Nothing’s working!

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone.

We started Jacob on the Alimentum a week ago and I don’t know if it’s helping or not. It seems like we have one or two good days, followed by a few really, really bad ones (like yesterday). I am starting to wonder if we’ll ever figure this out.

Is it normal to have good and bad days like that, or do babies get completely better once you find their “magic?” – that’s my main question at this point!

Perhaps I need to try a different med and/or formula? I have had several friends mention that we should try lactose free formula, or soy…or maybe I should try Nutramigen….I am at a loss! Seems to be the trend around here! I was even up all last night trying to figure out if maybe he has something besides for acid reflux, although I think that’s my desperation talking…

What about Zegrid? I don’t know much about that med. Or another one? I really thought that the upped dose of Prevacid would be the trick, but here we are 3 weeks later and things are not what I’d hoped they would be. HELP! Our appointment with the specialist isn’t for another 16 days!

Johanna

[Anonymous]

Johanna,

I’m sorry… I don’t know much about the different formulas so I can’t help you figure out if you are on the right one.

I will tell you though that it seems as though this reflux business is a roller-coaster. And although I don’t know your situation, I be willing to bet that Jacob does have reflux. Are you following all the dosing rules on when to give the Prevacid? We could only get 22.5 mg’s of Prevacid out of our doctor and I felt as though we could use 30. Just 2 days ago I think I was able to make up the difference with Pepcid Complete. I also started last Friday putting a powder format of a probiotic in all of Anika’s bottles. That really seemed to help too but now I’m slightly backing off on that because she had a slightly loose stool yesterday.

I know this is so hard… you are always worrying, guessing, plotting, and scheming. Just when you think you have found something, then the game changes. Just when you think you can relax with a stint of good feedings, all h*ll breaks loose. I don’t have much of an answer for you other than to tell you that you are not alone.

Maybe I or others could be more helpful if you told us your whole feeding and medicine routine in detail.

Maxon&AnikaMom2006-11-1 11:3:4

[Anonymous]

yes what age/weight is he and what dose is he on and how are you administering it?
nataliachick72006-11-1 11:42:15

[Anonymous]

He is on 30mg of prevacid (Solutabs)…we give it to him once in the morning (15mg) and once in the evening (15mg). Dissolving it in a bit of water and feeding it to him with a dropper. Then, we wait exactly 30 minutes and feed him his bottle. He typically eats about 5 ounces and we try our best to make sure he gets at least 4 ounces, as I read that that was important. We burp him well after each ounce and keep him upright after eating.

He used to be on the Enfamil Gentle Ease – that was not so good. Tried adding rice cereal to his bottles – THAT was a disaster! Started the Alimentum last Wednesday. Haven’t tried any other formulas….I kind of feel that he is the same on the Alimentum as he was on the Gentle Ease….

We haven’t seen the specialist yet – that appointment is in about two weeks. He is probably feeling good one out of every three days…which is an improvement since we initially started the Prevacid about 5 weeks ago (he was awful every day before the Prevacis)….but I haven’t noticed any real improvement since we increased the dose to 30mg (3 weeks ago). Sometimes I am giving him Mylanta before his bottles….I do this when he is at his worst. I can’t tell if that helps or not.

He is just uncomfortable….yesterday was awful and today the same. This is the pits!

Johanna

[Anonymous]

Leanne –

“Just 2 days ago I think I was able to make up the difference with Pepcid Complete.”

Did you get this over the counter? Did your doc recommend it?

“I also started putting a powder format of a probiotic in all of Anika’s bottles.”

Same question with this…

Thanks,

Johanna

[Anonymous]

Johanna,

Make sure you’re not giving Mylanta too close to the Prevacid.

Also, I wonder if he would do better with three 10mg doses instead of two 15 mg doses. Myles was on 10mg / 3 times daily and that worked well for him.

I think the chewable Pepcid Complete is a great idea….I think it’s OTC. Maybe try that mid-day if you are going to stick with two doses of Prevacid. The two doses may not be enough to keep him acid free all day.

Recently there was a post in which the mom said Dr. Phillips or Chad (from marci-kids) suggested two doses of Prevacid, one given at 6 or 7 am, and one in the afternoon (I think between 1 & 3 PM) and then Pepcid or Zantac at bedtime.

It’s so much trial and error, but once you get it figured out things will get much better.

As for the formulas, it can take two weeks to notice a change when trying a new one.

Good luck. I know how frustrating it is.

[Anonymous]

i believe he said pepcid only, and said no to zantac because of a
substance in there that would break down the PPI. i have to find that
info somewhere…

[Anonymous]

Uh-oh – sometimes (whe he’s at his worst) I am giving the Mylanta close to the Prevacid. How far apart should they be?

Also, if I give the Solutabs three times vs. two a day, would that mean I would have to break them into pieces…each one is 15 mg, so how owuld I do that? Maybe a full one in the morning and then 7.5 two other times daily? Or maybe I should just try the Pepcid mid-day, but I feel awful having to give him all of this medicine. Is the Pepcid safe with the Prevacid? AH! My head is spinning!

Finally, I guess I should stick with the Alimentum a little longer? It’s been one week….

Thanks everyone! One of these days I will be able to help ANSWER some questions, rather than just ask!

Johanna

[Anonymous]

Johanna,

Once you answer all the questions, PLEASE LET US KNOW!

