We're going to see the Family Doc next week...my feeling is that she's not really up to speed on GERD and the tests that could/should be done. BUT with that said, when I've to her about and said that I read on this website (yes I tell her that you experienced mamas say so), she is usually very willing to help and do what she can with what I've told her is recommended.
Syd has had no tests done at all. She was on 15mg prevacid for a month, then upped to 30mg. THe pharmacist says to try Renatidine...which I'm going to talk to doc lady about.
My friend has also told me of a clinic in Hamilton that sounds like it could help, but it's a 5 month waitlist, still I'm going to try to get in there too.
But, what tests would you ask your doc to send you for? What were most helpful, what were useless....I know opinions are going to vary just like our gerdlings do, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Thanks for your help ladies!!!!

Catt, I'm really no help on asking for tests...Ava's had every one under the sun (several times), but our docs have always just been on top of it, kwim?

I'd go in and just have talk and see what they say, but I'd say probably a scope and/or ph probe is a good place to start.

I'd go in and just have talk and see what they say, but I'd say probably a scope and/or ph probe is a good place to start.

What is the real "doctor" name for the scope?? Cause she might not know what I mean if I just say scope.

First of all ranitidine is zantac so it's doubtful that if you think she's not doing well on prevacid she won't do any better on zantac
http://www.drugs.com/ranitidine.html

as far as testing.... Hummm.... I'm not sure.

Give me a little bit more to go on. What's been happening? Is the prevacid helping at all? What kinds of things do you think need to be addressed. Her eating, vomiting, growth, sleeping, etc. Do you think she's still in pain?

In the mean time have a look at this link about some of the testing that's done to help diagnose and see if anything might be helpful

http://infantrefluxdisease.com/infant-reflux-tests.php

First of all ranitidine is zantac so it's doubtful that if you think she's not doing well on prevacid she won't do any better on zantac
http://www.drugs.com/ranitidine.html

as far as testing.... Hummm.... I'm not sure.

Give me a little bit more to go on. What's been happening? Is the prevacid helping at all? What kinds of things do you think need to be addressed. Her eating, vomiting, growth, sleeping, etc. Do you think she's still in pain?

In the mean time have a look at this link about some of the testing that's done to help diagnose and see if anything might be helpful

http://infantrefluxdisease.com/infant-reflux-tests.php

Oh wow okay where to start!!
First off about the meds, I was told by the pharmamcist and mamas on here that Renatidine is a blocker and prevacid is a suppresant...so they were different meds and are sometimes used together. That's why I'm asking about it. Do you have a different, (maybe better) suggestion?

Okay about her, I'll try to answer your questions in order: She was put on Prevacid 15mg in dec it worked great for about a monthe and then she started the shreaking crying I'm in constant pain crying again. The doc upped her to dose to 30mg and it was great again for about a month...the the crying and screaming started again. I'm not sure in the prevacid is helping at this point cause honestly I'm too afraid to stop and see what she would be like. Her eating is usually good except within a few feedings of the meds stopping working, then she turns her head a cries...even for food I know she loves. Her growth is slow but steady and she's no longer in danger of being label FTT. She's not so much actually vomiting (although she does do it at least once every two days, sometimes more), but she burping and swallowing, or throwing up in her mouth and swallowing...you can hear it come up but it doesn't always come up. Sleeping is horrible to say the least.
I'm 99% sure she's in pain, that scream...we all know that scream...the I'm hurting and you're not helping me, scream....she arches her back cranes her neck....and the look in her eyes....now don't get me wrong...it's not constant, but it definately has to do with the eating times and a bit afterward (up to two hours)...OH and back to the vomiting, when she does vomit, the food looks like it did when it came out of the jar, it's not digested at all, milk is only a little diluted, but not curdled really.

Okay, I think that's everyting....any other questions?

I printed out that sheet and am going to take it to the doc (after I read it of course)...thanks for the link.

