Update

[Anonymous]

After switching doctors and multiple trips to him in a span of two weeks, they finally made it official in that my little one has reflux. After a double ear infection they put her on Prevacid 2x a day and switched from Nutramigen to Alimentum. The first week was amazing but this week has been different. She’s had a really rough week and today she even threw up some blood. The doctor said not to worry unless it keeps happening but we’ve been in the clear so far. She’s screaming when she spits up and she’s spitting up all hours after she eats and multiple times.

I never knew that having a baby with reflux would ever be so hard. I’m glad to finally get answers after 6 months of her life. It’s helping me and her cope better. I just want to say KUDOS to those that survived it and I’m looking forward to the light at the end of the tunnel.

[hellbennt]

http://www.marci-kids.com will tell you the ‘proper dose’

and, if it’s solutabs, then it needs to be given on an empty stomach followed by a meal 30 minutes later…Prevacid 101(last post on the page): https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1936&PN=0&TPN=1

let us know how we can help!

[Anonymous]

Hey there.. throwing up the blood is a bit worisome. Any idea what would cause it?? It could be that even the small amount of milk that is in the alimentum is still irritating and causing problems. If you are giving a good dose of Prevacid and the screaming continues, you may want to try an elemental formula like Elecare or Neocate.

[Anonymous]

I agree about the blood being worrisome. Doc said it sometimes happen from retching which she was doing. We haven’t had any since although she’s still screaming from the puking. It’s been a week of unhappiness so it seems like the Prevacid isn’t working anymore? Anyone know if you change doses (via doctor of course) or try something diffrent? He said there are good days and bad days but this is a bad week. Maybe there are bad weeks as well. No one has prepped me on what to expect so I really don’t know.

[Anonymous]

Just a couple questions:

What form of Prevacid is she on (solutabs or compounded liquid) and how does she take it (empty stomach, with feeds, etc.)? Then we can help to determine if she’s getting it in the “best” manner to help with her reflux pain.

Is she on any other foods, other than the Alimentum (any cereals, stage one foods, etc.)? At this point, if she’s still having significant reflux issues and needing a hypoallergenic formula, I would recommend avoiding any solids until she seems to be doing better. You could already be doing this, but I just thought it was worth mentioning.

It IS hard taking care of a reflux and MSPI baby. You’re doing a great job, and yes there will be a light at the end of the tunnel! Hopefully we can help you get through the rough spells!

MFPIx22008-03-31 00:19:02

[hellbennt]

Mspi/allergy info(‘main page’): https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2697&PN=1&TPN=1

[Anonymous]

She takes a quarter of a solutab twice a day. I give it to her on her tongue and she pushes it around her mouth until it’s gone. She’s getting much better at taking it. I didn’t know to do it on an empty stomach, 30 mins before eating until the previous post so I started doing it that way. Well, it was always an empty stomach but not always 30 mins before eating.

The doc gave her the green light on solids but after yesterday it’s not going to happen. I give her rice cereal since she gets so excited over the spoon. I did start oatmeal but the doc said not to. I tried carrots yesterday and 1.5 hours later it landed all over me.

On a good note, she didn’t scream so much yesterday when she spit up. She curled her face a bit but no death screams.

How do your babies sleep at night? I tried propping up her mattress last night and she still woke up a lot but she was calm and subdued. Even this morning she wasn’t screaming and angry. Unfortunately, she was waking up because she was rolling down the bed. I’ve seen those prop up things but not sure if that is developmentally ok since she is almost six months old.

[Anonymous]

Glad to hear you are now giving the solutabs on an empty stomach followed up with a feeding 30-60 minutes later – that should help her get the most out of her dose. For 6 months old though, it think 1/4 tab twice a day is a bit on the low side, but you could double check the recommended dose for her age and weight here: http://www.marci-kids.com/calculator.html

Holding off on solids for a little while is likely a good idea, until you know she is more comfortable and her GI tract has had some time to heal and mature.

For sleeping, a lot of us who have been through the reflux rollercoaster will say – do what works best for you and baby. We’ve all had creative sleeping arrangements and positions! Co-sleeping, naps in bouncy chairs or swings, inclined matress or crib, whatever helps her (and you) get some comfortable rest (as long as it’s safe).

