DS is on lactulose for severe daily constipation. He just started it last weekend so we're still trying to find the right dose for him. The pedi. said to start with 7.5 ml every morning and go from there. Here's the problem though - if we give him 7.5 ml then has several loose and messy BMs. I know it's good that he's pooping, because it's better than the severe constipation, but, I don't want him to be pooping so much he gets dehydrated. He does get plenty of water though, so I don't know if I should be concerned about that. But, if I try to cut the dose down, even by .5 ml, then its severe constipation again and he struggles and struggles and nothing comes out.
So, of course I'm going to get pedi's advice, but WWYD? Stick with the 7.5 ml, and just make sure to keep him really hydrated because its better than the severe constipation, belly aches and crying?
We have an appointment with a GI at CHOP in two weeks, and I'm really going to push to try and find a long-term solution that doesn't involve me giving my toddler a prescription laxative every day.
Re: Lactulose: WWYD?
In your situation, I think the loose stools is better than the constipation. I would stick with it. I really wouldn't worry about dehydration. As long as he's drinking and eating lots of fruits and things with high water content, he should be all good! (Our gastro had said it is actually pretty hard for LOs to get dehydrated just from pooping so much...)
I'm glad it seems to be working for you!
The two days he had loose stools it was just mushy poop, not watery/runny at all. But, he's severely constipated again, despite keeping the same 7.5 ml dose. I'm so sick of this back and forth, where we keep thinking we found something that works, and then it goes right back to DS being miserable 99% of the time from being so constipated. I'm so glad we see the GI doctor at CHOP in two weeks. I'm really hoping they can provide some answers and better yet figure out how to help manage DS's severe constipation issues so he's not in so much discomfort so often.