O.K. First off I think it's time for a GI specialist. I'm not sure where he/she would start as far as testing goes. Her symptoms seem pretty classic GERD so probably just changing the meds or timing would be first on his/her list. (Eric supposedly doesn't have "normal" symptoms of GERD so me and the GI bumped heads quite a bit and I think he did a lot of unnecessary testing, just to rule out the fact that I could be a loon)
He/she may mention DGE as a possibility and suggest a motility drug. (the puke/food being undigested)

It's not unusual for there not to be any testing, so don't feel like your getting the short end of the stick. Eric had no testing at all until he hit the "He should have outgrown it by now" stage. he was 20 months old if I remember right.

What type of prevacid? Compound or solutabs?
If it's compounded that could explain why it works and then stops working. The suspension isn't stable as long as the pharms think, and most fill their RX every 2 weeks.

(now I see what youre saying about the zantac)
Eric takes an H2 (Like pepcid, zantac, axid) before bed and takes a PPI (Like prevacid, prilosec, nexium etc) twice during the day and we seem to be getting a good thing going.
Here's a link on the different meds
http://infantrefluxdisease.com/infant-reflux-gerd-medications.php

Now how about timing?
When do you give her her meds? How long do you wait before meals?

Sometimes the PPI can be given 3 times a day and that may help too.

Hows her poop? Is she pretty regular?

O.K. First off I think it's time for a GI specialist. I'm not sure where he/she would start as far as testing goes. Her symptoms seem pretty classic GERD so probably just changing the meds or timing would be first on his/her list. (Eric supposedly doesn't have "normal" symptoms of GERD so me and the GI bumped heads quite a bit and I think he did a lot of unnecessary testing, just to rule out the fact that I could be a loon)
He/she may mention DGE as a possibility and suggest a motility drug. (the puke/food being undigested)

It's not unusual for there not to be any testing, so don't feel like your getting the short end of the stick. Eric had no testing at all until he hit the "He should have outgrown it by now" stage. he was 20 months old if I remember right.

What type of prevacid? Compound or solutabs?
If it's compounded that could explain why it works and then stops working. The suspension isn't stable as long as the pharms think, and most fill their RX every 2 weeks.

(now I see what youre saying about the zantac)
Eric takes an H2 (Like pepcid, zantac, axid) before bed and takes a PPI (Like prevacid, prilosec, nexium etc) twice during the day and we seem to be getting a good thing going.
Here's a link on the different meds
http://infantrefluxdisease.com/infant-reflux-gerd-medications.php

Now how about timing?
When do you give her her meds? How long do you wait before meals?

Sometimes the PPI can be given 3 times a day and that may help too.

Hows her poop? Is she pretty regular?

The prevacid is the solutabs

I wait at least 1/2hour after meds for food, I give it to her first thing in the morning (about 8am) and then after her nap at 3pm and then feed her at 4pm.
Poop is good as far as poop goes...she does it a couple times a day, more if I give her avocado.

I think Minnie was meaning that zantac would have less chance of working alone if the prevacid wasn't working. But it may make a difference together.

This is what I would suggest, if you think the meds are doing absolutely nothing, then I would request and endoscopy or scope, this would rule out other disorders that give reflux symptoms but doesn't respond to medications.

If you think the meds have done something, then I don't know how much testing I would do. The meds will only help reflux so if they are doing something then you can pretty much say reflux and testing would only confirm what you already know. These tests would be the Upper GI, pH probe.

If she wasn't gaining weight or full feed refusal then I would suggest the pH probe or upper GI.

So it comes down to, do the meds do anything, if so try the zantac and see how it goes.

I would definitely get in to see a GI specialist, if you can. There's so many tests you COULD do, hopefull a specialist could steer you in the right direction for just the ones you actually need. Its definitely not fun testing at this age. On the other hand, some of the testing (at least for us), is just to rule out the things that they DON"T have, KWIM?