PPI’s and H2’s

My pedi gi said she would rather us add in zantac than up prevacid past 15mgs. Regular pedi also wrote a script for zantac in combo with the prevacid. I know that isn’t overly helpful as you need data not personal experience. I would ask your doc to prove to why it can’t as opposed to you proving why it can. Some docs really just don’t know. It is impossible for them to know about everything, this might be one area where your doc is behind the times

It is true that H2 blockers like Zantac and Pepcid should not be given at the same time as a PPI like Prevacid or Zegerid, as the H2 blocker will interfere with the PPI and make it less effective. But according to Dr Phillips, they can be given if they are spaced out at least 4 hours apart from one another. I do not have any studies to point you to unfortunately, just Dr Phillips’ word. He also often says that if a child is on the right dosage of PPI, an H2 blocker should not be needed, and that it’s always best to give an optimal dose of one drug rather than give a suboptimal dose of two drugs.

Cris,

While I can’t answer your original question (I’m new to this whole reflux thing) I will suggest finding a different doctor. Our initial pediatrician claimed he “couldn’t” write a script for a PPI for an infant because he insurance companies “wouldn’t let him”. What a bunch if B.S! He simply didn’t want to because he didn’t believe our DD had silent reflux. He kept saying “Some babies are just fussy”. We switched docs, the new one immediately agreed that she has reflux and while we’re working with Zantac now he did say we would try a PPI next. Get a new doc who is more responsive.

Karen

Take him to a GI doc (I assume the doctor you’re referring to is your son’s pediatrician). I hate to say it, but I sometime think that pediatricians only know how to treat ear infections and that’s all they’re comfortable diagnosing. I know several moms that talk to their childs surgeon/ent doc/GI Doc/or Pulmonologist when they are looking for answers and forget the pediatrician.

At that age/weight, Dr Phillips would recommend that your son be given 30 mg of Prevacid per day, split into 2 or 3 doses (preferably 3, but I know it’s hard to split up that kind into more than 2 doses). I think you would see a marked improvement at this dose. PPIs are also a very safe drug, working only at the site of acid production, and you do not need to worry about overdose or side effects.