Infantreflux.org | Can I give prevacid as a pm only dose?

This topic has 12 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 18 years, 10 months ago by hellbennt.

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November 10, 2007 at 10:37 am #45273

Anonymous
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So, after my intro in the Intro forum.. I wanted to ask my medicine question in the Med question forum.

My DS, age 10 months and 24 lbs, is on 15 mg of prevacid soltabs once a day and 3/4 tsp Zantac at night.

I don’t think it is working.. I think that the prevacid wears off by dinner and we are coping with some reflux, perhaps mild by comparison to most others, at night.. which is causing many night wakings..

I tried breaking the dose into two 7.5 mg doses 1 in the am, 1 in the pm and then zantac at night. Been doing this for about 5 days. No improvement really..

Since he is happy most of the day.. can I give the full 15 mg prevacid in the pm instead? Have it work when it seems to really need to?

I’ve thought about adding in another dose.. but our GI Dr is quite firm in that 15 mg once daily should be just fine and that if I want more DS needs all sorts of testing.. Our Ped isnt’ keen on writing Rxs for this stuff.. I had to fight just to get them to acknowledge he had a problem (see intro post for more detail)

I have an Rx for 30, 15 mg soltabs per month (from the GI) and an rx for 15 packets fo 15 mg powder (from the Ped). I’m not sure if I can fill both each month.. If I can, I may add an additional 1/2 dose at night.. But I’d like to work “within” the system first and if I can just dose the 15 mg at night.. give that a shot.

WWYD given the Rx paramaters and Drs I’m dealing with??

ETA:

Here is my post in the intro forum

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9883&PID=85295#85295

chantald2007-11-10 10:40:53

November 10, 2007 at 11:20 am #45275

Anonymous
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You could definitely try giving the whole dose at night. Some babies do better with one big dose at their worse time of day (or night), and some do better with the dose split. In fact, maybe you could try switching around and giving the zantac during the day since he doesn’t seem to need it as much then and then giving the Prevacid at night. I’m sorry your doctors aren’t being cooperative. If the big dose at night doesn’t seem to help, and you think he needs a higher dose, it might be worth looking for another doctor. We (and many others) have had good luck getting the higher dose from a family doctor. Good luck with everything! I hope you can find something that helps.

November 10, 2007 at 12:19 pm #45281

hellbennt
Keymaster

I agree with Heather

try the full dose at night

it is most effectve on an empty stomach (not sure anyone has told you this)

November 10, 2007 at 12:48 pm #45282

Anonymous
Inactive

Thank you. I will try that. Zantac during the day.. I’ll do his dose that was rx’d two months ago.. 3/4 tsp twice daily.. then the full 15 mg soltab before dinner.

It is HARD to get it into him before dinner.. I don’t remember until we are nearly ready to eat. Is it bad to give it around 5pm, if we don’t eat until 6 pm??

November 10, 2007 at 1:02 pm #45284

hellbennt
Keymaster

there’s a post called ‘Prevacid 101’ where there’s a link about how to administer the prevacid- I’m not sure about the exact details off the top of my head- I think it’s 30 minutes befre eating?-

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

as for the zantac dose, you can go as ‘high’ as 10mgs/kilo

Zantac dosing- my/other’s question: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9539&PID=82914#82914

so 24lbs is 11 kilos

11 x 10 = 110mgs total for the day of zantac that you can give

zantac liquid is 15mgs/ml (look at your bottle)

so that’s 7.3mls of zantac, total for the day, that you can give your baby

your last dose was 3.75mls (3/4 of a teaspoon), so you have some room to increase if you see your baby needs it

(please don’t just take my word on this! read the link above about dosing!)

November 10, 2007 at 1:40 pm #45286

Anonymous
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We do 15 mg at night and have since about 7 months. My ds seems to have his worst moments at night and has worked well.

November 10, 2007 at 2:04 pm #45291

Anonymous
Inactive

Yes.. I did think the dose was low.. But it seems on the money.. IIUC.. as it was 3/4 tsp twice daily. So it was nearly correct.. 3.75 x 2 = 7.5 for the total day..

But it does mean I can up the single dose as long as the total daily dose stays below the max.. correct?

Does Zantac have to be given 1/2 hour before meals too?? I will have to try and time this all right..

chantald2007-11-10 14:11:14

November 10, 2007 at 2:07 pm #45292

Anonymous
Inactive

Ok, I just read that post (thanks for the link) for Zantac.. It says Zantac 4 hours apart from the prevacid..

ack! If I give the Prevacid at 5 pm.. we eat at 6 pm and he goes to bed at 8 pm.. that is a 3 hour time difference…?? Or should I dose just the Zantac in the AM??

Right now I am doing it backwards.. prevacid dose am/pm (15 mg broken between two) and zantac at bed.. it still isn’t 4 hours between the pm prevacid and the bedtime zantac..

Since I feel that the whole 15 mg prevacid dose at night will be best.. How can/should I time this?? If he gets prevacid at night will he still need the zantac on top of that??

so many questions… sigh

November 10, 2007 at 2:38 pm #45297

hellbennt
Keymaster

unfortunately, there is a lot of experimentation with all of this reflux stuff…

so I would try the whole 15mgs at night, since that’s what you think might be best. I would also try zantac in the morning and afternoon- so let’s say zantac 1st thing in the morning and then again maybe at noon or 1pm and then the prevacid in the evening- however it works out on an empty stomach- not sure if empty is 2hrs after eating? you can always TRY the prevacid at 8pm right before bed & see how it goes- you can always give it earlier if you find you truly need a completely empty stomach for it to be most effective- you might just find that eating at 6pm & prevacid at 8pm is just fine for your lo…

editing to add: your dr was right with the zantac dose- I didn’t read 2x a day, oops. zantac doesn’t have to be given on an empty stomach- maybe it helps more if it is, but I don’t recall paying attention to it. and, it seems as though you don’t think the zantac is all ‘that’ important so I wouldn’t worry about timing it to be on an empty stomach…

also I do believe that you can give the zantac ‘as needed’ so you can split the total dose for the day however you want- with more 1st thing upon waking and a bit less in the afternoon- or however you think it’s best

hellbennt2007-11-10 14:48:46

November 10, 2007 at 6:30 pm #45302

Anonymous
Inactive

I agree about trying the Prevacid at night to. Alana was on the packets for ages and I only gave them as one dose. But opposite to you, Alana was always worse during the day. So I gave the prevacid in the morning , then the two Zantac doses late afo and early evening.

November 10, 2007 at 6:40 pm #45303

Anonymous
Inactive

Thank you! I gave a late afternoon dose of Zantac and he will get a pravacid dose tonight before bed. I hope it helps, although it might take a few days for it to make a difference. I hope it is sooner rather than later. I’ll let you know.

November 16, 2007 at 10:35 am #45519

Anonymous
Inactive

I wish I could say things have improved.. they haven’t.. I tried 2 doses of Zantac at the Rx’d level during the day with the entire dose of prevacid before bed.. no improvement..

I called our Biomedical Dr in MA and made an appointment for him to see the Dr. Sadly, he can’t get in until Dec 17th!!! I am going to try to see if there are any homeopathic remedies that might help..

November 16, 2007 at 6:49 pm #45547

hellbennt
Keymaster

Slippery elm article: http://www.ajc.com/health/altmed/shared/health/alt_medicine/ConsHerbs/SlipperyElmch.html

Probiotics, brands used: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8970&PN=1

hellbennt2007-11-16 19:14:32
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