Mucous poops are back...GP today. What to say?

[~Emma~]

 I'm taking her this week for sure. If for nothing else this eczema is getting bad and the creams she has just arent touching it anymore.

 Thanks ladies as ever. 

[Jimbob]

It would definitely be worth trying to get the gp to prescribe a hypoallergenic or elemental formula so you can see if it makes a difference. Of course it is possible that its not a dairy allergy or intolerance but with the symptoms and timing its a definite possibility.

[~Emma~]

 I have an appointment with my GP today. I dont knw what to say really. Thing is the exzema flare has gone way down, its still there by all means but not as nasty and raised as it was. her poops arent as bad either. I just hate going and saying ''well it was worse a couple of says ago.' I feel like an idiot! The alst 2 days though I have gone back to plain fruit and veg for solids. Could that have made a difference? Could it just have been a weird phase?

 She was however up almost all night last night with gas. It was awful for her. She clocked only 5.5 hours broken nightsleep. It was like she just wanted to suckle to get the gas out if that makes any sense?

 Any ideas on how to approach the GP?

[Buntybear]

Emma, so pleased you are going to see the GP. It is very hard with this kind of thing as there are not always symptoms like the eczema that you can say - here is the problem, sort it. At 15 months I still haven't really gone down the route of going to the GP and saying Olly nevers sleeps through because of gas as I feel they will laugh in my face.

I would say everything you have told us. There IS eczema (doesn't matter it is getting better now - it was there and may be well come back if the cause is not found), mucous, diarrhea, gas. Tell your GP about last night. That is NOT right.

At the end of the YOU have to believe there is something wrong and persuade your doctor.

Olly has always been a happy baby yet he has wheat, egg and milk allergies. You wouldn't belive it to look at him yet DH and I are the ones that are up with him for hours at night.

Hope the pep talk is helping. Our GP is brilliant and always listens to us but I know not all GPs are like that. (he is great but I still can't face going tand saying my baby doesn't sleep through  )

You going in there and fight for what you want (do youknow what this is??!)

[~Emma~]

 Thats the thing. I'm her voice. The pep talk IS working! I had to do it for DS and his reflux ( looking back I do think intolerances may have been playing a part there too...) I can just remember the months of back and forth and I knew what I was talking about about because of the support here kwim?   

 I am wary of mentioning sleep. The thing is night time is the worst. Its like it would be ok for me to mention the fussiness if it was during the day but because its at night the GP might think I'm after a quick fix to sleep. She's a happy bub during the day for the most part. If she were a consistant bad sleeper then I'd take my bad luck and run with it but she's not, she'll happily do 10-12 hours if nothing's bothering her.

You going in there and fight for what you want (do youknow what this is??!)

No! I dont. I want a happy bub and something tells me she's not comfortable. I want to get to the bottom of this skin issue and not treat around the cause.

[Buntybear]

As I say totally understand about the night sleep thing. Even my Dad talks about letting him cry.... err NO!

I think your first step would be a HA formula. Prob Nutramigen to start? Or even Aptamil Pepti. I EBF so don't know much about HAFs. I assume you don't think reflux as no spitting up?
 
Our GP referred us straight to a allergist when we first went but that might be a stpe too far for you at the mo.

If you do get the HAF then a total elimination of dairy to follow?

Course I am no GP - I am just talking from expereinces I have heard of on this forum xx

[Jimbob]

How did the appointment go? It is so hard dealing with issues like this and many GP's have little knowledge in these areas.

[~Emma~]

Mmmm, well dont know what to think really. He was older, running late and getting very wee'd off with a spirited 2 year old running about!

 He said he could tell that the eczema had been bad over the last few days and prescribed me some hydrocortisone for it. He then said that regarding the feeding issues I should speak to my HV. I refused this and said I wasn't happy with that as it was ultimately mean me going back and forward between HV and GP. I also said I wasn't clear on exactly what a HV would have to offer on the situation. He got a bit snippy and bluntly asked what it was I would like him to do. I said a HA formula would be the first route to go and he wrote me a script for Aptamil Pepti ( which I had to suggest). I was taken off guard and although I ultimately got what I wanted I feel a little overwhelmed with everything. I dont feel very supported and feel like I have made this HUGE decision for my baby without having a health professional tell me that it may well be the cause of her skin, gas, poos etc etc

[C&B&E]

I think the hard thing is that GPs very often do not actually have much in-depth knowledge of this stuff - particularly if they trained a long time ago.  (That's not me being down on doctors, more just an acknowledgement that he probably has not ever really been taught about this stuff and so may know little more than you.)  If the formula doesn;t make a difference perhaps it is time to ask for a referral to a paediatrician (sp), as they will have lots more specialist knowledge and will likely have seen many other similar cases. 

x

[Buntybear]

I was about to say the same thing as Claire. They are not paeds and really this is quite specialist stuff when you get down tho the nitty gritty - esp when advice changes all the time. Guess that is why he wanted to check with the HV.

Glad you got the HAF milk. You may need to introduce it slowly at first, maybe mixed in with the normal milk? Not sure what Pepti tastes like.