A newbie's vent

mommaJen10 · February 2012

My ds started out being breastfed. At two weeks old he had blood in his stool, at 4 weeks he started having reflux issues to where he would choke and I cut all dairy and soy from my diet plus supplemented with alimentum. At 6 weeks he was put on elecare by his gi and prescribed zantac and prevacid. He had multiple tests done to include an upper gi series, a swallow study, and he was checked for pyloric stenosis. At 3 months old he had a 24 hour pH probe and a scope done. The pH probe showed that his acid levels were very high, though I don't recall the exact numbers and the gi put him on axid and took him off of the zantac and prevacid. The scope showed what his gi told me were ulcers caused by a likely milk and soy allergy. Ds was failure to thrive and was monitored very closely by his gi.

At 4 months old my DH came back from his deployment and we all moved to our new duty station in Tx. Ds started thriving! He gained 5 lbs in 2 months and started rice cereal. His new gi was very impressed and gave the ok to start rice cereal and then start trying to introduce solid food at 6 months if the allergist was ok with that. So we went to see the allergist and she did a blood draw and gave us the ok to start solid food. She also saw ds have a slight reaction in her office because he touched a goldfish cracker my dd was eating. So the allergist prescribed an epi pen too. We get his results next week from the blood test.

Ds has had a few reactions prior to seeing the allergist when his sister touched him after eating eggs, and we think once after eating peanut butter. None of his reactions affected his breathing, but he did break out in hives once.

Now, it has been two weeks since we started introducing solid food. I have been making everything so I know exactly what is in it. His first food was squash mixed with his elecare to make it smooth. He threw up the squash over the rest of the day and has done the same when I have tried it again. He did better with sweet potato, and he threw up the greenbean puree I made him. Since starting solid food he has had diarrhea for two weeks and his reflux has gotten worse. His new gi said he can only have his formula and the rice cereal until we see him in March. I am just frustrated because I want to know what is going on with him. The allergist thinks he has eosinophilic esophagitis but I don't know what they will need to do to determine if that is what is going on and I don't know what will happen if that is what he has.

I don't really know that there is much of a point to my post, I just wanted to vent a little. I just wanted to give ds's background so if anyone has any advice it is welcome! Anyway, if you read all of that, thank you!

Annie984 · February 2012

I'm so sorry you're having to deal with that amount of stress/unknown. I would be a wreck. I hope you get some answers soon.

Thank you to your family for your service.

Miller238 · February 2012

It is so frustrating, isn't it? This crazy guessing game. It is more stressful than I could have ever imagined.

To test for EE, they will do another scope (endoscopy) and take samples from different parts of his GI tract so they can see the number of eosinophils present. They thought my daughter had EE for sure. All of her doctors called her "textbook EE." She had so many allergies and eczema, so it surprised everyone when it came back negative. I hope it's the same way for your son and that he just has a lot of allergies right now.

Remember to take care of yourself through all of this too. I know how stressful the unknown is. It can really weigh on you. Plus with having another toddler at home, you don't get much time to think about yourself and your own needs. I finally had to go see a therapist because I was so consumed with my daughter's health that it wasn't healthy for me. I am so sorry you are going through this.

thetwinkies&Vivi · February 2012

I am sorry it is so frustrating. My DD was EBF for 6 weeks then switched to Alimentum and finally to Neocate due to severe rashes,weight loss,severe reflux,etc. She was hospitalized for a week due to weight loss and not tolerating any food. She is on Prevacid and Bethancole and was DX as FTT as well. When we got the ok to introduce solids she begin having reactions as well. However, her recent allergy testing did not show any results for food allergies. After her consult w/ the GI yesterday he seems to think it is more of the protein break down causing her issues. We have been struggling from the start trying to figure it all out. I can say it will get better! DD went from 95% at birth to less than 3% by 2months, and now at almost 7 months is back up to 75%. She is tolerating solids better, and her reflux is more manageable. We of course still are looking into the protein issue, if she will ever be able to have milk or soy products, and how introducing new foods will effect her, but we are so glad with the developments she has made. Hang in there Mama! It is so stressful not knowing what is going on with your LO. It can be a long frustrating road full of questions, but it will get better.

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