Med ?s: Seeing Dr Tomorrow

[Anonymous]

Zantac doesn’t seem to be helping us anymore even at an increased dose. We are seeing the Dr tomorrow and want to make sure I have all my info straight so I can tell them what we need to switch to a PPI.

1. I’d love to avoid the meal timing issues. Is the only way to do this with prevacid/prilosec to mix with TCM/BB or compounding? If so, is TCM/BB currently available? (I saw some April posts that it wasn’t…)

2. Does prilosec cause insomnia like prevacid? Our main issue is sleep and I don’t want to mess it up any more.

3. How many doses (roughly) does a 40mg packet of Zegerid have? (I have a 14.5 lb baby). Just researching insurance pricing, not dosing specific.

4. Are there any advantages to Nexium vs Prilo/Prev…I don’t seem to hear as much about that one.

5. Are there still supply issues with prevacid?

Any advice on which PPI to go for first would be great as well.

Thx.

[hellbennt]

oh my. well, if you start PPI, continue w/ the zantc, spacing it 4 hrs seperate

as for which one and sleeping- my son didn’t have any problems w/ prevacid or prilosec- I think it just depends- so much of this is trial & error- me, I’d start w/ prevacid…a high dose…there ARE those that take nexium.

as for the products- contact them directly to see if they’re available. I believe they are.

as for compounding: you MUST get it done EXACTLY how it’s spelled out- you must get doctor to write the rx to get it made the proper way

I know nothing about supply issues w/ prevacid…

I also don’t know how long a 40mg packet lasts- I suppose read through & find the dosing and then calculate?

zegerid mixing– has instructions for mixing the prescription packets and for using zegerid that you buy over the counter:

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14637

[Anonymous]

Thank you!!

I read & read before posting but still somehow missed you COULD use the zegerid OTC. The more options the better I think 🙂

[hellbennt]

sorry so abrupt! I always want to answer but don’t have a lot of time

I wish I could help more. the board is kinda quiet- comes in waves-

[Anonymous]

No thanks for the help! Things didn’t go great at the doctor, but we’re scheduled for a new one that will hopefully be more open to some of the other treatment options out there. :/

[hellbennt]

can you please post about your doctors- the good & the bad? hopefully, it’ll help someone else down the road…

thanks!

Looking for GI: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=660

there are recommendations for ped GIs in your area…

[Anonymous]

Yes of course!

DS has been on 1ml Zantac 2x per day for 2 months; we were told we could not increase the dose. When we just went the doctor said we could increase to a max dose of 1 ml 3x per day (we were already doing that anyways) and to come back in 2 weeks. We knew it wouldn’t work and I fought to go straight to the PPI.

After hassling me about why I thought he had reflux anyways (she diagnosed it originally, and he has clear symptoms-serious sleep issues, bad breath/smelly hands, wet hiccups, discomfort on back, coughing, congestion, audible swallowing, “chewing” on saliva)she finally agreed to prevacid. When I asked about Prilosec or one of the other options due to our insurance not covering Prevacid and there being supply issues with it, she refused to prescribe anything else. She said they don’t use those on infants and they can’t be compounded (which is incorrect).

Not surprisingly we had issues finding a pharmacy that stocked prevacid, and then had to find a pharmacy that would compound it for us. Finally we found one and decided we’d start the prevacid while we waited to get in with a GI that might be more open. After waiting 2 days and then an hour and half in the pharmacy, we finally ended up with our compounded prevacid- instead of what we’d discussed, it was compounded in xantham gum and dosed at 2.5ml once a day (15mg).

From the information I’ve learned here and from other reading, I’m worried this won’t help anything. We decided to start it just in case while we wait for our next appointment. Luckily we were able to get an earlier appointment with a GI at the children’s hospital if we drive to a farther away location- but i’d drive to Timbuktu to get him some relief!

I should also add she completely dismissed the possibility of MSPI or other causes of his symptoms, which is disheartening because he shows more stomach upset than just reflux alone that I’m not sure the PPI will help.

Fingers crossed the new GI is more helpful or at least more open to listening. Until then, we’re down to Zantac 2x/day (hard to get the 3rd time in with the spacing with the PPI) and the Prevacid at night, along with gripe water and colic tabs. Not sure those last ones help much but it makes us feel like we’re trying…

[hellbennt]

ooh. no prevacid & gripe water…do a search- I don’t have the link handy-

also: buy one of the products & make your own compound!

Prevacid 101:

scroll to the last page of this post, (it’s actually also about other PPIs like prilosec, too)
https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1936&PN=0&TPN=1

[Anonymous]

When my boys were suffering from reflux and MSPI they were on Prevacid and I gave them (for sure my oldest) tons of gripe water. I didn’t feel like it really helped long term but sometimes just 30 seconds of no screaming was a small relief. Not that it really makes a difference now to me but I am curious to know why they aren’t to be given together. I believe you but I’ve tried looking it up and can’t find any answers. I guess I just don’t know what to google.

[hellbennt]

sorry- I meant searching this site- upper right-hand corner of the page is the search button – I search ‘all forums’ and go back 6 months and OLDER to get the most from people who don’t post anymore

Gripe water: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3438

[Anonymous]

Thank you! Now I know how to search for stuff on this site. Also, I read the link you gave. That is very interesting!

[Anonymous]

Ok so our new GI is much better. She is fine with us using either the zegerid packets or generic prilosec. She also wants to try levsin.

So my question: zeg or prilosec (w tummy care max)? I know its the same active drug but in terms of practicality & experience, which would you start with? Im concerned about gas to as we already have Grtrouble with that. Also if zegerid is your choice do you recommend the Marci guide of mixing with MCS or using the tummy care z?

[hellbennt]

I would use the products and not the mixing w/ mcs. In my opinion (and this is ME), the mixing is fine in a pinch and that’s how it came about- when there was a hiatus in the availability of the products. this is ME. WE happened to use the product (that was available at the time) and it worked for us.

as for zegerid or prilosec, hmmm. It would be a toss up. I think I might go for the zegerid and the product available, since both are ‘from’ the University of Missouri (at least in origin)…

I have no idea about levsin. I would do a search…

[Anonymous]

If you’re concerned about gas, my opinion is to go w generic prilosec. Zegerid has sodium bicarb in it and it makes some babies really gassy. Apparently the gas clears after 10 days but it might not be worth putting your lo thru it he already has gas issues. I tried the otc zegerid w mcs and my lo had immediate gas pains. I know it wasn’t from mcs because she’s had that before.

Whatever you decide, I hope it works for you! My baby girl (4.5 months) has been on prilosec for 2 weeks and I can honestly say we’ve had a totally different baby for the past 11 days. Its truly amazing how great she is doing, hasn’t had 1 reflux episode/pain scream. My family is just so happy with how much better she finally is. Next step is trying to get more foods into my diet, its been 2 months of pretty much just zucchini, squash, potatoes, pears.

Best of luck!!

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