Gaviscon Dosing HELP

Thanks. We recently upped to 1.5 ml before bed (from 1 ml) and he’s actually sleeping from 7:30 to somewhere between 12:30 and 1. It may not sound great, but it’s a miracle to us. After 1, not so good (up A LOT), but we’re making progress!

By the way, he now weighs, at 6 months, 23 lbs. My older son weighed 23 lbs at 12 months. Clearly the reflux/MPI haven’t hindered his ability to eat!

gaviscon is different than mylanta because its supposed to also form like a bubble type layering thing that lies ontop of the stomach acids keeping it from coming up … like a protective agent. this is what my GI said, he is a big fan of it as well.

i’ll find his slip he gave us and let you know how much he wrote.

Thanks everyone. Last night my son slept from 8 until 4 and from 5 to 5:45. It’s a miracle. Let’s hope this is a sign of things to come. They say reflux clears up at 6 months (he’s 6 months old today) but my older son had it (though not as bad) until 12 months and took Zantac for the whole 12 months.

I know about the whole layer type thing that Gaviscon supposedly makes. It’s frustrating b/c although I’m breastfeeding, the last feed of the night is a bottle of milk if I have it or Alimentum. My son falls asleep eating. I want him to eat more, but can’t wake him up. Then, I give him the Gaviscon and he’s up and wants more food, but if I give it to him, it will break the layer! UGH.

The specialist said to go up to 2 mls of Gaviscon (adult regular strength). I wonder if it will make a difference.

The specialist did not up our Zantac. He ok’d 1 ml in the a.m. and 1.5 mls in the p.m. He wants my son off it by 8 months. I’m not so sure. We go to the pediatrician on Monday for our 6 month visit and I’m sure she’ll be ok with upping the Zantac (at 4 months she said to give 1 ml 3 times a day). I hate playing doctors off of each other, but I just want to do what is best for my son.

Thanks again.

Oops, no. I meant expressed breast milk. I pump every night and get 2-3 ounces. So maybe every third day I have enough for 1 bottle!

Sorry for the confusion. I must have gotten too much sleep last night!

Laura computed 7 mls of Zantac. It’s funny, my pediatrican (not the ped. gastro) today at the little one’s 6 month appointment said 3.4 mls (1.7 2x per day). I wonder what computation she’s using. He weighed in at 22 lbs 14 oz (2 oz less than last Thurs.).

I’m thinking of going with 1.5 in the a.m. and 2 in the evening (totalling 3.5). He’s still sleeping much better, I think it is 5 days in a row now that we’ve only been up 2x a night! Maybe if I upped the Zantac, 2 would become 1 and then … none?! We’ll see.

2 nights ago I actually went out and my husband forgot the Gaviscon. My son slept no differently than he had the night before so last night I didn’t give it either. I wonder if he actually is improving? Problem with stopping the Gaviscon is that it helps with poops and now he hasn’t pooped in 2 days. If it’s not one problem, it’s another!

Thanks again everyone for all of your help and suggestions.

Thanks Laura. I assumed your calculation was correct, but I will do it myself as well and talk to my pediatrician. I didn’t push it as my little one has been doing well for 7 days now. I was hoping maybe it was irrelevant! But, it can’t help to be prepared if things go bad again.