HELP ME BEFORE I LOSE MY MIND!!

[Anonymous]

I’m new here so forgive me. I have a 4 year old dd, happiest baby you can imagine. My ds is 7 weeks old and the baby from HELL! I know he doesn’t feel good and I do feel bad for him, but I’m about to go off the deep end. He started showing symptoms of reflux when we were in the hospital and everyone just said he needed to “adjust to the world”. Well, it’s been seven weeks. He is the classic reflux baby, except for he gains weight. Thank God I have a GREAT pedi. Nicholas is currently on Prevacid 15 mg Solutabs, 1/2 pill 2x daily. He is also on Reglan .75 mg 4x daily. He is also on Enfamil Lactofree (it gives him less gas). We just started the Prevacid 4 days ago. How long does it take to work? I’ve also read on Marci kids that Reglan doesn’t really do much, so should I stop? He still doesn’t eat well (about 2 ounces every hour) and won’t sleep except in my arms. I even spent 60 bucks on this fancy wedge for his bed that holds him upright and plays womb sounds. And he hates it. How do I know if it’s the medication not working or if he needs a different formula. I really don’t want to buy Nutramigen or Allimentum if it’s not his formula, but will if it will help. PLEASE HELP my baby cries all day and all night.

[Anonymous]

Hi and Welcome,

First are you giving the prevacid on an empty stomach and following with a feeding 30-60 min later? This is very important as it won’t work if you don’t do it this way. Also it can take up to 2 wks to see a difference. Things do get better…. I remember where you were, we were there not too long ago, we only recently have been getting more than 2-3 hrs stretches of sleep and until we were properly medicated and on Nutramigen we weren’t getting more than 45 min at a time so I feel your pain. He may have a milk soy protein intolerance and if that is the case then the lactofree won’t help any b/c that doesn’t deal with the protein and then nutramigen/alimentum or even Neocate are your best options. I would give the meds 2 wks if no improvement try a formula change which unfortunately can take up to 4 weeks to see the total benefits and go from there. And her eis a HUGE HUG you have found a great site and we all know what you are going through.

[hellbennt]

hi & welcome!

I have a LOT to sayJ & (most of) it’s here:

Groupie Intro: my intro: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=853&PN=1&TPN=1

so glad you found us!

~laura

It can take up to 2 weeks (14 days) for you to see results of the prevacid, so in the meantime, perhaps ask for some zantac (or pepcid or tagament or axid)…this can be given spaced 4hrs seperate from the prevacid.

as for reglan, it is for DGE (delayed gastric emptying) and there is an actual TEST for this, so if your baby has not had the test for this, or if you don’t want to give reglan, I would wait until you’ve given the prevacid 14 days and then start to taper off the reglan…

disclaimer: I am not a medical professoional; I’ve just been here on this board for 4 & 1/2 years 🙂

[Anonymous]

Welcome! sorry you have to be here though.

Wanted to tell you that you are pretty lucky to have a ped that will work with you… hopefully things will get better.

My oldest had reflux etc etc and now my 2month old has something similar going on! I hear you re the sleeping and the holding. My little one just started sleeping a little bit better a couple of weeks ago, prob at around 7 weeks, he gave me a couple of 3 hour stretches. But he does sleep on his belly as he just spits up otherwise and we have to rock him to sleep. During the day, we hold him all of the time and finally at night we are able to put him down at 11pm or so…. will give me a 2/3 hour stretch a couple of times and there we go again starting at 7am. I am telling you this because i am not convinced that the no-sleeping/constant hodling has much to do wiht reflux but with his temperament and just being a colicky/high needs baby, but i could be wrong. I believe his reflux is pretty much controlled with formula and meds.

Now about that — he is on 30mg of prevacid solutabs (although prob gets 2/3 of them as he is a gagger and spitter) and also on zantac. I give both of the meds because that is what worked for Matthew.

He is on Alimentum right now, after a failed trial on Neocate/Elecare. Just like Matthew, for some reason, he prefers the Alimentum and does eat much better with it and spits up a lot less. I mean, i mix 4 ounces of alimentum with 1/2 ounce of neocate and give it to him and he spits up 4/5 times… but does not do that with the alimentum, so we have switched back.

A formula change is something you could discuss with teh ped — maybe try alimentum or nutramigen.

Also very importnat to give meds on empty stomach and 30min before a meal, the prevacid that is. The zantac, does not really matter as it works differently.

I am sorry you are going through this… it is so hard — i guess it should be easier the second time around for us – let me tell you — if your second one is almost as sick as teh first, it is NOT, so i feel for people who are going through this for the first time.

[Anonymous]

So how would I know the difference between symptoms from the reflux and symptoms from a formula intolerance? And how long will this last? My ped told me reflux peaks at 4 months, but I’m not really sure what that means. Does that mean it’s at it’s worse at 4 months or what?

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone so much! I didn’t know about waiting the 30 minutes before feeds. Thanks! If anyone can give me info about compounding prescriptions, tha’d be great. I’m not sure what it is. And how would I know the difference between symptoms from the reflux and symptoms from a formula intolerance? And how long will this last? My ped told me reflux peaks at 4 months, but I’m not really sure what that means. Does that mean it’s at it’s worse at 4 months or what?

[hellbennt]

from here;

Groupie Intro: my intro: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=853&PN=1&TPN=1

there are many links to answer your questions

look for ‘Prevacid 101’ to read about the forms of prevacid- there are links about how to get it PROPERLY compounded (pretty difficult, but can be done)

look for the MSPI link (MSPI amd allergy information)- this will tell you aobut reflux and MSPI- from the ‘main’ MSPI page/link, go to page 2 & there’s a great article to tell the difference b/t allergies and intolerances- complete with symptoms, etc

[Anonymous]

What you dr means about it peaking is that yes, it is usually at it’s worst at 4 months. That is not true for all babies, but the majority. I honestly can’t remember if that was true for my boys, but that is what I have heard. Most babies outgrow reflux at 9 months, but for some it is 6 mos or a year and some don’t outgrow it all, but I think that is the rare majority. For those that don’t outgrow it though I don’t think it stays as bad as it is when they are a baby. Again though I have not dealt with that myself. That is just what I have heard from other moms.

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