frustrated on Zantac

[Anonymous]

UPDATE: Okay, I talked to my pharmacist friend. She told me, from her knowledge…Prilosec comes in capsules and Prevacid is a powder. She didn’t know about either coming in liquid form and knew a tiny bit about the solutabs. She did tell me that she could not do the compounding there, but could give me a referral. I also asked her about Caracream and she said she could find it “in her system” so she thought she’d be able to order it..no guarantees tho.

I also have a call out to my insurance rep about my coverage for the different meds and what do they cover.

Now, my question to all of you: In your opinions…which worked the best for you? Prilosec or Prevacid and in what form?

[Anonymous]

Thanks Laura! You are totally in my brain right now!!!!

[Anonymous]

We’ve been on Prevacid: 1) compounded, 2) solutabs, 3) capsules w/ applesauce, 4) capsules w/ CaraCream

I’ve done the same dose w/ all 4 & honestly I think they all treated the reflux the same it’s just a matter of convenience.

1) The compounded was a pain to get & has to be refilled every 2 wks, BUT it was easier to administer & didn’t have to be timed around meals.

2) The solutabs have to be timed around feedings (hell w/ a little one) & imo, aren’t the easiest to administer (trying to make sure all the crystals are given, etc).

3) The capsules w/ applesauce have to be timed around feedings & was a pain (for us) to administer since Evan was only 6wks old (applesauce not easy to get in). Also, there’s worrying about all the beads being swallowed, etc.

4) The capsules/CaraCream don’t have to be timed around meals & is easy to administer. You do have to order the CaraCream EZ Mix from marci-kids, but well worth it for us.

I think (someone correct me if I’m wrong) that the Prevacid powder is being discontinued.

As for the insurance (& this is just our experience)… our insurance is super picky about preauthorization from our drs. This means the drs. have to fax them a diagnosis for WHY Evan is getting the meds. This has been a headache (since we’ve switched med types so much & each time is has to be re-filed) but the insurance person @ our ped office has been an angel about it. She knows me by 1st name-lol. BUT once they get the preauthorization they’re ok filling the script.

Hope this helped some.

[hellbennt]

Erin, you’re the best! You’ve made yourself at home here! YAY! THANKS!

ok prevacid 101 will tell you all the forms (even for prilosec, LOL!)

Prevacid 101(last post on the page): https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1936&PN=0&TPN=1

and I just found this link, not sure if it’s applicable, LOL:

Difference b/t prilosec & prevacid (my long response): https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1972

[Anonymous]

you gals are WONDERFUL!!!

I have a call out to Marci-kids now too about the caracream.

I’m just going to bother everyone in the country it seems until I get this little baby fixed!!

[hellbennt]

that’s the spirit!!!

[Anonymous]

So…Erin, this may be a stupid question, but…..

why do capsules w/ applesauce have to be timed around food and capsules w/ caracream do not?

[hellbennt]

caracream IS a ‘compound’

it is a liquid

it can be given at anytime (as can a pharmacy made compound that is done correctly, which is hard to find)

it doesn’t have enteric beads that need something acidic-

the beads from the capsule need something acidic to get them going (thus the applesauce) but need to be given on an empty stomach so food won’t mess with them getting absorbed into the blood stream- something like that – there are explanations ‘stickied’ in the Medicine forum, LOL!

[Anonymous]

Okay ladies, now I really need you! My Ped called and is squeezing us in for an appt this afternoon. Ped doesn’t want to do anything until he sees baby.

Also, I heard from my insurance and they will cover Omeprazole (Generic) capsules10mg & 20 mg first before going to Prevacid or Zegerid. Now, I’ve been on the Marci-kids website and done the math. Baby weighs 13.4 lbs which is 6.09 kg =dosing her at 7.6 mg 3x/ day for total of 22.83mg per day…..

so….if the Omeprazole is the only option and only comes in 10mg and 20 mg, then should I push for 2 doses of 10mg OR 3 doses of 10mg?

I was assuming that the Ped will probably want to “err on the side of caution” and go with the lower dose. But, I want to know from you where have you begun in this medication journey.

thanks!

BTW, I leave in 40 min for doc office.

[Anonymous]

Probably 2 10mg w/o knowing marci-kids’ “range” for her weight. 3 10mg won’t hurt but I personally wouldn’t go above the marci-kids range from the dosing calculator. If they are pills you can split then you could do 10, 10 & 5 maybe?!

Edited to add: ok, I just looked on the site & realized there isn’t a range for the Omeprazole. I would start w/ 2 10mg & then move up to 3 if you need to (later).

HTH

Oh, & Laura: yes, I’ve made myself @ home … this site is what is getting me through this right now.

erinntx2008-07-14 18:47:20

[Anonymous]

Thank you Erin! You are awesome!

