Elimination diet not working?

kalmte214

I'm starting to get frustrated.  I'm on the elimination diet because no matter how many things I cut from my diet, DS was still having a lot of mucous in his poop.  Hi spitting up and reflux have started to improve though (so it's working somewhat!).  He's also on prevacid solutabs, which I know has lactose in it and could cause this mucous potentially.

I  switched the lamb out for chicken, as he seemed to be reacting to the red meat. 

I just don't know what to do about the mucous.  The doc is not concerned, but it doesn't seem ok with me.  Should I take him to a pediatric GI?  I'm almost out of ideas so any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated.

funchicken

How long have you been on the elimination diet? If his reflux is improving I would stick with it and see if the mucous improves. If his GI tract was really irritated, it could take a couple of weeks to heal.

Thankfulforwine

It took 8 weeks for my LO's poop to stop being green and mucsy with blood. I was really discouraged and one day like magic 8 weeks later it was finally normal. Hang in there!!
If you know he is getting something with lactose in it I would switch it if you can!
Is the mucas the only problem LO is having? Like are they still growing okay, fussy, stuff like that?

kalmte214

I've been on the diet for almost 2 weeks.  The mucous in his stool is getting much, much worse.  It's thicker and in greater amounts.  It also smells putrid. 

The spitting up has almost completely stopped, but I do still hear some reflux.

He's growing very well.  He's generally pretty happy, but is a terrible sleeper (aren't most babies though?).

He's on the prevacid solutab because he failed zantac and the prevacid compound, so switching isn't much of an option right now.

I just don't know if the diet is working and if I should stay on it.  We have an appt with a pediatric GI but it's not for another month, and I can't do this diet for a month.  My energy levels have plummeted, I'm dropping weight despite eating as often as possible, and I'm generally miserable.

Thankfulforwine

That stinks I'm really sorry you are having such a hard time. I remember my LO's stool getting bad after I started too. Is his stool frothy? Have you thought about a formilk hind milk imbalance? Just a thought?
I did loose a ton of weight on the diet, I leveled off after a few weeks though. I never had the lull in energy though, sorry you are going through that. Will LO take a bottle? It needs to be working for both of you to do something so drastic like the TED and if it isn't working for you guys maybe you should try an amino acid based formula for a few days and see if it helps. I hope things start to get better for you!! Keep us posted!!

funchicken

Hugs--I'm sorry. The TED is miserable. Could something on the diet be bothering him still? With DD2 I couldn't use pepper or any spices, just salt. I added avocado pretty quickly because I was feeling like crap on it at first. Are you getting enough protein?

My sister had to switch to Neocate because her DD was still having problems even on the TED.

kalmte214

The lamb was bothering him, so I switched it out with chicken.  I'm thinking the potatoes might be bothering him?  He spit up a  lot this morning and I had a sweet potato last night. 

I just don't know and it's super frustrating.

Thankfulforwine

I really wish I had something helpful to tell you!!! I vividly remember how deflating it was the first few weeks when I was starving to open LO's diaper and still see blood and mucas. hugs and non green poop thoughts to you and LO!!!!!!

funchicken

I'm sorry--that sucks so bad. This is my second time doing the TED, and it's so hard. I know there are a lot of things you can't eat but make sure you're eating enough.

Thankfulforwine

How is it going?

kalmte214

DS is still having very thick, mucusy, greenish poops.  They haven't improved at all.  The reflux and spitting have improved quite a bit though.  I've started adding foods in, because I just couldn't take it anymore.  I'm watching for changes in reflux as indications rather than mucus.  We have an appt with a pediatric GI specialist in a month.  Perhaps the mucus is a side effect of his Prevacid.  Or my overactive letdown could be a factor.  I have no idea and feel like I'm really struggling to figure things out.

Thankfulforwine

I am so sorry to hear that. What a frustrating process!! DD's nutritionist told me that it was likely safe to add back in most fruits and veggies and just stay away from the top 8 allergens and corn when I started to add stuff back in. Our GI doc also told us that sometimes you just have a baby that has a highly sensitive gut and sometimes it will just start to clear up around 6 months. Good luck to you!!! I know how frustrating this is!!!

mamagreene

Hey! Sorry you are going through this!! I was reading a bit about the Prevacid https://community.babycenter.com/post/a24449705/corn_question  sounds like it can have corn..and trace dairy in it!  I'm on the TED right now (4 months on the diet) and have found that my lo's only allergy so far is corn!!!  You might want to take your LO off and see it you see an improvement!  I've been able to add back in Dairy, gluten, and eggs with no problems!!  He only seems to be allergic to corn!  Possibly this is your LO's issue too? Ohhh and about the Ped GI's I was so unimpressed I felt like it was the biggest waste of time and money....they only suggested for me to stop nursing... (this was before I found out the allergy to corn by doing the TED)  the DR assuered me that she was sure it wasn't a corn allergy bc they were so rare!! Then she tried to guilt me into the formula Thank God I didn't start it because it has corn in it!! Good luck! Hang in there!!

summermedic

Hi! So sorry to hear you are going through this. I am not doing TED (yet), but have eliminated dairy, egg, and soy from my diet just in the last month due to DS eczema. But, I have oversupply, foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, fast letdown and really high flow. Because of that, my BF really had to be modified. I lay down flat on my back to BF (gravity helps to slow the flow) and before each BF session, I hand express some of the foremilk off (so the DS can get to the hindmilk). I have been doing this for awhile now. DS is almost 4 months old and I am starting to finally reduce the amount of foremilk I express off. I do not pump any at all as this will make the oversupply worse. Within 24 hrs of making the modifications to my BF, my DS poop went from green/mucousy/frothy/bloody to completely normal. Yey! Check out Kellymom and Le Leche League for more info on dealing with allergies and/or oversupply. Hopefully something there will give you some direction. We are still waiting to get in to see an allergist for DS. DS is also on Losec for acid reflux. Not really sure if it is true acid reflux or just another side effect of my oversupply. I understand how frustrating it is. It is like shooting in the dark just trying to find the answers... Keep on trying!