My daughter is scheduled for an Upper GI test tomorrow morning, anyone have any advice to get us though this?

Background: She is only 3 months old was diagnosed with reflux at 6 weeks and has been on Zantac ever since. The Zantac is just not cutting it anymore so we went back to the doctor and she ordered the Upper GI.

My daughter had an upper GI on her 3 mos. birthday... what a way to celebrate, huh?

The procedure is nothing to worry about.. it's simple. Your daughter probably isn't allowed to eat anything after midnight, so that'll be the toughest thing is not being able to feed her... that's the reason they schedule them so early in the morning. Once at the hospital, they'll lay her down and give her a bottle of barium to drink... this may be the hard part. However, my dd didn't drink that much and the test still worked.

Once she drinks the barium, the xray tech just watches it travel throughout her system on the screen... it's actually neat to watch. And that's it.

Sorry to hear the zantac isn't cutting it anymore... that was our miracle drug. Good luck tomorrow.

Thanks for the info. I just relized that our daughters have the exact same b-day, March 16th but 1 year apart. Funny huh.
I am just so worried about her and hope that this test brings us the answers we are searching for. How long did it take you to get the results?

I think we had it done later in the week and we had the results that following Monday.

Keep in mind.. this is not a very accurate test for diagnosing reflux. Lauren had it since birth and her upper GI came back normal. She wasn't diagnosed until 7 mos. of age.

DUH... i guess your little girl is already diagnosed if she's on zantac.

The xray tech told us he had reflux at the time it was happening so you should be able to ask. My son was a lot older when he had it done and we had to strap him down whcih was the hardest part, they had to squirt the solution in his mouth cause he wouldn't take the bottle. I am sure they are a lot better when they are younger.

Do remember that this will not accurately tell you if your daughter has reflux, like Sandy said. If she isn't refluxing at the time it wont show up.

Good luck with the testing.

Sandy and Rachel have told you everything already so Good Luck! Plese update us if you can on how it went!

Good luck and don't worry about it. It's minor in the testing scheme of things. My daughter had one at two weeks.

My son had his at about 10 months. The worst part was not letting him eat before it. It was actually a pretty simple test... he didn't want to drink the barium at first, but eventually we won him over and he did. His results came back normal... the GI was looking more for anantomical issues because the test is not good for diagnosing reflux. Hope it goes well and they find a medication that works for your little one.

What test more accurately diagnoses reflux if this Upper GI comes back normal?

we went thru this with Ian at about 4 months. It wasn't fun for me or dh, but Ian weathered it just fine. We hadto give him Pedialyte for, oh, 24 hours before the procedure (no milk/formula). He had an IV,which took quite a few sticks before they got a veinthey were happy with. The hardest part, actually, was putting him under the anesthesia. I had to help hold him still while they put the mask on. Little kids really struggle to get away and it just can break your heart. But... it all turned out just dandy.

If your GI is wanting to scope, go with it and just know it's for the best. You'll get some answers, even if it just rules out physical abnormlities, kwim?

It is a real simple procedure..nothing to worry about!

Good Luck tomorrow and let us know how she does!

What test more accurately diagnoses reflux if this Upper GI comes back normal?

A 24 hour pH probe, this is a tube that goes down the nose for 24 hours and moniters the level of acid (pH).

Like I said upper GI's are only a point in time test, if she isn't refluxing at the time it wont show it. Also it won't tell definately how severe it is.

Emma Did Fine Yesterday. She Was So Hungry She Drank The Barium Right Up! The Hardest Part Was Being Strapped Down To The Table, She Did Not Like That At All. The Test Came Back Normal So Our Next Step Is Reglin (don't Know If I Spelled That Right I Pick Up The Script Today) And An Appt With A Pediatric Gi.