No Ranitidine! What's an alternative?!

[DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou]

That's not Omeprazole?? That makes his reflux worse.

12 month old DS still suffers with reflux and Ranitadine is a life saver. He wakes every 10-15 mins otherwise. All night long. It's horrific.

Omeprazole massively made it worse.

Gaviscon did nothing.

Help!

There are alternatives, but you should always speak to a healthcare professional like a GP or pharmacist who should be able to advise you on the best medication for your child.

There is a ranitidine shortage at present so it's hard to get hold of. Famotidine and nizatidine are both H2 blockers and work much the same way as ranitidine, though I can't tell you if they are available or suitable in your case.

Thanks. I have spoken to a pharmacist and I do understand that there's a shortage.

He said the other options were much along the lines of Omeprazole and the only other similar drug to Ranitadine was Cimetidine which doesn't even feature in the children's BNF, licensing aside.

Has your 12 mo ever gone dairy free? My eldest was medicated for her first year until CMPA was diagnosed

We did the fruity antacids from Asda, believe it or not. They are 100x better than Gaviscon.

Lanzoprazole worked better for me than omeprazole.

Have you tried a big boots? Local pharmacy struggling to get it but Boots seem to have l another supplier and from the looks of it have these massive bottles that they titrate into smaller ones.

i have severe GERD which is a very severe form or acid reflex

all the medication suggested does nothing for me so i buy nexium

worked 100 times better than anything the doctor prescribed

i get mine delivered monthly from amazon but the supermarkets sell it

There isnt a shortage. Its been recalled

"The recall is a precautionary measure due to possible contamination of the active substance in Zantac, ranitidine, with an impurity called NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine) which has been identified as a risk factor in the development of certain cancers"

Pepcid or Tagamet

I get nexum from my GP on prescription. I agree its excellent.

It's a while ago but when I was prescribed ranitidine they often gave me Gavilast.

Shortage, recall, it's the same problem.

I can't buy stuff from Amazon he's 12 months old.

We did 3 months dairy free and it made no difference. ☹️

Looks like Gavilast has been recalled too, it contains Ranitadine.

Maybe domperidone? Not sure of spelling and I am not a HCP. You will need a review with your GP or paediatrician.

Good luck

I'm on domperidome it's just an anti sickness med and not to be taken regularly. It won't help acid. It sounds like you don't want PPIs (they all end in prazole) but something that has helped me before I had all acid production surgically stopped was carafate. I think it has to be prescribed by a consultant.

Zantac has been recalled? I brought 2 boxes 3 days ago for my mum. No problem. Pharmacy had loads.

@Walnutwhipster How did you get all acid production surgically stopped and why?

Sorry to be intrusive. Of course you dont need to answer.

I’ve seen Zantac but I don’t know if it’s kids’ dosage. I’ve resorted to nexium which costs a fortune but so worth it. Just taken one and waiting for it to work. Nexium is a omepraxole which you don’t want. I presume you’ve tried paediatric gaviscon sachets, I remember these from the hazy colicky fog long ago.

OP I second lansoprazole over omeprazole. Theirs also milk of magnesia bit like gaviscon but some prefer it.

My 6 year old son has been given omeprazole as an alternative but I can see that wouldn't work for your little boy. Are you under a paediatrician? I would ask them or the gp for another medication. My 8 year old was on a combination of gaviscon, ranitidine and domperidone for his reflux when he was a baby.

My dd couldn’t take ranitidine for her severe reflux, and the only thing that got her sleeping fit b longer than 20 mins was camomile tea! Cooled and gently squirted in with a syringe.
Gp was v impressed.

All rantitidine products have been recalled and as far as I know there is no date for the problem to be resolved.
Please get in contact with the paediatrician or GP for a review, especially as the omeprazole hasn't worked.

Omeprazole doesn't suit ds but Lansoprazole does...It might be worth a try?

I can't find anything that can be used instead of ranitidine. Omeprazole doesn't work for my dd.

GP won't prescribe anything else.

I will have to stop Omeprazole soon because I need to do two weeks without it before doing a test. I was told to take Gaviscon during those two weeks, but would Nexium be OK?