Just overreacting or is this something??

[jellybabe]

Hi

My girl is now 3 mths old and we are struggling with gas issues. She does not show all the telltale signs of LI but boy, is he gassy!! She doesnt have a rash (she gets rashes but mostly heatrashes. She had it constantly up till about 6 weeks) or diarrhea (she has had 2 really watery poohs yesterday but I dont know if its due to teething or colief that we are adding now). She has a fussy and crying fit about 30 min after a feed. She arches her back and screams, but the dr said he thinks that silent reflux and has given infant gaviscon but I am not sure if its helping. She hardly ever spits up (offcourse, only yesterday she had a HUGE spitup but I think that just coz she didnt burp, but we usually burp her and she burps about 3x after a meal)At nite between 10 and 11 she cries and fusses for about an hour and she only falls asleep draped over my legs. Cant cradle hold her coz she wont settle like that and just screams.

We use cow and gate comfort (which worked great for my son, he had terrible projectile reflux and gass too lol) but its not doing wonders. She also has expressed b/milk as she only b/feeds during am when she wakes. She fusses at the breast now while feeding and comes on and off. I take it due to being uncomfy from gass and also knowing bottle is easier work than breast.

I used gripewater, dentinox, infacol you name it lol. Oh, and ALL nite long she'll be pulling her knees up and push her face in the mattress and be squarming. I dunno what it is anymore. She's a real windballoon and give adult sounding farts (that smells awfull!!) Would it be worth trying a lactose free formula?? The dr said no need to alter her formula and diagnose with something she dont have, but i believe dr dont always know best. Hence asking some experienced moms opinions too  I have spoken to a online peadiatric nurse and she says it could be LI. ???I have read that babies with true LI dont thrive from birth and will be very ill. Is there like a partial LI or something? Where they can still have it but in a lesser degree??

[JennŠ]

There must be, because mine had a low lactose formula as part of her reflux.  Then we went to whole milk and got the runny green stuff.  Lactose free milk, no more problem.  She changed to regular milk at 18 months or so.  Being over here, I have no clue on formulas.  But to me, it would be worth a try to see. 

[Mydreamcametrue]

Hello:  It sounds like she is deft. having reflux issues, but in many of our cases, reflux is caused by something, normally milk or soy.

The gas sounds like LI or a milk intolerance. 

We never had good experience with LI formula, because my 2 lo's could not handle the actual milk protein. 

With Tyler, my 11 month old, he had the WORST gas ever.  We ended having to go on an Amino Acid based formula, and now are on Nutramigen, which is hypoallergenic.

We went on Soy formula for a while with (I thought) great results, but it was causing his silent reflux to flare up again and he was in pain all day, not gassy, but very very cranly.

I would try the Lactose free formula, worth a try, but if she is still gassy or in pain, then you may have to try Soy or then a hypoallergenic formula.

After that is no improvement you may have to end up trying a new reflux med, prevacid solutabs or something stronger than what you are giving now.

You are right, we mommy's know best!!  The doctor's are not with us in the middle of the night when our baby is screaming.

I would give it a try and see, can't hurt.

Wendy

[jellybabe]

It just seems to get worse. Had the worst day ever yesterday. She had her formula and not long after that she was screaming with dh while i was putting ds to bed. He said he was cycling her legs which was causing her so much pain. Its that high pitched screams that make a mommy's heart just break. I took her off him and she calmed down a bit, but wasnt long and she was on the go again. she wouldnt fall asleep while i was cradle holding her (she usually does) and again I had to drape her over my legs. She fell asleep and I layed her down in her cot. Went to brush my teeth while dh was with her in the room and she was maoning a bit, and then again started screaming again. Struggled for about 30 min to calm her and she gave a big burp and then calmed down. Again squarming and restless during the nite. I diont know if I should look for and try the hypoallergenic milk or try soy.Soy is cheaper i suppose, and I dont want to waste money if its not gonna work. But then again I did read soy usually makes them constipated (which wont help the situation) and yes,might make the reflux issue worse. Urgh, what to do....

[Shdef]

I'd definitely take her to the doctor and try her on hypoallergenic formula like Nutramigen. I think she can get it prescribed.

HUGS!

The "awful" smell and the pain sounds like intolerance or allergy to me. The rashes, too.

[jellybabe]

I did go to our gp, and like i said, he said its not likely that she'll have an allergy. I wonder if its woth taking her to a chinese herbalist that does allergy testing? Wonder if they test for it? lol Drs are so full of crap. They all just say its normal, all babies this young have gas...

