So frustrated! I don't know what to do with LO

IPmama

I am so frustrated with my LO's crying/hurting/etc. I really feel so tired and can't wait for the three days a week I work, so I can have a break. Which I feel horrible for admitting! 

She is 11 wks today. Starting around 2 wks she fussed alot because of gas pain. She was switched to Enfamil Gentlease, then around 6wks the fussiness got worse. So switch to Prosobee which started out great, but made her constipated so she had fussiness with that. Dr. recommended when she was 9wks old switch to Nutramigen. She seemed immediatley worse! She has never ever been this bad. For 3 days thus far, we also added Axid twice a day to help with possible reflux. But I just don't see results. Which I know it can take awhile, but I'm exhausted and I know LO really is. 

I keep saying she is getting worse and no one seems to really listen, I am just supposed to wait it out. But the thing is she isn't just "fussy" she is obviously in pain. She screams, face turns red, real tears, etc. I feel like she does have reflux but it has gotten so much worse since the Nutramigen formula or it was just a coincidence.

Before this formula her possible reflux showed up as wet burps, lots of hiccups, minimal spit up, gargly noise in back of throat that she would scream about. Her abdominal gas pain really hurt her the worse and constantly needed stomach massage and bicycling to help. But it never took more then 5 minutes to calm her. 

Now she spits up constantly with screaming most of the time afterward, arches, turns red, burps 3-5 times after each oz and continues to burp couple times up to an hour after eating. Now it can take up to 20 mins to calm her, which she usually will just try to sleep and not eat as much as she used to. 

I really don't know what to do anymore. I am just supposed to wait another 10 days per the Dr. to see if the reflux meds work and keep up with the Nutramigen. If anyone has dealt with this or has any advice it would be much appreciated.  

 

g8orell

Sorry to hear that. Can you go back to the Prosobee and add cereal? This way it will thicken it so maybe she won't reflux up the formula? (We did cereal with DD and it worked wonders...never needed meds). Rice will make the constipation worse, so try oatmeal instead? (we did oatmeal with DD for that reason). Then maybe 2x day a little prune juice for the constipation? What about Mylicon for the gas? We put Mylicon in every one of DS's bottle. Pedi told me we can use it up to 12/day.

IPmama

g8orell:

Sorry to hear that. Can you go back to the Prosobee and add cereal? This way it will thicken it so maybe she won't reflux up the formula? (We did cereal with DD and it worked wonders...never needed meds). Rice will make the constipation worse, so try oatmeal instead? (we did oatmeal with DD for that reason). Then maybe 2x day a little prune juice for the constipation? What about Mylicon for the gas? We put Mylicon in every one of DS's bottle. Pedi told me we can use it up to 12/day.

Pedi won't allow her to have cereal till we figure out the digestion issues, which I am almost wanting a second opinion.

Mylicon drops don't work at all on her.

And I forgot to mention with Gentlease she slept through the night and all other formulas she can only go at most 4 hours between feeds or just needing to burp.

g8orell

Hmmm. What aobut those heated tummy wraps? Gripe water? I'm sorry, I don't know what else to suggest! I would probably ask for a pedi GI referral though!

AimeeL85

Have you tried switching the type of bottles you use? Although DS isn't FF, he took most of his feedings in bottles for his first 5 weeks and had terrible gas after every feeding. We switched to Dr. Brown's and have had much, much less trouble.

msm261

Maybe give ready to feed a try?  It does not contain corn, like the powder does.  LO did the best on Alimentum Ready to Feed.  

AGrates

so sorry to hear this...that is awful!!  Not sure it would help at all , but what about trying a switch back to the gentlease...i know you said the fussiness got worse on that, but it sounds like things were more manageable at that point.  who knows, maybe going back to that and reducing some of the problem, then maybe mylicon or gripe water would help?  just a thought

but i totally agree with possibly going for a second opinion and/or GI specialist!  Good luck!

IPmama

Thanks! We use Dr. Brown's bottles, gripe water only helps with her hiccups, elevated most of the day, and sleeps with crib mattress inclined. We burp every 1oz, stir formula rather than shake...I feel like I do everything I am supposed to.

Anyone heard of Nurtrimigen not being great? I mean this is hypoallergenic and expensive! 

g8orell

Yeah, like PP said, maybe try RTF vs. Powder.

DD was on Alimentum and she did REALLY well with it. With that said,  however, after a few weeks we switched to Similac Sensitive b/c Alimentum was super expensive and I didn't think she had a protein allergy, just colic/reflux. She did great on Similac Sensitive. That's what we started DS on from day 1 (per pedi).

FWIW, a lot of GI issues with babies has to do with lactose sensitivities. Gentlease is only 1/5 lactose, it's not lactose free. DD was on that before Alimentum and did worse!

st.augbride

We're going through something similar. Not much helps. I use mylicon and gripe water and the only benefit is that ds likes the taste so he stops screaming while eating for a moment. That's all though. He starts right back up again after. I am starting to see less fuss (and pray the trend continues) now that we're on a ppi for acid reflux. We were on zantac which is like axid and it barely made a dent. We're now on prevacid and zantac. You might just need a better med and make sure it's at a high enough dose as a lot of docs underdose the reflux meds. I feed ds pumped breast milk so I've been avoiding milk and soy in case. It can take up to 2 weeks to see a change from that though. I know some LOs with mspi who are ff still can't tolerate the formulas you've tried and need prescription ones (not sure the names, but I think neocate might be one). Anyhow, best of luck hanging in there. I don't think people realize how hard it is unless you live it.