Need some support and advice for our elimination diet. TEST RESULTS ARE IN PG2

[Mydreamcametrue]

Hello..  I really think I just need some support and really big hugs right now

I have NO IDEA what is going on with Tyler (my 11.5 month old). 
Some of you know the history we have had with reflux, stomach issues, etc. 

I thought all that was great when we took him off prevacid and put him on soy formula.  Really at about 9 months he was great.  At about 10.5 months everything went way down hill and he has been just unbelievable.  I switched him back to Nutramigen and at first he seemed so much better.

But things are just awful right now.  He is so gassy, always always screaming and crying.  Really ladies, it is so bad, I think I am going to have a nervous breakdown sometimes.

Everything seems to cause him pain in his tummy and really bad gas.

We went to a Naturopathic doctor yesterday and we are starting some stuff to help heal his gut.  Also she did a Food Intolerance test.  We are suspecting he is deft. intolerant to milk, soy and thinking fruit.  Possibly fructose malabsorption. 

So after him screaming and so gassy today for 3 non-stop hours, I almost lost it.  There is but so much one person can take, really.  So...  I am going to start a total elimanation diet now before I get the test results.

I went and bought Neocate Junior tonight.  Amino Acid based formula, for age 1 and up. 

That is ALL I am going to give him.  Then I will slowly add in 1 food at a time to see what is causing the problem. 

So...........................  Is this just totally stupid at almost 1 year of age?  I am just lost right now on what to do for him.  I feel like a failure as a mother.  I feel really bad for him because he LOVES to eat and would eat anything you put in his mouth.  This is so nice compared to my other son who does not eat.

I just don't want to cause any harm to him and by doing this cause eating problems.

Any thoughts, advice, support?

Thanks you all, Wendy

[JennŠ]

Totally behind you on this idea!  You need to figure out what he can tolerate and what he can't.  Poor baby, and poor mama!! 

[Mydreamcametrue]

Love ya Jenn.. Thanks... 

Yeah it is pretty stressful in this house right now for everyone, even the dog and hamster.

[Spectra]

*Hugs*  I feel for you, that must be so hard to be going through all this after you thought things were on the right track.  By the sounds of it you are doing the right thing.  I'd probably do the same thing.  You are not a failure!  By the sounds of it you are an awesome mommy.  These things just happen sometimes and you are doing the best you can possibly do.  Hopefully his good eating habits won't get lost in all of this.  Let us know what happens.  I hope your boy gets better.

[momtoandrewandthomas]

We never got quite that bad Wendy, but Thomas (also champion eater) was nearly 18 months old by the time we sorted out all his problems.  he would not touch Neocate or Elecare with a 10 foot pole and had been off Neutramigen since about 9 months, so ....  It was a struggle.

I can look back now fondly, but at the time I was losing my mind.  I was so tired and felt so guilty that I could not find the answer.  We felt hopeless.  I do know that we eliminated milk and then soy and then within 6 weeks saw a new boy.  It does seem to be such a step back, but maybe time will tell.  I did think that Thomas had a major set back about a week or 2 ago and really, he just cut his top molars.  I was not even thinking teeth. but it flares his reflux and makes him miserable to boot.  I think all the extra acid in the saliva is the culprit.  He also had turkey chili twice and that made his belly very angry.  We live and learn. 

I think the alternative med option is a good one.  Sometimes they can see beyond the drugs and give good advice. 
Good luck and hang in there.

[Mydreamcametrue]

Well here is how DAY 1 went:

:-) Amazing. 

He woke this morning and got his bottle of Neocate Junior.  At first, he took a sip and then turned his head and then came back to it and got about 5 oz. down.

Breakfast time I did give him rice chex mixed with rice milk.  I had to give some sort of soft food for the probiotics and stuff he is on.  But there are bascially just rice. 

Snack: Rice chex

Lunch time: Thank goodness we were in the car.  He got a bottle again of Neocate and got about 5 oz.

Dinner time:  His rice chex with rice milk and another bottle, which he refused compeltely. 

I knew he was hungry because he was really fussy, so I broke down and gave him a bottle of Nutramigen. 

Overall though, he had NO GAS at all today.  His mood was a lot better.

I am going to try the Neocate tom. again and see how he does. 

