGAL nerve,

which tells the tummy to empty out. Cisapride does not work for us anymore

because it uses the vagal nerve to tell the brain to empty out the stomach.

We fought that NG tube for several months and finally gave in to the

g-tube(button) last Oct. It has benn really nice for us. Madison eats on

her own during the day and gets 11 ounces at night thru her button. It does

not bother her one bit. She will lay on her stomach, she never flinches if I

try to look at and clean it, etc.

However, the past few weeks, she has not been wanting to eat, and has been

refluxing a lot lately. I ahve had to use the button several times during

the day. I never have to worry anymore if she is hydrated. It is extremely

frustrating for me now bcause she can eat baby and table food, and drink from

a bottle just fine, but her tumy will not allow her to take the amount she

needs to grow. We'll see what the GI doc says next Weds. after her barium

swallow test. I'll keep you informed.

Hope all will get better for you!

Jodie

mom to Madison -20 mos.-CHaRgE

Ankeny, Ia