Reflux Revisited
November 21st, 2008 by ariana
So this week has been episode three of the “return of the reflux”.. you would think that by now I would have recognized the signs: the random crying, the sleep disturbances, constant hiccups, the extreme fussiness at the breast (pulls off, arches and even cries while eating!) etc.
I guess I wasn’t expecting this one so soon, but really it makes sense because zantac is so weight sensitive that it really needs to be adjusted constantly for Jasper’s growing size. He was on 2ml twice a day and he should have been on 2.2.
Things were just a little bit bad until all hell broke loose last night and poor Jasper was screaming at the top of his lungs for 40 minutes straight. Completely inconsolable… I had to leave him with Jeff and run to the pharmacy to get Mylanta just so he could get some instant relief.
I had never used Mylanta before and had no idea how much to give him. In desperation I called the Ped. GI doctor’s service to ask. The on call dr. told me two teaspoons or 10mls, which I thought seemed like an awful lot given that it was the same dose for adults! Luckily I only gave him 5mls, which I still think upset his stomach (too much can cause diarrhea) because he was farting all morning long..
Coincidentally this melt down occured the same day we saw the ped. GI for the second time…
Like the last time we saw him, he just kind of listened and didn’t ask me anything really (which I find so odd!) and proscribed him prevacid. I wanted Zegerid intead, but he went on about how the dosages weren’t tested in babies (which is true to a point, but there is this group MARCI that uses it to great benefit) and how it was hard to administer yadda yadda yadda.
I figured I’d get resistance.. it’s much too much to ask that the GI specialist would actually be up to date on the latest research being done in his field!!
He didn’t even bring up the fact that I should keep Jasper on the zantac along with the prevacid for the two weeks it takes the prevacid to kick in (otherwise he’d be totally unprotected from the acid).
Once I brought it up, he just said yes, give him the zantac before bed. I also brought up how the two meds need to be given no closer than 4 hours apart from each other. (At least he didn’t give me attitude when I told him I read it online!)
The doctor comes highly recommended, and he’s a really nice guy, but I can’t get over the fact that he asks so few questions.. and explains so little. For example he didn’t even mention the potential side effects of prevacid (stomach cramps and constipation) which are two things that Jasper already has issues with that I had discussed with him on our last visit.
But anyway, despite my lack of faith in the doctor we do have an RX for prevacid which I really hope will be the miracle drug that so many of you have told me it was.
But I’m so scared of the side effects.. Jasper’s tummy is already so sensitive and he’s only just really gotten to a really regular one poop a day schedule (before that it was sometimes every two or three days!) and he certainly doesn’t need stomach cramps.
Plus, the timing is bad because I’m just approaching the end of the two weeks on my Total Elimination Diet and so any improvements will be hard to isolate from the drug regemin.
I feel so confused and alone in all this.. there is a lot of great information online, but it’s hard to put it all together and figure out what’s best for my little guy and his particular situation.
I just hope that we’re doing the right thing for him :(
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Stephanie,
Thank you so much (as always) for the excellent info.. I’m going to contact Marci today. Did you call or email to get a referral?
You know what Ariana? We had a really wonderful pediatric GI when we lived in Rhode Island, but the one we switched to when we moved to Oregon was HORRIBLE. MARCI-Kids (I saw that you referenced them above) actually has a physician referral system. We used it to find a new doctor for Chloe when we moved here and he was absolutely WONDERFUL. He took such good care of her and he became Ginger’s doctor shortly after she was born. Sadly, he passed away unexpectedly when she was just a few weeks old. I was beside myself, but I made an appointment with another MARCI recommended doctor and he is fantastic – I could not be happier with him. Not only is he really kind to/gentle with Ginger, but he actually listens to my concerns, offers helpful suggestions, and is really up to date on research and dosing (which many doctors aren’t.) I honestly couldn’t love him more. If you’re having all this difficulty with your current GI, you might want to see if MARCI can recommend someone else in your area.
(BTW, I was skeptical when I originally contacted them because the doctor we’d been going to was the head of the department at the hospital we were going to and I’d just read a big magazine article about how well-respected she was, blah, blah, blah. She’s so well-known in these parts, I figured she’d come out on the top of the list. Needless to say, I was thrilled to see she wasn’t on the list AT ALL.)
I definitely am trying to find someone else.. there is this amazing one in NYC that my lactation consultation recommended, but of course he doesn’t take our insurance! I’d be willing to go for a consultation out of pocket, but with jasper at daycare ($$$) I don’t think it’s practical to have an out of network GI doc.
Karen, I’ve been thinking of NAET. My mom did it and it “cured” her of so many allergies! Actually, our Pedi’s wife is a NAET practitioner.. maybe I’ll ask him.
I don’t know where you live, but if possible find a doctor/chiropractor/acupuncturist who practises NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques). Trust me, this works. Research it online, or the book is “Say Good-bye to Illness”.
You’re trying so hard, anything you’re doing for Jasper is the best thing for him!
I agree with mandoo, you need to look for another pediatric GI. It doesn’t matter if he’s highly recommended if it’s not going well for YOU. I don’t think you should settle–there has to be someone else you can see. If you don’t like the second doctor, go back to the first. But ugh, how frustrating!
It makes me so mad to read your post and how unhelpful your ped GI is. I would look for another GI because he’s obviously NOT providing you with the information and care that he needs, even if he is highly recommended. You’re doing your best to find out as much information as you can for Jasper and you shouldn’t have to be prompting him for information as simple as whether two meds can be taken together! He should cover those bases — imagine the issues for parents who aren’t as well informed as yourself!
That being said, I really truly do hope that the prevacid does miracles for Jasper and yourself!