– – I’m sorry to make a joke (sometimes that’s my way of dealing with things) but it seriously seems as though this is a constant guessing game.

Anyway, to answer a few of your questions. No, my doctor did not recommend the Pepcid. They are rather clueless and I was lucky to get 22.5 mg’s of Prevacid out of them. But as a parent I’m taking matters into my own hands (with education of course). I got the suggestion from this thread:

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6638&a mp;PN=1

It’s a long thread but full of good info. Specifically on the 2nd page there is this post from JamesonMom:

JamesonMom

Posted: 29 October 2006 at 1:52pm | IP Logged

Thought I’d post what Dr. Phillips sent to us…

FLAVORx gets CaraCream from us so if they (a pharmacy) have FLAVORx then they can get CaraCream.

I would recommend two doses of Prevacid during the day (based on the 30 mg our doc prescribed), Morning feeding and suppertime feeding then at bedtime give 10mg Pepcid complete. ( He later added these doses must be 2 hours apart)

Dr Phillips

Maybe this will help someone else (it’s based on Grant being 7 mos and 17 lbs.)

As for the probiotic, no that was definitely not recommended by the pediatrician. If you don’t know anything about probiotics it is definitely something more holistic/ natural and in my opinion (I’m a bit jaded lately) most doctors are not that knowledgeable about these things. That being said, I’ve done A LOT of research on probiotics. I can explain more if you want…

[Anonymous]

one week is nothing for the formula. you have to give it a good month to see if it helps.

[Anonymous]

I would make sure it’s at least a few hours (a minimum of two) between the Prevacid and Mylanta. I don’t have time now to look for the post, but Joel definitley said Mylanta should not be given around the same time as Prevacid Solutabs.

As for dividing them into three doses, the way I did it was to take two 15 mg tablets and divide them into three equal parts. Usually I’d break each one into what looked like 1/3 and 2/3, so I’d end up with 2 2/3 pieces (10mg) and 2 1/3 pieces which together would make another 10 mg. I’m sure it was never a perfect 10 mgs, but it was awfully close and it worked well for Myles. I’d store the doses in little rubbermaid containers (the tiny ones / salt and pepper shaker size) or in little pill bottles.

Keep working at it. I’m sure you’ll find what works best for your little guy.

[Anonymous]

I changed his formula from Alimentum to Soy today (doc recommended it), as he it was obvious that he was definitely going from bad to worse on it.

I am thinking about going to the doc tomorrow to ask her to let us try Zegerid rather than the Prevacid!?!?! He really seems to be doing worse and worse rather than better. Does this sound like something good to try to get the doc to do for us? I just don’t know what else to do. I hate to make two changes at once (the formula AND the meds) because, assuming that he starts getting better, I may not know what helped…..but I am not sure that I care. I really just want to help him feel better at this point!!!!

Leanne re: the probiotics….like Lacidofil? It’s funny, I actually have some (it was recommended by my chiropractor). However, I was afraid to use it on Jacob because I could not find any good info re: it’s safety for babies. Have you found anything about that?

Johanna

[Anonymous]

hi johanna,

i have a couple of things for you. first, my baby is the same age as yours and he is only on 15 mg of the prevacid.. he has been happy but is still producing acid, so we just added pepcid as well, and i havnt seen or smelled an acidic spit up yet.. soo i think you should ask the doc about the pepcid, we give it two times a day, and its the suspension kind. also with the formula, were you giving the RTF or the powder form of the alimentum? when we switched to alimentum it seemed like his reflux was worse too.. but it was because of the powder, it is A LOT thinner than the milk or soy based formulas…is there any reason why you think he might be MSPI? that is what i am wondering with my son too… i dont really have any indications that he is… also we were on the solutabs as well..and we didnt add too much water to them, i just stuck them in his cheek and added like a drop to it, maybe that way may help better.. but we like the capsules too..

well i hope i helped a little…

update us on what you decide and how things go

[Anonymous]

ohh i just saw that you wrote me.. haha, probably the same time i wrote you! our sons were born on the same day!? thats funny..

anyhow write back on yours ..or my post

talk to u soon

[Anonymous]

hey lauren! we’re on the same wavelength, huh? 🙂

soo i think you should ask the doc about the pepcid, we give it two times a day, and its the suspension kind. also with the formula, were you giving the RTF or the powder form of the alimentum?

the pepcid isn’t prescription, right – or is it? i bought some chewable pepcid complete…is that the stuff you are using?

when we switched to alimentum it seemed like his reflux was worse too.. but it was because of the powder, it is A LOT thinner than the milk or soy based formulas…

nuts – i didn’t think about the fact that it was because it was thinner. ah!!!

is there any reason why you think he might be MSPI?

well, he doesn’t haven’t any signs of mspi – BUT i spoke to my grandmother last night and it turns out that my father and two of his sisters were allergic and wound up on soy….so that’s what made me decide on the soy. i am at the point now that i am starting to feel like my decisions are not very good….i never seem to make the one that helps him! i am so frustrated.

that is what i am wondering with my son too… i dont really have any indications that he is… also we were on the solutabs as well..and we didnt add too much water to them, i just stuck them in his cheek and added like a drop to it, maybe that way may help better.. but we like the capsules too..

maybe i will try doing the solutabs that way.

thank you for responding!!! everyone is so wonderful here. it is amazing.

J

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