Im giving up all hope!

[Linzola1]

OMG I am about to cry! As soon as I think we have figured out whats wrong with Julian something else goes wrong! Yesterday I took him to the doctor because he was not eating and breathing hard! My doctor said she thought it was from his GERD and that he needed his formula changed from Similac Alimentum to Enfamil Nutramigen Lipil. She also said I needed to thickern his feeds. I have been thickning it with cereal but she told me to stop that and use a product called Simply thick!!! He refused the bottle with the new formula and the thickner! I then tried a bottle that had the new formula and rice! He took some then Projectile Vomited it! Ok so then I gave him the Alimentum and he did fine!!!! He did fine all night and ate 1 bottle at 9:30am ( 6oz) Then he fell asleep and I tried to feed him agian at 1:30 and refused and 1:55 and refused! He fell back asleep (cried himself back to sleep) I called the doctor because she wanted me to update her and told her what had been going on and she refered Julian to a GI specialist!!!! I called them and they couldnt get him in until the 17th of November... I made the appoitment! He woke up and I fed him 4 oz and he took it then about 30 min later projectile vomited it!!! I called the doctor back and she said no more formula for 24 hours! Shesaid to give him pedialite and feed rice with a spoon at 4 and green beans at 7ish. He sucked the greenbeans down (mind you this is the first time he has had food) and took 6 oz of pedialite! She changed his antibiotic from Amoxicillin to Augmenten for a ear infection that he has had since last monday. he was almost done and has to start back over! My question is does this all sound right I am concerned that w/o his formula he wont get what he needs!!!! HELP

[amy0013]

When a pharmacist makes a compounded version (liquid) of a medince, usually the precise amount of sodium bicarbonate is not added to the medicine.  Therefore, when the medicine is ingested, the natural acid in the stomach attacks the medicine and degrades it before it even has a chance to work...so you're basically not giving any medicine at all.  

The solutabs already have the correct amount of bicarb and are able to work effectively without being degraded....IF they are given 30-60 minutes before a meal (otherwise the meal degrades the solutab).  Gosh, does that make any sense?  Another PPI that worked for us is zegerid.  It is a powder suspension that you mix with water.  The only difference between zegerid and prevacid solutabs is that zegerid does NOT have to be timed around meals.  Whereas the solutabs need to be given on an empty stomach.  

The prevacid solutabs ARE the ones you can dissolve and mix with water or applesauce.  Read read read the marci-kids website.  It explains how these medicines work WAY better than I ever could...AND it has a wonderful dosing calculator to give you an idea of how much Julian needs based on his age and weight.  :)

I just typed this realllllllllllly fast so I hope it makes sense.  :)

[Michele, Katy, TX]

That's what I have is the solutab Prevacid, but I don't know for sure if that is what amy0013 is talking about or not.  It's Prevacid tablets that dissolve in water and I just give it to her with a dropper.

[Linzola1]

I go to the Ped tomorrow for Julian to finally get his 4 month shots so I will ask about the Solutabs! I never asked!This my sound stpid but whats the difference?

[amy0013]

The regular ped won't switch him to solutabs???  The compounded prevacid becomes unstable in as little as two weeks.  I wouldn't think you'd need a GI to switch forms of the same medicine?

We started on zantac too, FAILED, then a compounded prevacid, FAILED and then finally a good dose of a PPI medicine (like solutabs) and I finally had the happy baby I always wanted!  :)

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Oh, that's what I meant.  I meant Prevacid.  Mine was put on Zantac first and was then switched to Prevacid and that was better.  The Zantac only helped for like a couple of weeks and then went right back.  

Well, if they have tried all of that, then maybe a GI specialist is the route to go.  It sounds like your doc has tried everything.  And maybe your doc is right.  Maybe when Julian starts solids, it will help.  I hope so.....for both your sake.  I know it's hard....Just hang in there.  And I will keep my fingers crossed for you!!!

[Linzola1]

Yes Julian is on Meds. He was started on Zantac but it didnt help much! They put him on carafate to coat his esophagus and tummy and even that didnt work out! They changed him to Prevacid and its helping bit but ot as much as the doctor has liked! The doctor said she ahs tried everything that she could so they want to send him to the Gi specialist! He did really well with the greenbeans and ate 1/2 the jar! He loved them! He did take a bottle this morning (6oz) so thats good! The ped said that sometimes reflux symptoms get better after solids are introduced! Well he does seem to be doing better so fingers crossed ladies!

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Linzola - Have they tried medicine for Acid Reflux???  My youngest (16 months) would cry a lot and would tense up her body and rear backwards.  My ped gave her Zantac and that fixed the problem.  My ped did that without me having to go to a GI specialist.  The testing that they do (from what I have heard) is very invasive and I don't see the harm in your doc at least trying it.  It just sounds so much like Acid Reflux to me.

[martikadragoon]

Lizola~ TJ is on the Enfamil Lipil formula. He likes it ok but nothing like when I was BFing. (breast milk is sweeter than formula)

Just give it time. TJ has been having milk come out his nose! they think it may be reflux. UGH.

Honestly think of it this way... Things could be much worse than they are.

[amy0013]

I am not sure what the "Lipil" part means but Alimentum and Nutramigen are exactly the same formula...just made by different companies (Similac and Enfamil).

I know I sound like a broken record but you NEED, no you MUST, consider getting him OFF of the compounded prevacid.  I guaruntee you it's doing him no good.  He needs to be on a more stable form of prevacid...like the solutabs.  What have you got to lose???

I really hope you see a turn around soon!  I remember those "pulling your hair out" days and know how stressful and frustrating it is!

Ped GI specialists can be VERY hard to get into!  I would call them tomorrow and ask to be put on their cancellation list.  It might mean you have to run to a last minute appointment but if it means he will be seen quicker...it's worth it!  Also keep in mind that even some Ped GIs are very primitive in their reflux treatments.  I know it seems ironic because that should be their areas of specialty...but it's amazing how far behind many docs are on the current research with GERD and MSPI.  Have you checked out all of the information on marci-kids.com?  I would read read read and go to that appointment armed with knowledge so you can fight for Julian!

HUGS TO YOU SWEETIE!

[ashiepooh]

ooops I meant projectile LOL

[ashiepooh]

the fact that he is having prejectile vomit is what made her said pedialite!  It helps keep hydration in, and should stop the vomitting.  He will be fine.  My son, at 2 months, had a surgery and I had to go 48 hours with out formula only pedialite, then only water 12 hours prior to surgery.  As long as he is getting the pedialite, rice cereal and some green beans, he will be fine.  The doctor is likely making sure he doesn't need to become hospitalized from dehydration!