Prevacid = Loss of Appetite

[Anonymous]

LO is 5 months old. We’ve been on Prevacid Solutabs for a month now. May 1 we began at 7.5 mg (1/2 tab) once a day. After 12 days we had seen no improvement so upped the dosage to 1/2 tab twice a day. After a week of that, we have a totally different baby! She is doing awesome and it is such a wonderful relief to see her happy and not screaming!

I also went off of dairy and soy a week and a half ago (we are EBF). May be making a difference, maybe not… we’ll see if/when I try adding it back.

The ONLY problem now is that she seems to have very little appetite. She has not gained any weight in a month. She is not losing, but not gaining either. She will eat every feeding, and will eat well at the beginning, but seem to be full after just a little while. She is not in pain or uncomfortable. She’ll go the full (typical) 3 hours until her next feeding just fine. And NO other symptoms – she is a very happy baby! (sleep is hit or miss, but it has always been that way so it is normal for her)

*I* think the Prevacid may be causing a loss of appetite. The GI doc does not think so, and thinks maybe she still has an allergy/intolerance to something, and would like to put her on an elemental formula for 2 weeks. I want to avoid that if possible.

So my question is, what can I do at home to try to see if the meds are affecting her appetite? Should I try dropping the second dose? Or give the full tab (both doses) in the morning? Would this be a side effect of the Solutabs but not necessarily of a different form of Prevacid, so should we try compounding before trying to switch meds?

I am hesitant to screw with meds too much because things are going so well… but I also know she needs to eat.

[hellbennt]

I don’t think I’ve heard of a PPI altering appetite?

you don’t have to stop for two weeks and try formula- you can alter your diet to see if it’s something in your diet- read below- but I don’t think ‘just’ not wanting to eat would be a reaction to something in your diet?

maybe it’s delayed gastric emptying (DGE)? there’s a test for this, called a milk scan…I don’t think that DGE would ‘just’ come on suddenly though?

Reasons a breastfeeding mother might think her baby is reacting to something in her milk:

*poop that is not ‘normal’ mustardy yellow, seedy breastfed baby poop

*mucous in poop; mucous can look like: snot, jelly, cottage cheese, stringy like the inside of a banana

*foul-smelling poop

*stinky, foul-smelling painful gas

*straining and grunting to poop and, when baby finally does poop, it’s soft

the TED takes two weeks and then you start adding foods in to see what you CAN eat.

Research all you can! You are your baby’s best advocate!

Look for all posts by Erinntx! (be SURE to read her ‘sticky’ – the link is below)

here’s some more light reading for you :

MSPI ‘Main’ page:

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2697

best EXPLANATION OF FOOD ALLERGIES/INTOERANCES and their RELATION TO REFLUX that I have found, to date: 2nd post: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2697&PN=2

Misconceptions about how Neocate & Elecare work: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6013

THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT:

Erin‘s sticky: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12948&PID=105126#105126

More Erin: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13175&PID=106395#106395

Erin post: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13576

Great anne post: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9242

Exposure to foods & blood testing: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12993

Sheri’s allergy/intolerance explanation: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10223&PID=87638#87638

Another Sheri explanation- intolerance/allergy post:

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11579&PID=97442#97442

Accuracy of allergy testing & great post by sherri explaining IgE and IgG (intolerance/allergies) https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10815

(sue again, replying to gina- breastfeeding info to (TED)https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11324&PN=1

probiotics, brands used:

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

erin posts that mentions enzymes:
https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12781&KW=enzyme

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12610&KW=enzyme

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12227&KW=enzyme

Post from me:
https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12200&KW=enzyme

[Anonymous]

Thanks. The appetite loss began when we started the prevacid, and a google search turned up others who had had a similar experience. So if it is that, it would be a much more preferable option to switch to prilosec or something than to do an Elecare trial. Although the info you posted about that was helpful in understanding it better.

I’ve cut out all forms of dairy, soy, and nuts. She did have stinky gas and that is cleared up now. Her poo is brown and smelly… although I think all poo is smelly so I don’t know how to judge. I know breastfed poo can vary a little. She has no rashes or anything like that, and tested negative for blood in the stool.

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