Buffer Babies

i know nothing about grinding up anything, sorry- I would imagine the packets are NOT the same as the capsules- but if the packets have little beads, that look like the beads found in a capsule, then maybe they are the same beads, just some are put in capsules and some are put in packets along w/ flavoring powder? so, if you think the beads are the same as what you’d find in capsules, then I’d strain out the packets to get the beads…maybe ask your pharmacist or call the drug company that makes nexium and ask if they are indeed the same beads?

How does Buffer Babies work if you don’t have a meal 30 minutes later…how are the proton pumps turned “on” so that the medicine can work on them? I have a very elementary understanding of PPI’s, so maybe I’m just confused but I didn’t understand this point. I would love to try BufferBabies, it would be so great to not have to time meds with meals/empty stomachs!

Thanks Jen. I emailed David Stock and am waiting to hear back. I did speak to a pharmacist at Zegerid today (called 1-888-778-0887 number and then was supposedly transferred to a pharmacist) and she said you still had to eat 1 hour later, but perhaps she was incorrect or BufferBabies is different. However, I want clarification because the marci-kids site claims, “Unlike enteric-coated PPIs, which must be taken 30 minutes before a meal, Zegerid can be given without regard to mealtime.” So I just wanted clarification on why Zegerid’s saying you still need to eat.

I have a question about Buffer Babies … is the PPI you mix with it an over the counter PPI or do you have your ped change your perscription to the capsule format of your current PPI?

Jenn_mom2d2009-02-05 12:40:16

You don’t have to time around meals with either buffer babies or zegerid. Both are immediate release. It’s only delayed release where you need to time around meals. With immediate release, the buffer in the suspension protects the stomach from any acid and also turns on the proton pumps (it’s the sodium bicarbonate that does this) so that they can be turned off by the med. In delayed release, you need to give the med on an empty stomach to ensure that the med won’t be broken down by stomach contents, and then you eat the meal 30 minutes later to turn on the pumps so that the med can turn them off. In the end, they both do the same thing. But with the immediate release PPI- zegerid, buffer babies/caracream, you don’t need to worry about meals.

You do need a capsule form of PPI though. As David said, you can use generic prilosec, but beware from a mom who has tasted it, that prilosec tastes TERRIBLE when crushed or chewed or swallowed outside of it’s enteric coating. It has a VERY bitter taste that is hard to mask, and required me to get a chaser to get rid of it.

Good luck.

How many mg. are in each capsule in your prescription? I have 15 mg. Prevacidc apsules, so you would have to use half of one capsule. You open the capsule up and there are lots of little white balls. I think you coudl probably use half the medicine inside and then reseal the capsule for the next day unless you can get smaller dose capsules, that would be easier.