[Anonymous]

amandasmommy1 wrote: UPDATE: Okay, I talked to my pharmacist friend. She told me, from her knowledge…Prilosec comes in capsules and Prevacid is a powder. She didn’t know about either coming in liquid form and knew a tiny bit about the solutabs. She did tell me that she could not do the compounding there, but could give me a referral. I also asked her about Caracream and she said she could find it “in her system” so she thought she’d be able to order it..no guarantees tho.

I also have a call out to my insurance rep about my coverage for the different meds and what do they cover.

Now, my question to all of you: In your opinions…which worked the best for you? Prilosec or Prevacid and in what form?

You can get both of them in a suspend LIQUID form through a compunding pharmacy. Most of thos etypes of pharmacies are licated IN childrne’s hosptials. Most generic pharmacies like Walgreen, Eckerds….they don’t do compunds. They are costly and time consuming so they go for the easier buck!!!!

Liek Laura mentioned Protonix is just as strong as PRevacaid and PRilosec AND it already comes in a liquid form NO need to compound it. That may be a VERY viable option. It’s a good drug to use for VERY bad reflux.

It’s hard to figure out which med will work for each child. It’s like trying to fit someone else’s puzzle piece into your puzzle, does that make sense…LOL

What works for one child may or may not work for another hcild. That goes for the doseing as well, each child is soo unique. That’s what makes reflux soooo hard to deal with.

One child may y do well on a compund while another needs caracreama nd yet another needs something else. You really won’t know until you try…SORRY!!!

We tried….Zantac, Prevacaid, Prilosec, Protnix, I am missing one,,,,,he was on 5 of them….LOL

We setteld on Prilosec in a suspended form from a VERY realibel children’s hosp. pharmacy. They are AWESOME!!!!!

[Anonymous]

UPDATE: okay, so I’m back from the Ped appt….I wish I could say I’m happy, but honestly I feel more confused than ever.

Ped said that 1) we should get Amanda off Alimentum cuz it’s thinner than breast and easy to come back up the esophagus. Try mixing with Gentlease and see how that goes 2) we should continue to play with the Zantac. Meaning adjust the size of dose at each time (not exceeding the daily, of course 3) she didn’t like the use of PPIs for this as the purpose of the drug messes with the mechanics of the body….”now does that sound like a good idea?” (her words) 4) that if we really wanted some Prevacid here are some solutab samples, but again she didn’t recommend it. Give baby 15 mg per day. Doesn’t have to be timed around food (when I questioned that part, she didn’t think it was an issue) 5) Give her Mylicon drops ……cuz all of this might just be she’s sensitive to her gas.

!#$%&!!!!!!!!!

So…hubby and I are VERY confused. She has us wondering if we are jumping to conclusions and potentially over-medicating our kid. I’m really glad that we have the GI appt next week. I think that person should really be able to inform us…at least let us know we aren’t crazy! This whole thing is so frustrating….over and over again I just feel inept as a parent.

I hate this it just feels endless and I’m so tired of doctors playing god and planting seeds of doubt in their patients. They don’t know everything! Why can’t they admit that!

Anyway, hubby wants to hold off on the Prevacid

[Anonymous]

oh boy oh boy how things change so fast in this reflux world!!

hubby and I had decided not to do Prevacid just yet….try to wait for GI appt and THEN………we tried to put Amanda to bed.

Amanda slept for 1 hr and then woke up shrieking in pain!

Damn those doctors for making me second guess myself.

THAT is IT!! I have had enough. We are starting the Prevacid samples tomorrow.

So….I have 15 mg solutabs. I know it is a little less than Marci-kids recommends….but hubby feels safer starting there.

Questions: should I split it into 2 doses? and when should those 2 doses happen? Ped says dissolve it into small amount of formula or water and give with a syringe…….I don’t trust her. Any advice on how to give it?

Also, I plan to continue with the Zantac….

Edited: 9:50pm Also, the solutab samples we have are NOT scored. Can we just split them anyway?

And….if we end up giving just ONE solutab what time is better a.m. or p.m.?? (her worst time is night) PM?

amandasmommy12008-07-15 00:53:53

[hellbennt]

get a pill splitter & split the pill

put 1/2 you’re not using away in some foil in the fridge

then to give the 1/2 tab, poeple have sucess using a dropper, like the one that comes w/ mylicon. use as much or as little water as you need to.

give in an EMPTY stomach, followed by a meal 30 minutes later. in the Medicines Forum there are Stickied posts (these are ‘kept’ at the top) – look through them- you’ll find explanations as to why you need to give on empty stomach.

you don’t even need the water. do what works best. some just hold the tab in the inside of baby’s cheek and squirt some water in to wash it down.

your ped is a ped. not a GI specialist. If you don’t want to change formulas, then don’t. hang in there! you can do it!

there’s a long discussion about this very subject here: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11247&PID=94951#94951

hellbennt2008-07-15 08:05:44

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