Need your help, please!

[jewellz]

OK I have been on the total elimination diet for almost two weeks now. My son is getting worse. Every night I have to give him Gripe Water for his stomach problems and it only happens at night. I have been writing everything down that I eat and if he reacts that night. Today I put it all in a spreadsheet and can't figure it out, all the things I eat happen on a non-reaction day AND on a reaction day, there is nothing that I eat that hasn't happened on a reaction day.

Now I personally can't tolerate gluten and have had problems with dairy in the past, Usually while pregnant and a little while after (but at about 8 months post-partem I didn't seem to react to it) and dc3 reacted really bad to dairy up till 8 months old, now she seems fine with it. So I took everything out of my diet except for a few things from the elimination diet. He's reacting. Although I did take probotics 2 days-but will stop that-that did say may contain trace amounts of dairy. Should I just keep on the diet for two more weeks and still eat what I have ate up til now or what should I do?

I dont know what to do, I'm getting hungry and my supply was going down until I upped my water intake-now I'm producing too much. The rash on his scalp, face, neck and chest is clearing up and he is sleeping a little bit better-best time is when I have to give him Gripe Water and falls asleep 5 mins later. He's symptoms are getting better except for the screaming at night.

So I need opinions. Please help.

[lastrid]

My DS has problems with ginger so the gripe water may be the culprit. IDK. What exactly are you eating?

[changingseasons]

Yes- can you share what you've been eating?

Any food can be allergenic, even those that are normally on a TED. For example, my DD is allergic to pears and yellow squash, and possibly rice. So the standard TED didn't work for us at ALL.

If he is getting worse, then no- you don't want to just continue eating what you have been. We can help you figure out which foods you might need to switch out.

I definitely would not take the dairy-derived probiotics, or any supplements for that matter while on a TED.

[jewellz]

Originally Posted by lastrid

My DS has problems with ginger so the gripe water may be the culprit. IDK. What exactly are you eating?

Gripe water is what makes him better. He falls asleep 5 mins. after he takes it and sleeps his best after having it.

[jewellz]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

Yes- can you share what you've been eating?

If he is getting worse, then no- you don't want to just continue eating what you have been. We can help you figure out which foods you might need to switch out.

I definitely would not take the dairy-derived probiotics, or any supplements for that matter while on a TED.

Ok, Foodwise

asparagus-wont have again-gave both of us gas
avocado
beet
carrot
potato

buckwheat cereal-Arrowhead Mills brand-buckwheat grits, brown rice cereal, evap. cane juice, buckwheat flour, maple syrup, sea salt, honey, vit c, vit e-only had once-wasn't that great so prob won't have again

Rice (white)
rice cakes(with cane sugar, apples, cinnamon)-Lundberg brand
rice cereal (with agave nectar)-Amy's brand


Blueberry smoothie-blueberries, banana, apple, blackberry, inulin-fiber, dextrin-fiber, xanthan gum-fiber, b,c,and e vitamins, natural flavors-Bolthouse Farms brand purchased at Walmart

cranberry/pomagrante/blueberry drink-Knudsen brand
apple
dried pears-unsulphered
pear
pear juice
green grapes
nectarine


salmon-smoked made by another company but purchased from Whole Foods lamb-from Whole Foods
buffalo-from Whole Foods
turkey-from Whole Foods

potato chips-potato, sunflower oil, salt

rice milk-Pacific Foods brand

turkey cooking stock-kitchen basics brand-turkey and chicken stock, turkey flavor, honey, sea salt,veggie stock(carrot, onion, mushroom, and celery), sherry wine(alcohol removed), sage, bay, thyme, and pepper

honey
salt
pepper
thyme
parsley

Most was purchased at Whole Foods.
No dairy-except the probotic which may contain dairy, no gluten, soy, eggs, nuts, shellfish.

He's only getting worse with the stomach pains. The rash and sleeping is getting better-mostly cause of Gripe Water.

I stopped the probotic two days ago. Yesterday had clo, fish oil and digestive enzymes, haven't had any today.

Hope that helps with helping me figure out what I should do, I really don't like to see him in so much pain.

[Chinese Pistache]

What are you consistently eating every day? It looks like you're having a lot of rice. That might be the culprit. Also, fruits can be very problematic because their natural acids (salicylic acid) can irritate already damaged guts and cause the very same reactions as allergies and intolerances. I'd limit your ED to some low allergen fruit(s). Also, potatoes are nightshades and potentially problematic.

[lastrid]

The blueberry smoothie has a bunch of iffy ingredients. I would nix that. You also would be better off making your own stock without all the herbs and sticking to one fruit.

