8 month old with sludge in gall bladder

PandasMama0626 · November 2013

Hello everyone... I've posted a few times about my son's weight issues (doesn't gain and won't eat enough to gain weight) and after nearly 6 months we changed docs and have one who finally ordered tests, an ultrasound, and referral to a pediatric GI doc. The referral is taking FOREVER thanks to this change in medical insurance. In the mean time, my son has been on a heavy fat/high calorie diet (he won't eat more than 15-17 oz of formula which we have fortified to 24 cals per oz, and sometimes will take 2 bottles with a tablespoon of heavy whipping cream to fortify to 37 cals per oz. He gets 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil in his baby food when we can get him to eat it, and eats avocados, cheese, and what not to boost cals (he just doesn't eat much of any of it so every calorie has to be dense to make it count.)

His results from the ultrasound from last week got in today and show sludge in his gall bladder. His dr. didn't know if this is the cause for him not wanting to eat since he was 2 months old, if its due to all the high fats we have been plugging him with, or something else. He shows no visible signs of discomfort or pain so it doesn't seem to be causing any other symptoms. She said its highly unusual for babies his age to have sludge in their GB and she doesn't really have experience with it, so shes leaving the treatment or other tests in the hands of a GI... the problem is we may not get in with the GI for a month

He sees a nutritionist and feeding specialist as well who both say nothing is "wrong" with him and no one has come up with a reason why he won't eat enough to gain weight.

We have been super lucky for him to gain 6 ozs in the last 2 weeks (hes a little over 8 months and now weighs 15 lbs 13 ozs) but growing length wise like a weed...28 a 1/2 inches right now. He is highly active so one would think he would be MORE hungry...not eating just enough to survive, you know?

My hubby had GB stones a couple years back and I remember how much horrible pain he was in. The thought of my little man going through that terrifies me. He needs high fats to gain weight and grow, but what if this has caused or aggravates his GB? Has any other moms gone though this with their baby? I can't even find any info online about babies/infants with sludge in their GB. I feel so lost right now

kmc84 · November 2013

Your baby's doc should speak to the specialist and see if they can get him in faster. A doctor to doctor conversation needs to happen here. Good luck momma! I hope you get in quicker!

PandasMama0626 · November 2013

kmc84 said:

Your baby's doc should speak to the specialist and see if they can get him in faster. A doctor to doctor conversation needs to happen here. Good luck momma! I hope you get in quicker!

The issue is with the insurance. The kids are on Medi-Cal (California state insurance) which has changed due to obamacare to CA Health and Wellness. We live in Northern CA and were in the process of getting into UC Davis (3 hours away but the closest Pedi GI doc) and now with the change in insurance, UC Davis is not accepting referrals for CA Health and Wellness patients. So all the babies and kids that need to be seen by Pedi GIs are getting sent to San Diego (10 hours away!). For us and many others, this is just not feasible so there is a big meeting happening this week to try and get authorization to send Northern CA kids back to UC Davis or Stanford. Its such a ridiculous mess right now...we would have been in by next week if this hadn't happened and we have been waiting for MONTHS to finally get a doc to give us a referral...now we have proof he absolutely needs to be seen ASAP and we are getting hung up thanks to the insurance...

PandasMama0626 · November 2013

Thanks pavlovcat

I'm giving the fats a rest right now (at least the coconut oil and heavy whipping cream) to see how many calories he will take on his own. He loses weight SOOOOO fast that it really scares me, but I feel like the 4 other docs I have been to don't give me any real advice other than bump up calories and now we don't know if all this fattening up of his diet has just hurt him via his GB. From the little bit I have been able to find, infants with "sludge" are typically a pigment type, which means his body isn't breaking down red cells correctly. We do have a blood disorder on my side of the family, but I have never heard of someone with factor 5 liden having issues like this so I'm not sure. The cholesterol type is the one most adults with high fat diets end up with (like my hubby) but since he has been on such a high fat diet, I could see this might have been the cause as well...hes just so skinny its hard to imagine sludge in such a skinny kid. Some medications can cause sludge and he just came off azythromicin not long ago and was on a HIGH does of singulair for his eczema before his new doc said stop it immediately (its an asthma med but worked wonders on his eczema which was so bad it was peeling his skin away). He had symptoms of reflux when he was about a month old which got better as he got older so maybe these were symptoms of gall bladder issues? Its so hard to say.... I just wish we could get in with the GI sooner...its so ridiculous we have been waiting months and now have another month to wait.

gogreenx74 · March 2014

My daughter is 5 months and she was low birth weight and had to stay in the nicu for a week and 1/2 before coming home. She had to have 2 transfusions for low platelet and high liver enzymes. We have seen a gi doctor numerous times, the first time we inquired about what we were told was reflux and I appointment on the 24th of April. Being she was monitored and tested for everything while she was in the hospital we were referred to the gi doctor at discharge.

After our first visit the doctor took a look at our discharge test and were confident she would be clear by next visit. The doctor ordered blood test which were the WORSE! We attempted to have the blood work at numerous locations (no one could do it and they can only stick one time per day). We couldn't put our sweet baby through that so we decided to give her a break then get it don't in the hospital. What was previously a normal test result we find out her liver enzymes are slightly elevated (nothing alarming). The Gi doctor said it was due to sludge in her gallbladder and put her on medicine for 30 days which she has almost completed. We have asked questions and tried to find information online. We couldn't find many clear answers so we're awaiting test results.

She has been gaining weight steadily and our pediatrician and a developmental pediatrician both stated she was growing nicely and has already made it to the standard weight chart for her age. She is now 5 months and around 13lbs (born 4lb 4oz 36 weeks and 5 days with complications). She's always been very alert and she's also the happiest baby I've ever seen (I was a nanny lol). She shows no symptoms of any discomfort or distress.

We've also noticed she had a red spot on the back of her head which 4 doctors claimed was a birth mark. As it became more so a sore we began to treat it with eczema medication we were prescribed which cleared it right up. We started noticing she is losing her hair (she'll even pull it out) but that's all.

I am so anxious although I was told this was nothing alarming. If you found out please let me know what update. I will let you know how things go!

gogreenx74 · March 2014

Also she usually eats 24-30 oz a day. I'm still breast feeding but in the last 2 weeks we started introducing formula to supplement.

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