switch from zantac to losec

[helenwombat]

Almost 5mo DS has been on zantac for the last month or so, first 0.5ml a day, upped to 0.8ml a day for last few weeks. Anyway, every so often I would think things were improving & we'd have some lovely smiley, non-breast refusal days. Then the next day, everything would go to pot again. DS would refuse breast & bottle, scream, gulp, gasp, refuse to nap...We would have 2 hrs sleep at night due to DS screaming & screaming & writhing around in pain.
So returned to paediatrician who prescribed losec 1ml (compounded) per day. We gave it to him the night before last & didn't give the zantac. What a disaster! Probably our worst day & night ever. DH had to take a day off work & we were both in tears as we didn't know how to soothe DS.
So now I am giving DS both zantac & losec. How long should I leave it before dropping the zantac? Should I drop it gradually (i.e. back to 0.5ml before stopping) or would it not make a difference?
Also, the paediatrician said just one dosage per day. Would it be better to split it morning/night or would that not make a difference?
Lastly, do I just have to accept that whatever medication my son is on, there will be good days & bad days until he grows out of it? Or is there a miracle solution (don't suggest chiropractor, homeopathic remedies, gaviscon, chamomile, solids, positioning...(we are trying/have tried them))?
Thank you.
Hoping & praying this ends soon, really struggling.

P.S. Thank you so much to those of you who helped me when I first realised it was reflux (telling me to go to emergency when ds stopped breathing etc). Think it was Tusmama(?) & triple time.
I wish somebody had told me it was reflux earlier instead of 'all babies cry', 'he's just hungry', I feel bad for pushing my tiny, wriggly & screaming DS for miles in his pram not realising that he was in pain because he was laid flat. At least I will know & recognise the symptoms for the next one (although hoping s/he is reflux free)!

[teagan88]

Hi :)
Our DD was diagnosed with silent reflux about 2 weeks ago.. She use to refuse to lay in her cot, scream hysterically in the car or pram and was constantly being told the same thing you were, all babies cry :( I wish I hadve picked it up earlier though!

Anyway she is also on Zantac. Did youday your ds was only having .05ml once per day? My dr advised we give Mia .05ml 3 times a day.. and it is definately helping! She is like a different baby.. No longer sleeping in my arms and so much happier, although if for some reason I do miss a dose I do notice a little! Maybe ask you dr if you can give more often? Sorry if I've interpreted this wrong and you already are!

I really hope you, DH and DS get some releif very soon. :)

[teagan88]

Oh and she is 5 months too!

[faith72]

I think that once the dose is right then you should have a happy baby the majority of the time - except when they get sick then that apparently makes the reflux flare up.

With my DS (who is nearly 6 months old) it took a while to get the dose right and he's now on 15mg of losec per day. Even at 10mg (which I think is equivalent to 1ml compounded) he was still having bad days. We also found that the compounded version was not as effective as the tablet form so went back to tablets.

It seems that we have the reflux pain under control with 15mg of losec however have other issues going on which affects his feeding. The food refusal stopped once we changed formula (to Elecare). If I was breastfeeding then would have to cut out dairy and soy etc in my diet.

Also, it takes a good 5 days for the losec to kick in so probably stick with the Zantac for 5 days and then stop. You can give 0.5ml of losec in the morning and again in the evening - it probably spreads it out a little better (but at the end of the day will not make a huge amount of difference).

[helenwombat]

Thanks for your replies!
Teagan, yes sorry he was on zantac 0.5 ml 3x a day for a couple of weeks and then 0.8 ml 3x. It did seem to be working for a while, but things got worse again. Hope it continues to work for your little one!
Faith, thanks for the advice. I was giving the 1ml in the evening just because we've had so many problems at night recently (I guess because he isn't upright for as long after feeds as during day), which impact on the day - he is forever overtired. I'll see how we go & consider splitting dosage.
I am mixed feeding (had to introduce bottles due to breast refusal every so often) & am on a bland diet (no dairy, soy, wheat, tomatoes, citrus, spices, caffeine etc), so don't think ds has allergies. The formula I'm using is Nan HA as recommended by paediatrician, but he only has 1-2 bottles a day.
I find ds' reflux is particularly bad if he is overtired but he is so easily overstimulated & difficult to get to sleep in the first place that it is a vicious circle. DH & I cannot go out of an evening because he won't sleep for anybody other than us (just stays awake, staring for MIL & then crying because overtired) & we can't take him because he doesn't sleep anywhere other than his cot! I am so envious of those mothers whose babies sleep in the car/pram/on them...

[Me&MrMagoo]

Hi Helen,

I'm so glad you got your son diagnosed!!

My ds is on Zantac AND losec. The Zantac settles the acid so that the losec can work properly.

It took nearly four weeks for ds to settle down on the meds so don't get disheartened ...

My ds will also only sleep for me, it is very rare that he'll sleep for dh.

I hope things are going a bit better for you now ... Maybe once you've got the reflux under control and ds doesn't associate feeding with pain you might be able to breast feed full time again!!

[Me&MrMagoo]

Oh and there will be good days and bad, but if the meds are right it should be mostly good ;)