Zantac for Reflux: If it's going to help, how long for results?

[srhs]

DS2 started zantac for reflux 6 days ago. Pedi said to try it 4-5 days and call if not significantly improved. I did so yesterday and started the process of getting the Prevacid preauthorized through my ins. In the meantime, I'm still giving DS2 the zantac. Well, wouldn't you know he had a GREAT day today?

What's that about? When I take zantac, it's short-term relief. Is it different with babes? Could it have just taken awhile to "kick-in?" Or is the improvement likely related to something different (like my diet) and likely short-lived?

[citymama]

I'm starting Zantac tomorrow for my reflux. The nurse said to give it a week before we gauge its effectiveness for me, because it takes a while to actually do its thing. This was true for me when I started on Pepcid AC - it made no difference the first couple of days but after 5 or 6 days, I could tell it was helping. Maybe the same is true for your DS?

[egoldber]

It can take a few days. Also, many kids need to be on the maximum dose for their weight for it to help. And they can outgrow their dose pretty quickly.

I would try the Prevacid though.

[veronica]

They should feel better pretty soon, in a day or two. With DS though, relief from zantac was shortlived and we switched to prevacid in a matter of weeks. It was a lifesaver for us. At 2 years old, he still needs a daily dose. He was on twice daily! good luck to you and your DC

[hellbennt]

zantac is very weight sensitive (for babies at least) & I've found that peds don't prescribe high enough dose for weight (see my sig)- anyway, from my sig you can find the rationale re: dosing- it can (should? depends how you look at it) be 10mgs per kilo...from sig look for 'prevacid 101' post- I put zantac dosing info there, too:)

anyway you should see pretty immediate affects, but the majority of babies tend to plateau on zantac. I hope yours isn't one of them and that your baby does really well with it!

[srhs]

Thanks for all the replies! I did poke around infantreflux.org forums, but I feel his "symptoms" are so jumbled that I'm not sure how to be concise. He keeps changing! Anyway, we have an appt with the pedi GI tomorrow (the only one in our area, so I sure hope he's good!).

I'm working on writing our history of "issues" out on blank calendars and listing symptoms with approximate dates.

Yesterday was better than a week ago but not as good as when I posted #1. Sounds like most babies do better on Prevacid anyway, so I'm definitely not going to halt the insurance approval process on that.

[the2bobs]

Your the 1st to say your DC got better on Zantac. Neither of my kids improved with it. Nothing seems to stop their reflux. We do Prilosec b/c both boys were/are allergic to milk and Prevacid is milk based. DS1 outgrow the reflux at 7 mos.

[egoldber]

Zantac did help Amy a lot, we just had to monitor her dose carefully. After the first trial we realized she had to be on the max dose and we just monitored her and inreased it frequently.

[pastrygirl]

We're on day 7 of Zantac; he had 2 good days this week, but two really, really bad days -- the worst in his life. I think I should call instead of waiting for my appt next week.

How did you know you needed to preauth the prevacid? I'm wondering if I will, too...

[srhs]

How did you know you needed to preauth the prevacid? I'm wondering if I will, too...
I asked pedi why we couldn't start with Prevacid since I'd read it's much more effective, and he said it's a lot cheaper and most ins won't cover it without trying Zantac first. So, I called my ins and asked if it'd require pre-authorization. Yep! That process started on Monday and is still ongoing. :(

So, I'd call if I were you and get the heads-up. If you have access to a fax machine, ask for a copy of their pharmacy dept. prior authorization form "for your files" so you have it in-hand.

[pastrygirl]

My pediatrician just called me back and is switching us to Prilosec. I didn't ask about Prevacid, though... I really hope this one works.

[slworld]

We started DS on Zantac too at around 6weeks. Though it showed some improvement it was shortlived. We increased the dosage but with no effect. The ped switched us to Prvacid and that was better.

[hellbennt]

My pediatrician just called me back and is switching us to Prilosec. I didn't ask about Prevacid, though... I really hope this one works.

I hope so too:)!
not to be a downer, but here are some things 'they' don't tell you:
1) the pharmacy rarely makes the prilosec 'right'
there's a lot about this on infantreflux.org/forum...
2) dosing is quite often not high enough...
3) it can take up to 14 days to see full effects of PPI (prilosec, prevacid, nexium, protonix) so if you do not give the zantac, too, while you wait then it's as if baby isn't on any meds at all. you can give the zantac, too, just make sure to space 4hrs from the PPI

[pastrygirl]

Laura, thank you for that link! I'm now reading like crazy. The pharmacist did make it wrong the first time, and then ended up sending my husband home with the suspension in one bottle and the flavoring in another (because it wasn't ready/dissolved in time), so hopefully I can mix it up in smaller batches so that we don't have a stability issue... but I'm still reading, so I might be wrong!

[hellbennt]

see my sig:) (that's the link)
personally, what I'd do is order bufferbabies/caracream (all found from link in my sig- from link in my sig look for link to 'prevacid 101' it's about all PPIs, not just prevacid)

[pastrygirl]

It sounds like I'd need a new prescription, since this current one is for the suspension, not the capsules; I'll ask my ped about it at the well-baby visit we have on Wednesday. Also, the prescribed dosage seems incredibly low, compared to the Marci Kids site -- it's only 3mg once a day for my 11+ pound baby. Argh, this is frustrating!