[changingseasons]

Well, you're actually eating more than most standard ED's call for. I was thinking that you were doing a TED (total elimination diet), which is where you start with just a few foods and then add things back in.

Ok, I'm just going to list off things that I think can sometimes be problematic:

• avocado - lots of babes around here seem to react to it; in the latex family, along with bananas
• potato - part of the nightshade family; slightly allergenic, but can cause inflammation in the body
• buckwheat cereal- this one just has way too many ingredients... I would skip all refined (cane) sugars on an ED, vit C is probably derived from corn, vit E is probably derived from soy
• Blueberry smoothie- again, lots of ingredients... any added vitamins are probably corn and/or soy
• dried pears- dried fruits are very high in sulfites (I think? or was it something else?), which can cause an allergic-type response in the body
• potato chips- nightshade, sunflower is pretty allergenic
• rice milk-Pacific Foods brand - I'm sure there are a ton of ingredients and added vitamins in this as well... see previous comments about that
• turkey cooking stock- "turkey flavor" (or any "flavor") is almost always bad as far as allergens go. Much better to make your own stock

So I guess the biggest thing I see is that you're eating quite a few packaged/processed foods. When you're on an ED, it's easiest (to avoid reactions, not to cook ) to stay away from anything processed and cook everything from scratch using raw, whole foods.

[jewellz]

Originally Posted by Chinese Pistache

What are you consistently eating every day? It looks like you're having a lot of rice. That might be the culprit. Also, fruits can be very problematic because their natural acids (salicylic acid) can irritate already damaged guts and cause the very same reactions as allergies and intolerances. I'd limit your ED to some low allergen fruit(s). Also, potatoes are nightshades and potentially problematic.

The thing I eat most is the avocado. All the others are kinda rotated around except for the last few days when I was eating the buffalo pot roast which had buffalo, potato, carrot, turkey cooking stock, salt, thyme and parsley as leftovers for lunch and dinners.

In the last 12 days for rice I have only had white rice once, rice milk once and rice cakes 1 pkg in the past week, Amy's rice cereal 3 days-so not very often.

The fruit cause I'm withdrawling from all the sweets I use to have. And most of the fruits were in that blueberry smoothie. Otherwise having nectarines-twice, green grapes-5 out of 12 days, an 1/8th of an apple once, fresh pears-twice, dried pears-4 out of 12 days, pear juice-3-32oz jars, cranberry mixed drink-4 32oz jars.
I've had so much juice cause if I drink water I become engorged breastfeeding-it still isn't regulated at 7 weeks postpartem-I was drinking soda instead of water when I was thirsty because of the engorgement and the forceful spray that was chocking my son when he would eat. So getting away from soda and into juice.

For the potatoes-four meal in the last 3 days and potato chips 3 times in the last 3 days.

What are some low allergin fruits?

[neveryoumindthere]

nak

the things that stood out for me were the vit e in the smoothie and the cereal. i was told most vit e is derived from soy

and even though you only had the probiotic a few times, if it is derived from one of your dc's allergens he could still be reacting to it. dairy especially takes a long time to get out of their system

i had to stop all supplements on my ED> it was way too much to keep track of and calling companies day in and day out for ambigious responses was way too much stress.

hth

[jewellz]

Originally Posted by lastrid

The blueberry smoothie has a bunch of iffy ingredients. I would nix that. You also would be better off making your own stock without all the herbs and sticking to one fruit.

The blueberry smoothies-They are 34ozs and I would drink at least one a day because it has lots of calories-I need it for breastfeeding-the last one I had was today but before that the last one I had was Sunday the 8th. So five days ago and he was reacting the last four days, he didn't and did react on the days that I had it, so tonight I had one cause I needed the calories for breastfeeding. Being on this diet is very hard when breastfeeding at 7 weeks postpartem but I need to figure out why he's in screaming pain 7 out of the last 12 nights. So started with the TED but tried to add low allergin foods in so my milk wouldn't go down and I would still be able to take care of my other 3 kids and myself.

I don't know how to make my own stock-want to learn how to make bone broth too for the SCD-need to heal my own stomach too after I figure out all his intolerances.

What fruit should I have?

[jewellz]

Originally Posted by neveryoumindthere

nak

the things that stood out for me were the vit e in the smoothie and the cereal. i was told most vit e is derived from soy

and even though you only had the probiotic a few times, if it is derived from one of your dc's allergens he could still be reacting to it. dairy especially takes a long time to get out of their system

i had to stop all supplements on my ED> it was way too much to keep track of and calling companies day in and day out for ambigious responses was way too much stress.

hth

UGH I hate soy!

I suspect the dairy as I've had trouble with it and so has my 2nd youngest the first eight months of her life. But want to make sure of other things too.

