What is causing this diarrhea?

[blackbird2]

Hello all,

I have a 4 month old who has had diarrhea for 12 days.  BMs are about 8 times a day, watery with a few 'chopped spinach-like' chunks, lots of gas.  No other symptoms like fever or rashes.  Breast milk only.  No sudden change in my diet, although we started giving a small quantity of probiotics daily on Jan 3rd for general wellness, as recommended by doctor.  It all started quite clearly on January 7th.

I talked to our doctor today (ND).  She suggested stopping the probiotics, a possible sensitivity to dairy, or to acid foods in my diet.  Mentioned a possible fore/hindmilk imbalance, but seemed to discard that idea since I am not pumping or having any leaking between feedings.  She does not think it is due to a virus/bacteria.

(nak)

It's just that none of these ideas seem to quite line up for me.

Probiotics - she assured me that these would not affect her digestion before I agreed to start them (argh!)

Sensitivities - sudden onset??  Maybe the acid foods, since I think we bought a box of clementines around then....

hind/foremilk - again, sudden onset? increased frequency of BMs?

So, I'm stopping the probiotics and watching my acid intake....  But does anyone have any insight here?  What does this sound like to you?

TIA!

[heatherdeg]

To be honest, it just sounds strange.  Certainly makes sense to make things as much as possible like they were before the problem.  And it certainly sounds like it could've been a reaction to the clementines, but unless you ate them for a week, I would have expected the diarrhea to clear up by now.

How long have you NOT had the clementines?  Are you eating any other citrus (or is it used to naturally flavor anything)?  And when did you stop the pbx?  Do the pbx note dairy as an ingredient in any way? (I can't imagine--maybe lactose to flavor the powder?)

[blackbird2]

I'd say that a box of clementines does last about a week around here.  DH buys them, but doesn't really eat them, so it's just DC1 and I.  I can't think of exactly when I stopped eating them ... just found the last couple in the forgotten box (the second box) about 2 days ago?  I don't really eat other citrus, so I agree - this seems like the most probable culprit.

Today is the first day without pbx.  They have no dairy.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this is strange!  On the up side, yesterday she had a couple less BMs, and today they are slightly more yellowish.  Maybe we're coming out of it??  She's just had more spitting up both days...