C.,
What other symptoms does she have? Is it just crying when you try and feed her what she does not want? If so, she should not be on Zantac. Doe she spit up often and in large amounts? Is she crying after feeding and straight as a board or curling her legs to her chest? I think too many doctors rush as a reflux diagnosis when it is not that at all. Zantec is a PPI. PPIs can cause increased rate of some infections, B12 deficiency, and iron and calcium malabsorption.Drugs designed to treat ulcer conditions are nearly the "perfect" drug for the drug companies. They are highly effective at treating symptoms but do absolutely nothing to treat the cause of the problem. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid and the older H2 blockers like Tagamet, Zantec and Pepcid only drain your pocketbook at the expense of your health. The PPIs are even better than the H2 blockers because they actually get you "addicted" to them. If you go off of the PPIs after being on them for awhile your symptoms will actually be WORSE than before you started them. That is one of the reasons why never have patients go "cold turkey" off the PPIs, but gradually wean them off with the H2 blockers, which do not cause as much of this acid rebound effect.Please understand that none of these drugs do absolutely anything to treat the cause of the problem -- and they can be dangerous. Heartburn medications such as Prilosec and Nexium can impair your digestion by significantly reducing the amount of acid in your stomach -- this impairs your ability to properly digest food.
Reduction of acid in the stomach also diminishes your primary defense mechanism for food-borne infections, thereby increasing your risk of food poisoning.
Additionally, if you fail to digest and absorb your food properly, you will not only increase your risk of stomach atrophy but also nearly every other chronic degenerative disease. There's also a phenomenon associated with these drugs called acid rebound. Because they slam the brakes on the acid-producing pumps in your stomach, when you stop taking them that built-up acid can be unleashed.
Some infants just do not fit the norm! If she is growing, gaining weight and producing wet and poopy diapers, do not worry about her! Stop stressing if she is getting the "normal amount". As long as she is meeting all of the above requirements, she is getting what her little body needs. I would get another pied. One that is not so "drug" happy!! I BF my daughter, and she did not eat every 2-4 hours like she was "suppose" to. She ate every 6 and only from one breast. I would pump the other to avoid engorgement, and would only get out 3 oz. So, she was getting about 20-24 oz/day. My pied. told me it was fine because she was still gaining weight and producing wet and poopy diapers. It is normal for us mothers to stress because we want nothing but the best for our children, but I think you have nothing to worry about besides the med's. All of my children LOVED cereal and food, so she may just be one of those children. I would continue to give her the rest of the bottles in cereal each night. If she finishes the bottle... then mix up a little more formula for her. You are doing a awesome job! Keep up the good work and let us know what happens and what you decide.
HTH
Jenn
Mama to Bryce~9, Austin~6 Taylor~19mnths
Step Mama to Nich~15 Christian~14