Healing the Gut Tribe-December - Page 9

[Punchy Kaby]

Originally Posted by caedmyn

I just got it for DD. The stuff I'm doing seems to be helping me and those are way too expensive for me to take if I don't need to. I got: L. acidophilus, salivarius, planatarum (sp?), reuteri, and rhamnosus, B. bifidum, lactis, and infantis (50-50 split between lactobaccilli and bifidobacteria). I chose the strains based on what I've read about probiotics, choosing strains that either showed benefits for eczema and allergies in studies or had actions that I felt would be beneficial to DD. It's supposed to get here on Thursday so I will keep you posted on any results.

Oh, and whoever was looking for dairy free reuteri--customprobiotics says their's is dairy free.

Looks great! No Lactobacillus GG though? I just got done reading the chapter in Bacteria for Breakfeast about allergies and eczema and these look like everything I would want too. Can I be a copycat?

Still getting through the chapter of vaginosis (in Bacteria for Breakfeast), but read that IUD's (which I have) can cause bacterial imbalance, which may be the problems I have been having lately that I thought was die off or a bad reaction to the kefir. Here I go trying to diagnose again...

[Punchy Kaby]

How bad is the flu shot?

I ask because I am required to get one by the military and I am trying to get out of it but don't know that I can. I tried the 'my son is allergic to eggs' and I am still breastfeeding route today and it got me no where. I put in a call to my OB who has always been very nice and better than most of the military doc's, but I don't know that she will write me a note to get out of it.

I am SO against any vax's but I don't have much of a choice here :

[caedmyn]

Originally Posted by Nolansmum

How bad is the flu shot?

I ask because I am required to get one by the military and I am trying to get out of it but don't know that I can. I tried the 'my son is allergic to eggs' and I am still breastfeeding route today and it got me no where. I put in a call to my OB who has always been very nice and better than most of the military doc's, but I don't know that she will write me a note to get out of it.

I am SO against any vax's but I don't have much of a choice here :

Can you get the FluMist? It does shed so you'll have to decide if you want to expose your DS to it, but you can "miss" with it as you give it to yourself. DH said he "accidentally missed his nose" with most of his...but of course I still got the flu a week later

Otherwise, maybe see if you can get a thimerosol free one--often HFS have preservative free flu shot clinics, and maybe if you can get one there the military won't force you to get another if you provide documentation. I'm sorry

[caedmyn]

Originally Posted by Nolansmum

Looks great! No Lactobacillus GG though? I just got done reading the chapter in Bacteria for Breakfeast about allergies and eczema and these look like everything I would want too. Can I be a copycat?

Still getting through the chapter of vaginosis (in Bacteria for Breakfeast), but read that IUD's (which I have) can cause bacterial imbalance, which may be the problems I have been having lately that I thought was die off or a bad reaction to the kefir. Here I go trying to diagnose again...

Sure, be a copycat I don't think they have L. GG...they did have L. casei (which L. GG is as far as I can tell) but I don't believe it's the same strain and I figured I had enough strains already.

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by mamajaillet

Ladies, I feel like a bum asking this question, but I feel like I am spending all my spare time on the computer, and still have not come to a decision about what probiotics to take, or actually to make coconut milk yogurt out of. I had been taking New Chapters All Flora, but can't tolerate the soy, and the fermented mushroom would taste awful in yogurt

It had eight strains, and I have this feeling like a number of strains would be most beneficial, but for now, would like to buy just one powder dairy/soy/chickpea free formula that would culture yogurt. Any suggestions, I am completely overwhelmed, but need to get some probiotics into my body!!!

I have used Progurt by GI Health. It is supposedly allergen free.

[caedmyn]

Nolansmum/anyone with kids with eczema--how quickly does eczema appear/worsen after you or your DC ingest an allergen? DD's arms are COVERED with eczema tonight, and she has never had visible eczema on her arms before--little patches I could feel yes, but nothing visible. And these patches weren't there this morning!

Could it be the almond butter she reacted to 3 days ago? Or I made some homemade coconut milk chocolate pudding this morning--could she have reacted with eczema that quickly? Also, my mom came to visit from out of state this afternoon--is it possible that DD reacted to the detergent on my mom's clothes? My mom doesn't wear any perfumes or use fabric softeners on her clothes.

I feel like DD is turning into one of those kids who is allergic to absolutely everything. I feel like she needs to be kept in a bubble right now or something--I mean, she was chewing on the shopping cart today at the store, who knows what food residues could have been on that. She's not even a year old--I can't keep her from touching/chewing on things!

[beachbuminthecity]

Maybe the coconut milk gave her a die off reaction.

[caedmyn]

Originally Posted by beachbuminthecity

Maybe the coconut milk gave her a die off reaction.

I doubt it--she's been eating coconut oil for a couple of months and I've been eating 1/2 a cup of coconut oil a day for months, so I don't think a few tablespoons of CO in coconut milk would suddenly cause die-off.

[moonshine]

Sorry if this was mentioned before, but to make coconut milk kefir -- you can use water grains, right? Do you add any sweetner? And do you mix in any water, or just straight coconut milk?

[Punchy Kaby]

Originally Posted by caedmyn

Nolansmum/anyone with kids with eczema--how quickly does eczema appear/worsen after you or your DC ingest an allergen? DD's arms are COVERED with eczema tonight, and she has never had visible eczema on her arms before--little patches I could feel yes, but nothing visible. And these patches weren't there this morning!

