need advice on what to do now..

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone. I’ll try to keep this brief, but I’m really lost and not sure what to do. This is my second reflux baby but this one is really different than the first and not sure what road to take. Here’s the situation:

6 weeks old now, started showing reflux symptoms at 4 weeks- crying, not sleeping, overfeeding, arching

switched formula- so far have tried enfamil lipil (ok but seemed to get stomach cramps and not constipated but hard to poop), gentlease (was worse- pain, gas, runny stool), goodstart (major gas and pain), Enfamil AR(great for spitup and she loves it, but major constipation)-

meds- tried prevacid compound for 6 days- pain and diarrhea but not sure if she would have gotten used to it; currently on zantac .8 ml twice a day (she is 9 lbs) and was a different baby for a few days before constipation hit from formula-

So, now she’s on the enfamil AR but is too consitpated, and karo syrup makes her stomach hurt- showing some reflux symptoms again but really not sure yet whether it’s stomach issues making her uncomfortable or zantac suddenly not working. So, here is what my pediatrician said: she doesn’t want her on a formula that is contipating as this will be a daily battle and she doesn’t want to have to give her juice or other drugs every day- she said we can either try Nutramigen because it sometimes works for reflux and maybe some of her issues is an intolerance (not allergy) to the formulas, which is aggravating reflux- OR, she said we can try compounded prilosec- I don’t know what to do!

If I change the formula, I am hopeful it will at least help with some of her digestive issues, but that probably won’t help the reflux pain, if that is really the problem with the zantac not working- However, if I put her on prilosec and not switch the formula, we’re still battling constipation and digestive issues- If I change both, we won’t know what is causing any side effects-

what would you do? anyone else switch to nutramigen when their baby did not have an allergy, but have it help? anyone on prilosec and find it made a difference?

I need major advice! sorry this is so long…I don’t think I can take much more of the guessing game while my baby screams…plus, I go back to work soon and I can’t imagine daycare having the patience required to deal with this…

help!!

[hellbennt]

I would try nutrimigen, why not?

also I would figure out highest dose of zantac by weight- read here:
https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8288&PN=1

here’s a weight conversion chart- tell me baby’s weight in kilos (refer to chart) & I can help youhttp://www.sfca.co.uk/match/kilolbs.htm

make sure to space zantac 4hrs from prevacid.

read here to find out WHAT kind (form) of prevacid to TELL dr you need- if I were you, I would FORGET the compound and go for Bufferbabies – that’s just me…read Prevacid 101, last post on the page for more
https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1936&PN=0&TPN=1

[Anonymous]

Thanks Laura. I figured the same thing and am trying the nutramigen, as I figure it should help her tummy issues, even if she’s not allergic. So far she hates the taste and it seems to make her tummy a little upset, like she wants to vomit, but I am going to keep trying for a least a week in hopes that she gets used to it. She does seem more calm, even with these issues.

We are only on the zantac right now, and we are going to try either prevacid solutabs again or the prilosec once we see what the formula does or doesn’t do. Right now shegets .8 ml of zantac twice a day, and I think that is the right dose,but I’d appreciate any help on that as well!

[hellbennt]

please look up her weight and tell me her weight in kilos and I can help w the zantac dose http://www.sfca.co.uk/match/kilolbs.htm

[Anonymous]

Hi Laura- She is 4.14 kg…and getting 1.6 ml a day of zantac (split up)- does this mean she is dosed correctly, as it is between 5 and 10 mg/kg? am I figuring this right? she is getting 24 kg a day with a 15mg/ml suspension?

we are not on prevacid…it seemed to cause horrible gas, but now that she is doing better on alimentum we wonder if the formula caused the gas and loose stool…we also have prilosec to try too…any advice on which one we should try when the alimentum has time to work (we don’t want to do meds and new formula at once)

thanks for the help! i really need it!

[hellbennt]

give the new formula a good two weeks…

as for the zantac, I’d figure for the highest dose, 10mgs per kilo, bcse you can always back down if need be…it’s ‘safe’

4.14 x 10 = 41.4mgs total of zantac for the day
your zantac bottle will read 15mgs/ml
so for every 1ml of liquid she’s getting 15mgs of zantac, so
41.4 divided by 15 = 2.76, make that 2.8
so that’s 2.8mls total of zantac for the day
you can divide this into 2 doses and they can be ‘uneven’
meaning if night time is worse, you can give a higher portion/dose then and smaller in the a.m.

after two wks on new formula and using the zantac if you see there is still pain then I would try prevacid w/ bufferbabies

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