[Shdef]

Intolerances don't usually show up in allergy tests. It's a hit and miss. I'd definitely insist on trying her on hypoallergenic formula, this doctor didn't seem to listen properly. Any chance of seeing another one

[jellybabe]

Hmm, true on the testing. Actually, i've just read a very interesting article. Most articles say that to be truelly LI babies wont thrive since birth and be very ill etc, but actaully, you do get something called dairy hypersensitivity. I think she might be more sensitive to dairy, not allergic. The sensitivity can sause bloating, colic, diarrhea (which she doesnt have). You probably not neccaserally need to have ALL the symptoms to have a hypersensivitly to dairy. Thats like having a slight reaction to dairy. Also, I am wondering if it cant b a milk protien thing instead of intolerance. How would I know if its rahter a mpi then li or sensivity?

[Shdef]

You don't, until you try a different formula 

Don't go for soy, please, it is an allergen and banned here, for exactly that reason. Works for around 50% of the babies, but not for the other 50%.

Is there hypoallergenic formula available in the shops where you are? Or in a chemist? If yes, I'd give that a try (and another, maybe female doctor or pediatrician) and see if she improves.

many hugs, it must be hard.

[jellybabe]

You cant get hypoallergenic milk in shops. I dont know if you'll get them in pharmacies, but I can always go ask. I am weary of soy anyway as I hate constipated babies! Thanx for the tips, i'll see what I am gonna do about this and I will see if I can see another dr for another opinion.

[JennŠ]

Good luck!!! 
Steff, no soy in Germany?

[Shdef]

Nope. It's bad news, really. Something like half of the babies who are allergic to dairy will also develop soy allergy. If no dairy is introduced, there is a greater chance of the kids developing an allergy to soy than there is to dairy. We have hypoalergenic formulas that aren't quite as split as Alimentum or Nutramigen, just in the shops. All children with family history of asthma, eczema and hayfever get that. Every formula has an "HA" (Hypoallergenic) version of it.

This has been going on for a few years now and for the first time, the amount of children who suffer from those three has decreased.

[momtoandrewandthomas]

Just from my experience, a very typical baby can turn into a monster about the age your DD is.  My thomas was about 8 weeks old when all went downhill.  It was probably a slow decline, but I remember it better as falling off a cliff.  He went from happy and healthy and sleeping well to screaming nightmare.  His biggest problem was constipation cause by undetected MSPI.  He was miserable.  You surely don't want her to suffer.  You surely don't want the intolerance or hypersensitvity to cause worse reflux.  I would insist that something be done.  I am all for not medicating something that can't be diagnosed well, but most meds and certainly the hypoallergenic formula can only help during a trial.   I would keep a careful food diary and write down the incidences of pain, gas, screaming, poops and all that so that you have some ammo going into see the doctor.  When I had a very clear picture of what was happening to THomas, I could really show them what was happening with great predictablity.  It is so hard to be brushed off as a gassy, normal baby when you know otherwise.  It sounds like you have tried all the typical fixes and to no avail.  I would arm yourself with information and demand that something be done in a really nice way.

When Thomas was 9 months and I was out of my head from sleep deprivation, I told my pedi (who just kept upping his dose of MOM for constipation) that I needed some help with similar symptoms today or I would seek another opinion.  She conceeded and gave me Zantac.  We were finally getting on the right track.  I did persue early intervention and the GI specialist on my own, which made her mad.   But I did not care.  I needed to help my son.  LIttle did she ever try to figure out that he was MSPI and suffering.  THe elim. diet was like a light swich and he was happy again.  What a relief.

[jellybabe]

Yes, exactly my case! She was a happy baby from birth till about 4 weeks. I had to start topping her up with formula as she was not b/feeding and fighting etc and it just got worse and worse. Instead of what they usually say, they get better as they get older, its just the other way around, so it cant be right. I went to get some SMA lactose free formula and see what that does. She's had a bit to drink and she did fall asleep without the usual fussing (apart from fussing coz she was tired) and squarming. Last nite again, when we went to bed, she was ok. Started fussing a bit so I gave her the last bit of formula left. She guzzled it down and obviously was uncomfy coz she had air. So I struggled but eventually got a nice big burp, but it still didnt settle her. She would fall asleep for 3 min and then jerk and scream again. That high inconsolable screams. Dh said maybe she's just fighting sleep, but that not a sleepy tired cry, thats an in pain type cry, and she would scream even louder when I lay her down and try to rub her belly or bicycle. She goes very rigid. I dont think a baby that is fighting sleep acts like that!?? If this sma works, then fine, I will stay on it. If not, I will go on ebay and buy a tin of nutramigen (saw ppl selling some there for good prices) and go back to the dr and insist that something be done (as i rather want it on prescription as they are available at the pharmacy but very expensive!)Thanx so much for all the support. Its great to see some people dont think that us mothers arent overreacting.

[Shdef]

Mummies often know best. Good luck!