Reflux? MSPI? MFPI? Help!

[Anonymous]

I typed out a loooong post, but it seems to have disappeared, so let me try again…

My DS is almost 6 months old, 3 months adjusted age (he’s a preemie, so his age for now is more accurately calculated by his due date). He was diagnosed with reflux at about 7-8 weeks old and put on zantac. He’s now on prilosec after we thought his reflux wasn’t getting any better. He first had bloody stools a little over 4 weeks ago. We took him to his pedi who suspected MSPI. I’ve been dairy, soy, and peanut free for 4 weeks, but the bloody stools continue (as well as green stools and mucousy stools).

8 days ago I started TED (doing turkey, squash, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, pears, pepper, sea salt, olive oil). About 2 weeks ago, his stools cleared up for about 2-3 days, but I wasn’t keeping a food diary then. I know I didn’t have any rice or eggs during that time; hence, I’m not doing rice on TED. We’re still having bloody stools and I’m growing frustrated and tired. On the plus side, he doesn’t have too much fussiness, and he sleeps great. He’s also had excellent weight gain (particularly for a preemie). The reflux was diagnosed based on back arching and discomfort during feedings, but I’m now wondering if it wasn’t MFPI all along. He’s EBF, but NICUs are big on “fortifying” breastmilk with formula for extra calories and minerals. He reacted terribly to HMF and pregistiml while in the NICU. He eventually tolerated elecare and was switched to enfacare before we brought him home. I stopped fortifying his breastmilk once we suspected MSPI.

Our pedi is calling around to get us in with a pediatric GI specialist. After reading a lot around here, I’m wondering what else I should try. just give TED more time? Probiotics? should we also go see an allergist? I’m wondering if he’s reacting to the artificial sweetners in the Prilosec (it comes in suspension). He’s also fairly gassy and surprisingly simethicone seems to help (I know it’s been found to be the same as placebos), but there’s artifical sweetners in that too. Also, the only medication I’m on is the minipill, which seems like it rarely causes gastrointestinal problems. Any thoughts? Help, please!

[hellbennt]

first thought: the prilosec suspension. try bufferbabies/Caracream: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11191&PID=94236#94236

next thought…do you have the home test to check the stools? look in TED forum for posts by Erintx (off to send her a PM, private message, now)

[Anonymous]

I would definitely say there are some intolerances going on by what you are describing (green, mucousy, bloody stools).

It took a long time (almost 5wks) for my ds’s stools to regulate while on TED. If his colon is irritated it will take time for it to heal & stop the mucous & blood.

Is he having stinky gas still? In my experience, when the stinky gas is gone the “offender” is out of his & your system… but it can still take some time for the diapers to regulate after that. Even now when I trial a new food & it fails, Evan will have stinky gas for 2-4 days & then 1-2 days after the stinky gas goes away the diapers (& sleep!) will regulate again.

Sorry if that’s all confusing… feel free to PM me if you’d like – I’ve been on TED (very strict: only potatoes, pears, squash, beef, sea salt & pepper) for almost 5mths now.

I will say that Evan’s reflux was directly related to his intolerances… he only needs meds now when there’s a failed food trial (or after vaccines).

So, to answer some of your questions:

-Yes, give TED more time… if his diapers regulated @ some point then it will happen again, you just need to figure out your “baseline” foods.

-I would add Probiotics in as well. We use the hypoallergenic Klaire Labs Infant formula Therbiotics (from theapexstore.com).

-I wouldn’t do the allergist until at least after 12mo – probably closer to 18mths.

-I suspected the sweeteners &/or sodium bicarbonate while Evan was on Prevacid (w/ CaraCream). When we took him off the CaraCream (thus, off the sodium bicarbonate, sweeteners & corn syrup solids) he was much less gassy & uncomfortable. Honestly, I think Evan’s tummy reacts to Prevacid in general as well. He seems to get many more tummy cramps while on it but I think that’s unusual.

-Keep using the Mylicon if you think it helps… do you use the dye-free?

-I had to go off the mini-pill b/c Evan was reacting to the lactose in it. I asked our ped GI about that & he said that eventhough lactose is a milk sugar he thinks it’s probably very hard to separate the milk sugars from the milk proteins & that’s why some very sensitive dbs still react to it (Evan also reacted to the lactose in prevacid solutabs).

Ok, sorry that was so lengthy…HTH & hang in there

[hellbennt]

ROTFLMAO!!! we were posting at the same time!!!!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the helpful replies! I’ll just keep plugging away with TED. The smelly gas disappeared a few days ago, so I’m hopeful the diapers will clear up soon.

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