Thank You!!

Paula B wrote: Hi Jenn,

So glad to hear Gabe is doing well!! I’ve been paying closer attention to your posts because our little guys are about the same age, and we have other things is common also — breastfeeding (aren’t you doing the TED also?) and Prevacid. Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions here?

Yup, I’m breastfeeding and doing TED, although I’m moving through the diet pretty rapidly right now – thank goodness!

My Nathan is still struggling, even though we just increased his Prevacid dose to 30 mg about 5 days ago. He was getting very little relief on the 22.5 mg dose, and he even started having what looked to me like Sandifer’s symptoms a couple of weeks ago (I viewed the animation on the Marci-kids site). Anyway, now that he’s on 30 mg, I have to admit he is much happier overall, and the Sandifer’s symptoms have pretty much stopped. He seems to not be in pain nearly as much.

BUT he still cannot sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time!! I don’t know if it’s just the sensation of his stomach contents coming back up that is waking him up, or what. Before increasing his dose, Nathan would wake up screaming after a 20 minute nap. I would pick him up quickly and try to rock him back to sleep, but he would scream and stiffen up and twist his neck sharply to one side (which to me looked like Sandifer’s). Now when he wakes up, I can sometimes get him back to sleep by rocking — so I think the pain is much better.

So I feel like we’re close to where we need to be, but not there yet… I don’t mean to complain because I really am happy that Nathan is better, but at the same time I want to do everything I can to get him the sleep he needs (and the break I need!) I just can’t believe he’s on the max dose of Prevacid and still having trouble sleeping 🙁

I totally understand how you feel! I can really sympathize!

If I remember correctly, you recently switched Gabe from the Solutabs to the Prevacid packets — was this because of the lactose in the Solutabs? Nathan definitely has milk protein intolerance, and I’m still on the TED gradually adding things back into my diet to see what else he has problems with. He has been having really stinky gas, so I’m wondering if he would do better with the packets?? Do you think Gabe’s improvement was due to switching?

I have heard that the lactose/lactase? in the solutabs are NOT supposed to bother babies, but some parents still swear that their babe got better after switching. I kept holding out because the solutabs are easier to administer, but Gabe was having stinky, stinky gas ALL THE TIME. I switched and the gas stopped and he’s been much more comfortable. I really do think that the gas was due to the solutabs. Either the lactose or maybe the artificial sweetener. It’s worth a try!

Also, Nathan was on Zantac before getting on Prevacid, and it didn’t do much for him. But I’m wondering if it might give Nathan the extra help he needs? I’ve heard we’re supposed to space the Zantac and Prevacid doses 4 hours apart, which is just about impossible for us when we divide the Prevacid into 3 doses per day — when do you give it? Also, how do you give the Zantac (before feeding, right after, etc.)?

I have tried weaning Gabe from the Zantac several times now and he always regresses. I really thought he wouldn’t need the Zantac, but it really does help him. I give him 15 mg of Prevacid in the am when we wake up. 4-6ish hours later I give him 1 Zantac tablet. 4ish hours after that I give him 15mg of prevacid. I usually give him another Zantac dose around 3-4 am. This has really helped. Again, it’s worth a try! Especially to bridge the gap during the night-time hours. I know that it’s recommended that you break the prevacid up between 3 doses, but with the Zantac it just never worked for us.

Thank you so much for your help! And if anyone else has comments for me, thank you also!!

I hope you can find some answers soon! I’m sure you’ll find lots of great help here.

Paula B wrote: Thanks, Jenn!

We’ve had a rough day today so far…only two 20-minute naps since 7 am. I’m going to give it a couple more days and then I’ll call the ped and ask about switching to the packets. Sometimes Nathan wakes up from a really short nap and then passes gas or has a bm, so maybe the Solutabs are hurting his tummy, which is disturbing his sleep……

One more question — I have the Zantac (actually Ranitidine — generic, I guess) liquid. I saw where you mentioned a Zantac tablet. Anyway, that probably doesn’t matter but I was wondering: do you give it to Gabe right before eating or right after? Nathan’s ped advised giving it about 10-15 minutes before eating, but I wasn’t sure if it really mattered. I know it matters with the Prevacid, though.

Thanks again!

I do give the Zantac prior to feeding – about 10 minutes or so. I don’t know how much it matters, but that’s what I’ve stuck to.

Where does your little guy nap? Gabe naps pretty well in the swing and he sleeps much better with me. I know cosleeping isn’t for everyone, but it has helped us all get much better sleep. Gabe will nap for no more than an hour in his swing, but he’ll take a long 2-3 hour nap every day with me and my older son.