BabyWhispererForums.com
EAT => Food Allergies => Topic started by: emilyr on June 22, 2008, 02:07:46 am
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I am so desperate and at my wit's end. My son (4 months) has reflux and MSPI, I believe. I was breastfeeding and on an elimination diet, but he would not eat well from me, so after trying for almost 4 months we finally stopped. His main symptoms are that he does not sleep well (40 min naps, waking every hour at night), very gassy (very smelly), and stinky weird poop. He also grunts, grunts, grunts as if his gut is hurting and has a hard time eating. He squirms and kicks and arches when he eats. He has been on Nutramigen, which seemed to make the reflux worse. I tried Alimentum, which seemed even worse, then back to Nutramigen. When we switched back, after about 1-2 days we had three blessed perfect days of 2 hour naps, and only waking from 1-3 times at night. He has not done that since he was a week old. I thought we were getting our lives back finally, but things have gone back down hill. I am trying Alimentum again to see if maybe that was the thing, even though he didn't have his good days until right after we switched back to Nutramigen, but it is not going well so far. I am really confused and after seeing that having some sort of normal life was possible I want it so bad!!! I am wondering if we need to go to the next level and try neocate, but how do you know when there are no obvious indicators, like bloody stools? He has never had blood, but I know that doesn't rule out a reaction. If you have any info, experience, or advice PLEASE help!!!!
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Hi Emily. SO sorry you are going through this.
Tyler (now 9 mos) was very very similar. The grunting was awful, you would think someone was ripping his guts out.
I can relate to you.
So got a few questions:
- Is he on reflux meds? If so what?
- Are his poops normal, hard, runny?
So here are a few thoughts.
Even though Nutramigen and Alimentum are both hypoallergenic formula's, they contain different ingredients. Yes they both are cow's milk and both a hydrolized so that they really do not cause an allergic reaction, BUT.
Nutramigen contains corn syrup solids as the carbohydrate and different oils in it.
Alimentum powder contains corn malodextrin and sucrose for the carbohydrate and different oils than nutramigen.
Alimentum Ready to feed contains all sucrose as the carbohydrate. This is the only formula out there that does not contain corn.
So.... in my experience Tyler reacts to lactose and milk. When I researched things, I found that some can react to sucrose just like they do lactose. Smelly gas, runny poop, etc. Here is a link: www.babycareadvice.com/babycare/general_help/article.php?id=16
www.healthinplainenglish.com/health/digestive/lactose_intolerance
- I was thinking maybe he has a problem with lactose and sucrose therefore was better on the Nutramigen, but that would not explain why he is back in pain now.
- Have you tried the Ready to Feed Alimentum? Maybe corn is his problem and this would be the best formula.
If not, I would try that before the Neocate.
You can order Neocate yourself online. Actually, here is a link and you can order a free can of Neocate to try. Just keep in mind if there is any damage in his gut, one can of neocate is not going to be enough to heal it. But, you should start to see an improvement.
Just to warn you, Neocate makes some AWFUL AWFUL poops. Tyler was on Neocate for 2 days and I had to take him off of it. He had the worse gas and constipation ever. We finally went to Elecare (which is amino acid based also). The worked well for us, but he always had diaherra with it.
But don't go by my experience, because SO SO many have had great experience with Neocate, it was a miracle in a bottle.
Here is that link. .Well never mind... Apparently they are not offering that anymore. Sorry....
So let me know about the questions and I will try to help some more.
HUGE HUGS, Wendy
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Hi Wendy,
Thanks for your response - I checked out those links - very interesting, I didn't know that about the sucrose. Especially interesting because alimentum does seem to make him worse. Maybe it is a more complex issue than I thought.
He is on reflux meds - a high dose of zegerid (omeprazole with sodium bicarb.). His poops are frequently very runny, but with Nutramigen he will also get these weird ones that have a bunch of liquid that soaks into the diaper separated out from lumps of this dry play-dough consistency poop. I don't know if that is normal or not.
So what caused you to go to Elecare? Was Tyler unable to tolerate Alimentum? What were his symptoms?
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We tried every formula and nothing helped until we went to Elecare. he finally slept longer than 1 hour at a time.
He was on that for a few months, then we went to Nutramigen, which he was fine with, but ended up on Alimentum Ready to feed since it was a little thicker for his reflux.
At the same time though we started prevacid and went through 4 months of hell. We just thought we had a very fussy baby.
He is now on Soy milk and no meds and is doing better than ever.
We have had poops like this. It is almost as if they are constipated and the liquid stuff comes around it.
HAve you tried the Alimentum RTF?
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We haven't tried the Alimentum RTF, what would be the advantage of that over Elecare? It doesn't seem to be cheaper. I just wonder b/c I am about to lose my mind and I need to find what works SOON. I hear you with the 4 months of hell. That sure is what it feels like.
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Loads of hugs, I am mother to an 18 month old MSPI babe, I remember the first months well with trying to find a formula that works, hope you find one that works for you and soon xxxxx
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Hugs to you Emily. With Thomas, our Hell lasted about 15 months because like you said there were no obvious signs and symptoms. He always gained and was pleasant in the doctor's office. However, at home it was a nightmare. Feeding was awful. I think lactose free was the only formula we did not try. It was terrible but I came out of it looking like I was a drug seeking lunatic. Thomas refused the neocate and elecare. He only really began sleeping well around 18 months and even better at 2. We have been on soy and milk elim. diet since 14 months and it is the kicker. He still takes a prevacid and host of supplements, but is happy and thriving where we are. Sometimes it takes a while to get there but know that we have been there watching reality TV all night with you and then functioning like a zombie all day long. I feel your pain as real as if it were mine. Hang in there.
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You are right, the Alimentum RTF really is not that much cheaper than Elecare or Neocate.
I guess the only advantage would be is you have not tried a formula that is corn free and both Elecare and Neocate have corn syrup solids are the carb.
Plus, you can buy Alimentum RTF over the counter and not the others.
But, if sucrose and lactose is one of the problems, then the RTF would not work and I think you would know in a day.
Its a tough call, but I have been there and to be honest, I was at wits end and called the Children's Hospital and got some Neocate that night.
Like I said though, that was the worse of them all. His gas was awful and he got so constipated.
We did end up on Elecare though for a few months.
Just so hard to know what to do anymore...
I think I would give the Alimentum RTF a try first and then if you see no improvement, move onto Elecare.
HUGS, Wendy