Reflux meds-lots of questions

For those of you with babies on reflux meds-I have lots of questions for you. How often do you give them? Which one do you use? How long do the babies need to be on it? I assume it isn't something they are on for life, so how do you know when they can be taken off it? Also, what reflux symptoms did your babies have and what other methods did you try to help it before you went to meds?

My boys have nasal congestion, extreme gas, grunting and rolling around to get the gas out, arching their back while eating sometimes, and not taking alot at one feeding. Some ladies suggested reflux, so I'm starting to look into that. Thanks!

 

My boys weren't on any but my baby girl is. She is on prevacid solutabs...break in half and dilute in about 3 mLs of water and offer by syringe.

Feeding and about 1-2 hours after so pretty all the time was a nightmare. She was latch to feed and about a minute in the fun would start. The screaming, fusing, arching, latching/unlatching (which my ped told me results in lots of gas because she was sucking a lot of air between the latching/unlatching), spitting up, frequent short feedings, gas, and coughing were signs for us. She hasn't officially been tested for reflux but since we started the meds it's been great! We also keep the crib mattress elevated and keep her upright for about 20 minutes after feeding.

My sisters two kids were on reflux meds and she was able to wean them off around one year...she just starting giving it every other day, and while they were fine, every couple of days, etc, until they were completely off.

 

We gave the girls zantac twice a day from age 3 weeks until about 6 months. They had very different reflux symptoms- M would arch her back and scream, grunt, seem congested, and didn't eat well. A would spit up TONS out of her nose and mouth and scream, and she also seemed congested and didn't eat well. About a week after we started Zantac they were both much happier babies. We knew we could wean them off when we realized the girls were fine even though the dose they were on wasn't therapeutic for their weight. A still spit up a ton until a year old, but she was a happy spitter even off of Zantac. GL!

 

We gave them Prevacid 15mg solutab (1/2) once a day. We tried the Zantac first and had no luck with it. We saw results with them about 24 hours after giving the first dose and their reflux got better and better. We had lots of arching, grunting, refusing feeds, etc as our symptoms. At first we tried keeping them upright for 30 mins after each feed and thickening their bottles with rice cereal with 1 tsp per ounce of formula. Those really didnt help by themselves. But once they got on the right meds plus the combination of thickened feeds and keeping them upright really helped them. They were on the meds until they were 8 months old. HTH! GL! Reflux is hard on everyone involved.

ETA: We had one that spit up alot and the other was a silent refluxer.

 

QUOTE(DATJMom @ Jan 19 2009, 03:30 PM) [snapback]1153449[/snapback]
We gave them Prevacid 15mg solutab (1/2) once a day. We tried the Zantac first and had no luck with it. We saw results with them about 24 hours after giving the first dose and their reflux got better and better. We had lots of arching, grunting, refusing feeds, etc as our symptoms. At first we tried keeping them upright for 30 mins after each feed and thickening their bottles with rice cereal with 1 tsp per ounce of formula. Those really didnt help by themselves. But once they got on the right meds plus the combination of thickened feeds and keeping them upright really helped them. They were on the meds until they were 8 months old. HTH! GL! Reflux is hard on everyone involved.

ETA: We had one that spit up alot and the other was a silent refluxer.




I tried the Zantac first also and had no luck, and had to use the Prevacid for awhile...seemed to help alot!

 

My boys were on Axid one dose every 12 hours. We would burp after every ounce, and sit in their carseats for 30 minutes after feeding. They slept somewhat elevated, and we gave mylicon drops several times a day. This routine started at 6 weeks and stopped at about 5 months. No more meds after that

 

We used Prevacid solutabs 15mg (half twice a day) until about 9 months. Early on I dissolved the pill in water and gave it to them in a dropper. As they got older they opened their mouths for it. Tried Axid first - had no effect. Switched to prevacid and they were all new babies within a couple of days. No more screaming, arching their backs, and refusing bottles despite being obviously hungry. Around 6 months we stopped giving them the Prevacid and the syptoms came back so we continued on. Tried again at 9 months and they didn't have any problems so we quit all together. One was a silent refluxer, the other was a big spitter. We elevated one end of their mattresses and always tried to keep them upright at least 30 minutes after they ate. As they moved to more and more solids and sat up more they seemed to do much better.

 

my dd is currently on 15mg prevacid...we just give it once a day. From what I've read babies do not need to be on these for life..some are weaned from them around 6 months and most are weaned by 12 months. Before meds we tried gas drops, switching formula's, switching bottles, more tummy time, and holding upright for 30 mins after eating.
Her symptoms started around 1 month...crying through bottles spitting up more than she had in the past (still not a lot though), she is a silent refluxer (it comes up but she swallows it back down). She would arch her back as well. We tried zantac but it didnt do a thing. We also started thickening her formula with oatmeal cereal to help it stay down. With the thickening and prevacid she wouldnt cry through bottles anymore and she doesnt silent reflux as much as she used to but now its just a struggle to get her to eat. She acts uninterested or full and doesnt eat as much as she should and isnt gaining like she should. She eats an average of 16oz a day, when compared to my ds who is eating 30+. We were referred to a GI, she had lots of tests done all came back fine. GI is having us increase the amount of powder we add to water to make her formula 24calories per oz instead of 20.
I would definately talk to your pedi about it. Most babies are started on zantac and for many it really helps. If zantac doesnt help most are moved onto prevacid which usually does the trick!
Hope you get it all figured out soon!

 

DS is on Axid every 12 hours. I was giving it at 8am/8pm but found that his signs were worst at about 4am- grunting, congestion, fussiness, uncomfortable eating, gassy, etc. So now I give it at about 2pm and 3-4 am, and he seems more comfortable overnight. I give that dose when I am up anyway to replace a paci or feed him. I also keep him upright for 20-30 mins after a meal. We started at about 6 weeks old, also, and he rarely spits up anymore.

One downside of using the suspension is that we have to get him weighed every month or so the pediatrician can calculate a new dose for him. But it's a small price to pay for his comfort.

 

mine were both in prevacid and zantac. DD who had projectile bomiting and tons of gas, fuzziness, etc. is outgrwing it and her zantac
dosage was decreased to only once a day (it does go by weight)
ds was better in the beginning (back arching) but now is doing worse he is complety refusing the bottle and screaming througout the feeding...I feel so bad.. we are working with the pedi, he was also on nexim but that didn't make much of a difference
We also elvated their beds with the wheels on one side and the wedge from babiesrus.