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Original poster

Ranitidine has alcohol in?! Help

22 replies

AliCanTea · 13/09/2019 16:24

Panicking a bit - 7 month old has been on Ranitidine for silent reflux for a month and now I read the leaflet (should have done it sooner, obv) it has ethanol in, the same amount of alcohol content as wine! Would never have given it to her if I’d read that. Any advice?

OP posts:
SuperSange · 13/09/2019 16:26

Was it prescribed?

MustardScreams · 13/09/2019 16:27

Don’t give her a glass of it then! It’s fine, it’ll be a tiny amount and won’t cause any issues. I’m taking it was prescribed by a dr?

Shouldbedoing · 13/09/2019 16:27

If it was prescribed don't worry.Ask the pharmacist?

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SuperSange · 13/09/2019 16:27

From the sheet for the oral solution...Ranitidine150mg/10ml Oral Solution contains:

Ethanol (alcohol) - each 5ml spoonful contains 8% w/v ethanol, which is equal to 11ml of beer or 5ml of wine. Speak to the doctor before taking this medicine if you have an addiction to alcohol, liver disease, epilepsy, brain injury or disease, you are pregnant or if this medicine has been prescribed for a child.

Original poster
AliCanTea · 13/09/2019 16:35

Yeah was prescribed by the doctor and suggested by the Health visitor - but that can’t be good surely?

OP posts:
Cohle · 13/09/2019 16:36

But you're giving it in 5ml spoonfuls, not letting your child have an entire glass of it! Of course it's fine - otherwise it wouldn't have been prescribed.

autumnleaves99 · 13/09/2019 16:41

It's fine, the only available licensed ranitidine solutions contain a small amount of alcohol and it's used commonly in babies. You'll only be giving a very small dose.

Lunafortheloveogod · 13/09/2019 16:41

DS is on it and gets 0.5ml which he probably spits half out. I asked GP about the alcohol in it and she said it’s a tiny amount considering the doses and that the reflux is probably a lot more painful/irritating for him than 1ml of 8% alcohol a day. You aren’t giving her glasses of it. They used to rub whisky on their gums for teeth long before our tiny people.

PatrickMerricksGoshawk · 13/09/2019 16:48

Lots of liquid medicines (ie. those commonly prescribed for children) have ethanol in them.

joblotbubble · 13/09/2019 16:52

Would never have given it to her if I’d read that. Any advice?

Either carry on giving your child the perfectly safe, prescribed medication, or don't. It's up to you. Not sure what you want anyone to say. There is no issue with giving it.

MustardScreams · 13/09/2019 17:37

So you’re going make your child suffer with reflux because you don’t understand how alcohol works?

Original poster
AliCanTea · 13/09/2019 18:04

I definitely don’t want her to suffer and you’re right that I don’t understand- could you explain @MustardScreams ? It might help me to feel better

OP posts:
Shouldbedoing · 13/09/2019 18:41

Well the dose of alcohol would be the equivalent of the big end of the medicine spoon of beer or the small end of the medicine spoon of wine. Assuming it isn't spat out. DC will be fine.

mindutopia · 13/09/2019 19:06

5ml is 8% alcohol. That’s a very small amount. It’s like having a drop of alcohol. No big deal.

Scarletoharaseyebrows · 13/09/2019 19:10

If you'd read the leaflet earlier, what would you have done?

Original poster
AliCanTea · 14/09/2019 09:25

@Scarletoharaseyebrows - I would have persevered with just Gaviscon I think. Spoke to the doctor who wasn’t very reassuring- ‘we just prescribe the actual medicine- only the makers and pharmacist knows what’s added to it’ Confused

OP posts:
DippyAvocado · 14/09/2019 09:29

Both my DC were on ranitidine from only a few weeks old. Before ranitidine, they were screaming in pain. It wouldn't be prescribed if it was dangerous. The dosage amounts are tiny and won't cause any problems for your DC. FWIW, my DC were on it until they were around a year, then both outgrew the reflux and are now perfectly healthy 10 and 7 year olds.

DippyAvocado · 14/09/2019 09:32

Also I'm presuming you don't give 5ml of it? My eldest was on the maximum dose and I think that was only about 1.5ml at a time.

joblotbubble · 14/09/2019 09:34

Spoke to the doctor who wasn’t very reassuring- ‘we just prescribe the actual medicine- only the makers and pharmacist knows what’s added to it’

It's prescribed under very strict guidelines. Surely you can't expect a GP to know what's in every single medication they prescribe Confused

DisneyIsMyDrug · 16/09/2019 07:51

In the hospital I work in the paediatric ward uses dispersible ranitidine tablets, normally dissolve 1 x 150mg tablet in 10mls of water, making it 15mg/1ml. If you’re concerned you could ask the doctor about prescribing these instead?

jomaIone · 16/09/2019 08:55

I would speak to a pharmacist. They're the experts in medication. But really they wouldn't have dispensed it if it wasn't safe. Millions of babies have likely been given it.

Lauren83 · 16/09/2019 09:04

My DS was on it from 2-3 weeks old, prescribed by a paediatric surgeon and then put on repeat by my GP, it's such a small amount it wouldn't even occur to me to worry

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