Does Gaviscon cause constipation?

Video Transcript:

This video is about Gaviscon and it’s in the reflux section because Gaviscon is the medication often given to babies to help with reflux.  So first of all, any medications that you’ve had from your GP, obviously you have to continue with those and you have to consult the GP if you are going to think about changing them. But that’s all over to the GP.

That’s not my place to change that for you. So, Gaviscon, a couple of points. The major point with Gaviscon is that it is very constipating for your baby.  And I would say that now most of the parents that come in and their babies have been put on Gaviscon are told that it can do this.

 

It used to be they weren’t told at all. So when I told them that it was constipating, this was all news to them. So from your point of view, this is what you have to decide. Is your baby better on Gaviscon gone than before when they went on Gaviscon?

 

So, for example, if your baby is being sick all the time, what might happen is you use the Gaviscon and they aren’t sick anymore. It’s fixed that, however, you get a much worse baby, the bottom end. So they’re not throwing up the top end, but the bottom end is worse.

 

They’ve constipated, the wind is getting trapped, they’re crying, screaming with colic pain and they’ve stopped pooing. So they have constipation pain. And you can read more about Constipation and some of the other videos.

 

So you have to then decide what’s better. This is the important thing. If the baby was being sick so much, it was losing weight and it was dangerous and you got to have them gaining weight, then, of course, you use the Gaviscon and you just have to deal with the bottom end, screaming and crying and stuff there.

 

But this has happened to me before. A mum has come in with the baby and they’re on six sachets of Gaviscon on a day, which is the top amount. And I remember saying to his mom, So how many times was your baby sick? Was it sick? Once a day, ten times a day. And mom said, My baby was never sick, never even been sick.

 

But because it had colic and crying and screaming and things, it just got put on Gaviscon. It’s basically the one thing, the one medication that is available. So this baby was unnecessarily on Gaviscon really. And then they had this much, much worse baby at the bottom end. 

 

And then we put in all the factors that I’m teaching you in this course. We put those into position and then the baby was better, the top end and the Colic got better and the poos got better. It didn’t have to be on Gaviscon in the first place. 

 

So here’s the decision. Is your baby better or worse on Gaviscon and Gaviscon is very constipating, so keep that in mind and what you have to do is if you’re unsure of what’s going on and maybe a baby is worse that you just have to follow what’s in this course and then make the baby better anyway without the need for the Gaviscon.