Time will tell

[Spectra]

Well that is awesome news!  Must have been a more relaxing day for you huh?  I never knew there was Rice Chex, is that in the cereal section or the health food section?  I don't know much about chex.

[Mydreamcametrue]

It is in the rice cereal dept.  It is just called Rice Chex.  Not sure if they have it where you are though

[Spectra]

Awesome, thanks, I'll look for it.

[Jimbob]

How are things going? I really feel for you, it is so hard to watch them suffering and it does really get you down. I am not the right person to ask regarding eating issues as you know what we are going through with James. However James's issues did not start because we went neocate only it was James that refused the food as he had made a connection with food and pain. I know a lot of people that do a total elimination diet give there children ice to eat so they don't loose the ability to eat and swallow. Hopefully you will be ok with the rice cereal though. Would Tyler eat the cereal with neocate on instead of rice milk? This way you would not have to get as much of the neocate in him by bottle. I hope things are still going well.

Kelly

[Alison_3]

Aw Wendy.  Just dropping off some {{{{hugs}}}} for you.  I'm sorry things are so rough.  I think Tyler and Charlie are in a competition to see who can drive their mum crazy first!   
 

[Mydreamcametrue]

Well the elimination diet is not going   Day 1 was good at first, then he refused the Neocate.  Day 2 he only had Nutramigen and rice cereal and was extremely fussy. 

We went out of town over the weekend and I gave him butternut squash that i made at home and packed.  That gave him gas, but did not seem painful.

Our trip was hell.  He cried for almost the entire 2 hour drive. 

I still have not given him any fruits and only gave him rice cereal, avocodoes and chicken. 

Today his KP if that is even what it is, is worse then ever.  His face is really red. 

I just cannot figure him out.  Makes me very upset. 
We should be hearing back from the food intolerance test and will have more answers. 

Right now, I am just not even sure what to do. 

[enna77]

Wendy big hugs - Could you maybe try a gradual weaning of the nutramigen into neocate mixing until you slowly have bigger quantity of neocate so that at least you can get him on to that?

Hopefully the intolerance test will give you some more answers.

Also I know you feel like you can't give him anything but I would also steer clear of avocadoes if it was me.  I know each baby is different but I have a book with foods least likely to cause an allergic reaction listed things like rice, butternut squash, potato, sweet potato, chicken are probably safer options. Sorry I'm not sure of his history with these but just wanted to try and give you some options while you wait for the results.

Hang in there.

[Mydreamcametrue]

Thanks Enna.

I actually think I may go ahead and do a weaning off formula period.  He will be one in 8 more days.  I am going to try Almond Milk or Rice milk. 

I never knew that about the avocodoes.  The baby books I have and a website for baby food recipes I go to often, say it can be used as a babies first food.  It even says some people can live off them because of the nutrient content, vitamins, and fat.

BUT....  It could very well be causing the issue.  After no food for 1 day, just rice.  The avocodoe was the first thing back in and it did cause gas.

It is just hard because he is such a big eater, loves to eat, would eat anything in site.  He needs way more than just formula, but I am so scared to give him anything.

I just gave him his first piece of fruit in 4 days, so we will see how he does.

Thanks again, Wendy

[enna77]

Avocadoes are definitely a great superfood but not sure allergy wise. When my DD had severe eczema my midwife told me to hold off on avocadoes and bananas, she was quite into ajurvedic (indian) medicine. I know how hard it is sometimes though when you feel like everyone has a different piece of advice and if you listened to everyone you would end up feeding them nothing!

I agree on being careful with fruit, we stuck to cooked pear only for ages and then finally introduced some cooked apple, have only started on other fruits now she is nearly 1 yo and eczema has gotten better. Vege wise I did potato, sweet potato, butternut squash and chicken. If you can try and stick to these blander type foods hopefully that will help until you get your tests back. If it is a digestive issue cooked fruits are easier and also if there is some kind of fungal imbalance some raw fruits can perpetuate the problem through the fermenting in the stomach such as citrus. 

Its so hard isn't it. the other thing with masked allergys or intolerances as I've had it explained to me by a natropath is that one day they might be able to tolerate it then the next day if their system is weaker ie sick or allergens in the air or just happen to get too much of that particular food up to a level in their system it can then finally cause a (delayed) reaction. So that makes it harder to pin point. Your reactions however sound much more instant.

I hope you get some answers soon its so hard not knowing what to do, I've been there too