Yes, I'm stopping all supplements.

[neveryoumindthere]

Originally Posted by jewellz

UGH I hate soy!

I suspect the dairy as I've had trouble with it and so has my 2nd youngest the first eight months of her life. But want to make sure of other things too.

Yes, I'm stopping all supplements.

TRUST ME I know :

[jewellz]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

Well, you're actually eating more than most standard ED's call for. I was thinking that you were doing a TED (total elimination diet), which is where you start with just a few foods and then add things back in.

Ok, I'm just going to list off things that I think can sometimes be problematic:

• avocado - lots of babes around here seem to react to it; in the latex family, along with bananas
• potato - part of the nightshade family; slightly allergenic, but can cause inflammation in the body
• buckwheat cereal- this one just has way too many ingredients... I would skip all refined (cane) sugars on an ED, vit C is probably derived from corn, vit E is probably derived from soy
• Blueberry smoothie- again, lots of ingredients... any added vitamins are probably corn and/or soy
• dried pears- dried fruits are very high in sulfites (I think? or was it something else?), which can cause an allergic-type response in the body
• potato chips- nightshade, sunflower is pretty allergenic
• rice milk-Pacific Foods brand - I'm sure there are a ton of ingredients and added vitamins in this as well... see previous comments about that
• turkey cooking stock- "turkey flavor" (or any "flavor") is almost always bad as far as allergens go. Much better to make your own stock

So I guess the biggest thing I see is that you're eating quite a few packaged/processed foods. When you're on an ED, it's easiest (to avoid reactions, not to cook ) to stay away from anything processed and cook everything from scratch using raw, whole foods.

I'm eating more cause I'm only 7 weeks postpartem and exclusively breastfeeding my son and need the calories.
I understand about the avocado-ate them cause of the fat/calories-and potatoes-just in the last few days.
Buckwheat cereal-wont eat again, didn't taste good anyway. Ugh about the vitamins.
Blueberry smoothie-see pervious post on why I had it. Ugh seconded on vits.
Dried pears-mine I made sure they were sulfite-free.
Potato chips-will stop eating.
Rice milk-I only had it once with the cereal. I don't know what to drink now-see pervious post as to why. What are my options?
Turkey stock-only bought for the buffalo pot roast also don't know how to make stock.
That is why I need help. I just don't know what to do. What I should eat/drink. I need more then just the TED but less then taking one thing out at a time-not fast enough. Thank you all for your help so far. Please keep the ideas coming. I'm just so upset to see my son screaming everyday and not being able to help-to make it stop permanently.

[neveryoumindthere]

stock is pretty easy..it's just all so overwhelming..
here's a quick rundown
bones in a pot, fill it to just a bit above the bones, a splash of vinegar (u can leave this step out, but u may have to cook it longer..the vinegar helps get the minerals out), let it sit an hour or so, and then bring to a boil, skim off any scum that comes to the top, and put it down to a simmer and leave it for hours some do 12, some do 24, others 48hrs..

if you want to add veggies, u can do that when u put in the bones, I use carrots, celery and onions. i keep a baggie in the freezer and i keep the peels, ends,etc. and when the bag is full i make up another batch of stock

i also add sea salt and black pepper for flavour and sometimes throw in garlic or bay leaf.

[lastrid]

Buy your meat on the bone so that you have bones. Roast whole chickens or turkeys or bone-in legs of lamb (or whatever meat you're choosing to use). Make sure you eat all of the fat and the skin for calories and energy. If you can, get organic or pastured meats because these will be better for you. I would try using a grain that you haven't eaten much of. Quinoa is really good and is good for milk production (although you don't seem to be having trouble with that, fortunately). I would also pick one fruit and stick with it for a few days and if you don't see improvements, switch to something else. Also, IRT vegetables in stock, my DS had major reactions to celery, garlic, and onions, so you should add those in slowly as well. This is a PITA, I know. But, speaking from experience, you don't want to have to do this again, so you're better off doing things slowly and methodically.

[Chinese Pistache]

Least allergenic are supposedly pears, cooked peaches, blueberries. BUT anything can cause allergies AND many "low allergen" fruits have high amouts of salicylates. So, the best bet is to stick with one or two fruits to trial adequately, and then, switch out if needed. This is a starting point, but not definitive for sure: http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/allergy.htm

[p1gg1e]

Can you make your own smoothie with coconut milk or sunflour butter to add calories?

When I did an elimination diet I always limited 1 or two things and then added from there otherwise I was to hungry OR I couldnt figure out what it was. Also go easy with yourself sometimes it can take a week or two to really see an improvement.

Renew life probiotic is chickpea based and might be a better fit if you want to try it.

Hope you figure it out!