Elecare ?'s

mmamga08

Hello! So far we have tried Similac Advanced, Sensitive, Soy, Alimentum; Enfamil Gentlease and Nutramigen... all have resulted in an allergic reaction in some form from DS (11 weeks). The only thing he can keep down and not react to is breast milk. Now we are getting ready to try Elecare.

I was wondering if anyones LO had an allergic reaction to Elecare? The DR said no one reacts, but thats what they told me about Alimentum and Nutamigen. I am so nervous to give him yet another fomula that will cause another reaction and discomfort. Did your LO take to Elecare easily (seem to like the taste- DS hated Alimentum)? Is there anything else to try if Elecare doesn't work? I'm terrified that Elecare will give DS a reaction (everything else has!) and I don't know what we'll do next. Just looking for some insight... TIA! 

gymkatinka

My LO has been on Elecare for 2 months now.She loves it.It's not nearly as disgusting as Ali or Nutramigen,actually.We went from breast milk to Elecare.DD refused to eat Ali or Nutramigen, so we basically had no choice but to try Elecare.The first 2 weeks were horrible,though.She puked up every bottle  (she has acid reflux) but she's great now.No reaction at all.You have to give it time to work-this will be the hardest part.

Well, you're right, there are babies who react to Elecare, as I've read online. There is also Neocate, which is basically the same amino acid based formula.There are a lot of moms here who could tell you about it.

mmamga08

Thank you so much for the info! I am glad to read your experience- it gives me encouragement. I am also glad it is better tasting than Alimentum and Nutramigen. DS hated the taste of both and that was painful to see him choke it down and scream. Really hope this is the one that will work for him!!!

ababymaybe

Alimentum and Nutramigen are still milk based. Just broken down. But many babies do still react.

Elecare and Neocate together are tolerated by something like 99.9 of babies. They are totally different than Ali and Nutra. Hopefully you find something that works for your LO!

browneyedgoil

we use neonate. she didn't like it at first & we had to mix in 1 oz into breastmilk until we were up to a full bottle. she now loves it & goes back & forth from breastmilk to neocate no problem. 

UMichGirl

Thank you for posting this.  I just came over to this board for the first time, as DS was put on Elecare two days ago.  He had been on Nutramigen as a "just in case" since his poop came back negative for occult blood several weeks ago, but when his symptoms just kept getting worse and worse we took him back to the doctor this week.  Wouldn't you know his poop tested positive this time (more positive than the doctor had seen a test come back in a long time).  We made the switch that night to Elecare and DS didn't seem to mind the taste at all (however he doesn't seem picky--this is his fifth type of food and he's eaten all of them).  However he hasn't pooped in two days and spits up WAY more now than he did before.  Yesterday was a horrible day--crying, screaming, spitting up, etc.  I have read that it can take awhile to work, and that baby can get worse before getting better...I am hoping this is our case because I feel like we've tried everything to help our poor son out and nothing has worked yet.  He is also on Zantac for reflux (the max dose for his weight category).

We have an appointment set up with a GI nurse practitioner in a month (the doctors are booked out til JANUARY) but our pediatrician's office is going to call to see if they can get the appointment pushed earlier.  I am just hoping that in a week or so DS is a happy baby with no blood in his poop (if he ever poops again!) and we don't have to worry about the GI appointment!

mmamga08

I am sorry that you have been on a similar road trying to find something that will work for your little one. It is a frustrating journey. I have found a lot of information on this board and am so thankful to know we are not alone and that allergies are very common.

We have not yet done the stool test for blood- which I find odd because the DR did a blood test for allergies (nothing came back positive, but that isn't suprising because DS is not very old!). You'd think the stool test would be less invasive??? I think I will call Monday to ask about the stool test.

I don't understand the idea that we have to give the formua time to work, will their little tummies just adjust over time? So far, every formula we have stuck it out with for a week plus (at just one bottle a day!) and DS had an obvious reaction to within a few days. Should we keep pushing through? Maybe I have given up too soon? He did very well on the Soy with his GI issues, but developed a rash on his face so we stopped after one week. If I kept offerring it to him would his body just adjust? 

I EBF but go back to work in a week and am afraid I wont have enough supply to keep up. I pray that the Elecare once a day works or that my supply holds up. I hate to put LO through all of this, but my LC says that since I will have to loose a pump when I go back to work I will most likely need to use one bottle of formula a day to replace it. I wish I could quit my job and stay with my baby and skip formula all together.

Thanks for all your comments ladies!!! I am so thankful for this board!!!

tootlebug

This happened to all my kids.  My son who is three, had the mspi dx at four months and did the alimentum.  He did great.

My twins have it too but I figured it out at six weeks. They got a hive like rash on their faces and had no visible blood but test positive for microscopic blood. Our first pedi said it was nothing when I explained my concerns re: frequent poops, sometimes very constipated, etc.  what I don't get, is why doctors act like this is so uncommon when it seems like almost every mom I know had their kids on alimentum or nutramigen.

Anyways so we did Neocate and they wouldn't drink it.  So I was panicking bc I didnt know what to freakig feed them.  Then I got elecare samples and bingo it worked. They are great and at five months thriving on it.   They had about a good three days of adjusting to it.  But I noticed their symptoms go away almost immediately.

It is different bc the proteins are entirely broken down whereas the alimentum and nutramigen they are only partially broken down. 

browneyedgoil

tootlebug:

This happened to all my kids.  My son who is three, had the mspi dx at four months and did the alimentum.  He did great.

My twins have it too but I figured it out at six weeks. They got a hive like rash on their faces and had no visible blood but test positive for microscopic blood. Our first pedi said it was nothing when I explained my concerns re: frequent poops, sometimes very constipated, etc.  what I don't get, is why doctors act like this is so uncommon when it seems like almost every mom I know had their kids on alimentum or nutramigen.

Anyways so we did Neocate and they wouldn't drink it.  So I was panicking bc I didnt know what to freakig feed them.  Then I got elecare samples and bingo it worked. They are great and at five months thriving on it.   They had about a good three days of adjusting to it.  But I noticed their symptoms go away almost immediately.

It is different bc the proteins are entirely broken down whereas the alimentum and nutramigen they are only partially broken down. 

what age did your son outgrow?? how did you transition him to regular milk

tootlebug

browneyedgoil:

tootlebug:

This happened to all my kids.  My son who is three, had the mspi dx at four months and did the alimentum.  He did great.

My twins have it too but I figured it out at six weeks. They got a hive like rash on their faces and had no visible blood but test positive for microscopic blood. Our first pedi said it was nothing when I explained my concerns re: frequent poops, sometimes very constipated, etc.  what I don't get, is why doctors act like this is so uncommon when it seems like almost every mom I know had their kids on alimentum or nutramigen.

Anyways so we did Neocate and they wouldn't drink it.  So I was panicking bc I didnt know what to freakig feed them.  Then I got elecare samples and bingo it worked. They are great and at five months thriving on it.   They had about a good three days of adjusting to it.  But I noticed their symptoms go away almost immediately.

It is different bc the proteins are entirely broken down whereas the alimentum and nutramigen they are only partially broken down. 

what age did your son outgrow?? how did you transition him to regular milk

My son who was on the alimentum outgrew it at 8ish months.  He was pancakes and drinking soy formula at that point.  At 10 months he went to simulac advance and at one year he did whole, regular milk. 

OrangeSmoke

I'm in love with elecare.

Nothing worked for my little guy.  Nutramingin gave him explosive diarrehea.  Elecare and prilosec has proven to be the magic combo.

Are you seeing a pedi GI?  Ours has been a godsend in figuring out his issues.