My 11 year old has been burping food 20 times a day for 5 months!

[debkoch]

My daughter started burping up food after a party new years eve this year.. She is 11. She was a little prone to this prior to the party but it only happened once every few months.   Now she does this almost every time she eats. (20 times a day) She's had an endoscopy, motility test, gastric scan, ultrasound, and a gall bladder test. She has a small weakness at the base of her esophagus.   The gall bladder test (torture for 3 hours) was inconclusive they said because she moved too much.  She is on 40 mg of nexium 2 times a day, and a drug called Reglan.  She is not getting any better after a month.  In fact tonight she has added stomach pain and incredibly loud stomach gurgling followed by frightening burps to her symptoms.  Her pediatric gastroenterologist is suggesting it is psychosymatic.  I don't think so. She's missed over 30 days of school.  The talk of esophogeal cancer being caused by constant acid reflux is terrifying me! HELP!

[ChitChatNine]

Has the barium passed thru yet?  Make sure it passes out completely .. if it is still there it may be pressing up causing pressure as in reflux?

I've heard that eurthramycin works well .. look @ Gretchen's post ... her son is on it ... I'm going to send her a note to see if she can post to you.

Cheryl

[JennasMom]

Yes we had her finally exray'd to see if all the Barium was gone and it was backed up on her so after a couple enemas and some laxatives it is gone, but she is still unable to consume a normal meal, yesterday we bought some of that Smart Water plain water with electrolytes just to keep her hydrated.  We are only able to keep breads in her and the Rice Pasta seemed to stay down but she is only eating a half cup of food at a time.  I am new to this site and I am not sure how to navigate around, how can I see Gretchen's post not sure how to do that?
Lisa

[ChitChatNine]

It wouldn't be too easy ..... you can see her screename on the right hand side and that would alert you she answered somebody or created a post but you wn't be able to easily find it bcz this post was contained in another post I think as a reply so I am going on memory.

I just sent her a message for you :)

Cheryl

[ChitChatNine]

I was told that anything that upsets the water balance within the intestines can be a sure fire indication that a reflux flare will follow.  This I was told when my son at age 12weeks had a bowel resection.  The Pedi GI was awaiting an awful reflux flare.

that would be my best guess as to what is happening right now as all has been disturbed with the barrium, etc. making symptoms so much more pronounced in the reflux dept. ????

You can try to add things to help weight down the liquid .. the water itself may actually create reflux as it is so light up and down ... but I understand it's tough not being able to drink anything else .......... stay away from milk too I would think.

Baby food in baby jars PUREE STAGE I is another thought I have for you to reintro solids at this difficult time

Cheryl

[JennasMom]

Well she does not drink milk and that was stopped years ago, due to it being a major trigger for her reflux.  

I think you hit the nail on the head, the barium just has given her a major upset and flare up. We are trying at this point to just keep down carbs, breads, rice and then we will advance to some baby foods, someone else had suggested that to me too.  I am also going to try some Rice Milk if we get through this bad period. I just wonder how long will this flare up last?

I sent her back to school yesterday (she is 14 and also mentally challenged) for the first time in 2 weeks and she did regurg in school three times with mouthfuls, but she was able to make it through a whole day. I had the school nurse give her Maalox in school just to calm her esophagus and it seemed to settle her just a bit.  I am giving her Protonix 2x a day and I am going to start giving the second dose before dinner instead of before bedtime since it seems to have eased her pain in the LES.  

She did have an endoscope last thursday and she did have two stomach polyps, (which I have read can be caused from long term use of PPI's like Protonix etc.  We will be getting the pathology from those polyps next week.  

Note to Deb:  I would try stay away from the Reglan and try to do the Erythromycin, Reglan has major side effects. The Erythromycin used in this way is not commonly known and my friend who is a Pharmacist in a hospital suggested it.  Also I have been visiting a site called "healthline.cc" (not .com)  This guy has a radio show and is an expert nutritionists,(MD) He has some wonderful products that really help. and certifies MD's all over the country to administer his health products that attack every sort of ailment I am going to travel to see one of his practitioners for other issues and my daughters reflux issue.
Lisa

[ChitChatNine]

You can also make your own pureed foods that may be tastier as you reintro .. one other thought is if you go with the rice milk (we know rice milk very well, here, too) is to ask your Dr. about a product called THICK IT and that will thicken it .. it is used for geriatric patients as a thickener.   Not for long term use as it may fill her up and less nutrients but may be worth a try if nothing else helps~!

SO SO glad to have helped!!!

Cheryl