[Anonymous]

It says she should have approx 22.5 mg a day. She’s getting 7.5 a day because it’s a quarter of the 15 twice a day. Why would he put her so low on it?

My friend is bringing over her AR pillow so we’ll give that a shot with Paige tonight and see how she does! Today isn’t much better than this past week or more. Sigh!

[Anonymous]

Definately push to have the dose increased. 1/4 of a 15 mg tablet twice a day is very low, especially for her age! Direct your doc to the marci-kids website, or print off their info and bring it to them or fax them, whatever you need to do to get her some relief. Even changing docs, whatever it takes. Good luck, and hang in there.

[Anonymous]

I TOTALLY AGREE…. my daughter is on the extremely SMALL side, yet she get 7.5mg x3 DAILY, and she isn’t even 13 pounds at 6 months. My Dr. originally put her on prevacid solutabs 7.5mg ONCE A DAY. And I directed him to the Marci-Kids website, within half a day, he called back and upped her to the correct dose. And let me tell you, the difference is AMAZING. I also switched from tap water to bottled water (we live in the Adirondacks… well water) because I was afraid of contaminants! And finally… FINALLY… she’s slept THRU THE NIGHT TWO TIMES IN A ROW!! Hopefully, we’ll BOTH enjoy more of the same tonight 🙂

On a more personal note/opinion… I find Dr’s who are open to new ideas, treatments, anything to help, a great asset to my children. If your Dr. has a “god” complex, and doesn’t want to listen to you as a concerned mother… I’d think twice before returning. I dealt with those kind of Dr.’s for MONTHS, they were unwilling to listen to me about how severe my daughter’s symptoms were. I switched, and now have a wonderful Dr. who listens to EVERYTHING. Always a great help, when they are on the patients side. 🙂

Verucalise2008-03-31 20:39:46

[Anonymous]

Doc said that he wants to see her before changing her dose to rule out that nothing else is wrong. That baffles me!! Nothing else is wrong? It almost feels like he hasn’t been believing me from the get-go. I’m dragging hubby along tomorrow so someone else can tell him how much she screams when she spits up.

[Anonymous]

True… but he would of ordered an upper GI, and in the meantime… he should be putting her on the correct dosage. If she has something more serious going on that the reflux wouldn’t help, it wouldn’t disappear with just an up in meds, no test results would be changed. When she spits up, the acid burns her chest and throat, so why not get the acid reflux under control so when she DOES spit up, it won’t hurt her? My daughter with her reflux would make this horrific face, her little arms would start shaking and flaring (almost like a 5 second seizure), she’d stop breathing for a moment, then when the reflux was up, she’d start SCREAMING. She’d spit up 3 HOURS AFTER her last bottle, all curdled, it was horrific. (She had a milk/soy protein intolerance, on Nutramigen) Now, she still spits up here and there, but she’s a happy spitter, no pain anymore. The more the reflux continues, the more damage that could be happening to her esophagus. My daughter has the GI assessment at the end of April, but my Dr. was more than willing to up her dose to help ease her discomfort until then… which it has helped IMMENSELY.

Honestly, I’d just tell your Dr. that HUNDREDS of mothers on this site have gotten the correct dosage for their children with amazing results, and if he isn’t willing to open his eyes and see what pain she’s in, then you aren’t opposed to finding another Dr. who WILL. The Marci-kids website DOES say that the reason these medications don’t seem to work, is because most kids are UNDER MEDICATED. Think about it….if you had a severe headache, taking a childrens dose of tylenol won’t do anything to help, but take the adult dosage… you get the idea 😉 Verucalise2008-03-31 21:04:41

[hellbennt]

Verucalise, I want to quote you! Infact, perhaps I will!

On a more personal note/opinion… I find Dr’s who are open to new ideas, treatments, anything to help, a great asset to my children. If your Dr. has a god complex, and doesn’t want to listen to you as a concerned mother… I’d think twice before returning. I dealt with those kind of Dr.’s for MONTHS, they were unwilling to listen to me about how severe my daughter’s symptoms were. I switched, and now have a wonderful Dr. who listens to EVERYTHING. Always a great help, when they are on the patients side. 🙂 wrote:

[Anonymous]

Quote it?? Heck, lets put it on a billboard Everyone needs a starting point when they are conversing with their pediatricians!!

MOMMY POWER!

Verucalise2008-03-31 21:29:25

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