Could it be the almond butter she reacted to 3 days ago? Or I made some homemade coconut milk chocolate pudding this morning--could she have reacted with eczema that quickly? Also, my mom came to visit from out of state this afternoon--is it possible that DD reacted to the detergent on my mom's clothes? My mom doesn't wear any perfumes or use fabric softeners on her clothes.

I feel like DD is turning into one of those kids who is allergic to absolutely everything. I feel like she needs to be kept in a bubble right now or something--I mean, she was chewing on the shopping cart today at the store, who knows what food residues could have been on that. She's not even a year old--I can't keep her from touching/chewing on things!

I am so sorry your DD is having allergic reactions . Yes DS does get reactions fast. DS was almost rash free when I had a sausage (SCD legal) at dinner, I nursed him before bed and then he woke in the morning with a rash. Has your DD had chocolate before? I would guess that before your mom's clothes. Does your mom have pets?

I also feel like I am trying to keep DS in a bubble. My DH thinks I am crazy for trying to control everything in DS's environment. We had a big argument over the weekend about the Eucerin DH insists putting on DS's cheeks, it has wheat!!

[Punchy Kaby]

Originally Posted by caedmyn

Can you get the FluMist? It does shed so you'll have to decide if you want to expose your DS to it, but you can "miss" with it as you give it to yourself. DH said he "accidentally missed his nose" with most of his...but of course I still got the flu a week later

Otherwise, maybe see if you can get a thimerosol free one--often HFS have preservative free flu shot clinics, and maybe if you can get one there the military won't force you to get another if you provide documentation. I'm sorry

I never thought about faking it. Hmm. I am going to post a question about this over on the vax board.

[vxclayborn]

Reflux, Constipation, Dysphagia, and a slew of allergies

Hi Everyone,

I hope I am on the right board. I have a question... I'm new to all this. This is long and I apologize in advance.

My DD is currently 13 months and has been through the ringer:

Before she was born I suspected she had intestinal issues. She had hiccups (seems benign right?) 5-6 times a day during my pregnancy and it runs in my family (both grandfathers, g-ma, dad and bro all have severe esophogeal problems) After she was born she was doing some gurggling, tried to ignore it thinking I was being overprotective. At exactly 2 weeks old she through up her entire meal for the first time and was awake and fussing for 13 hours straight, couldn't keep anything down so took her to Emergenc room. They told me it was "Colic" and it was normal, it's just hard adjusting to being a first time mom. I saw her pediatrician and she immediately put her on Zantac and Reglan (my mom really protested reglan b/c its actually a drug for nuero probs). Stayed on a heavy dose of both for the next 4 months with continued pain, and vomiting of every meal. (We ended up nursing every hour on the hour to get some sort of food in her system) At around 5 months she looked terrible... dehydrated, rashy, and just plain irritable. Finally got an appt with a Pediatric GI specialist (2 month wait) she also kinda pooh-poohed me and said I was "breastfeeding incorrectly" but orderd an upper GI to appease me. UGI revealed that her stomach is incredibly large, and was detached on one side and she had an intestinal malrotation. So everytime she would eat her stomach would flip up and what she did get down got stuck! They booked her for immediate surgery and sent us home a week later. That night she began vomiting bile and we headed back to the hospital. We stayed for an additional 2 weeks before they realized she had another inermittent malrotation. She had nothing by mouth for 21 day and was on nutrition via a central line. Since the surgery the vomiting is much better.

However, we battle consipation and reflux issues daily. If we give her milk of magnesia she poops almost straight water (even the smallest dose) but if we don't use it she gets backed up to her armpits and can't eat, sleep, or be happy. In addition, we have realized she is allergic to red dye, Reglan and Penicillian.
I suspected a milk allergy, and her doc did a RAST test came back negative. However, I heard that they aren't very consistent.

Today we discovered she is aspirating liquids and we have to thicken everything to at least nectar consistency. (I suspected but had to wait 6 weeks for an appt.) Docs are concerned about aspiration, but gave me the go ahead to continue BF, she doesn't struggle with that. They say the swallowing problem is most likely reflux related. (She has continual stridor and reccurrent esophagitis)

Most medical professionals I speak with treat this like something I just have to deal with, and medicate. I'm so frustrated. Eating should be enjoyable and she is flat out miserable.

Sorry this was so long, I just wanted to give the big picture. Hope there is someone who could pass on some good advice.

[EBG]

vxclayborn,

I' soooo sorry you and your little one has to go through this and the MDs can offer little help. That's how it is...
Even if the allergy test came back negative, she could still have a problem with dairy. I think you need to change your diet ASAP. No dairy, sugar and grains. See if it helps. Make sure you eat enough fat (butter, coconut oil, animal fats and olive oil, cod liver oil!!!) and no vegetable oils or soy. Don't believe the docs who say diet has nothing to do with it. Mom's diet can ruin everything. Especially that your babe has health issues. I think you will benefit from the cheat sheet...

My DD1 who is 3 had reflux issues and Zantac didn't do a thing. And then she developed eczema. Of course I had no clue... Now I know that I did it all wrong. My diet during pregnancy was horrible- low fat and high sugar and even during breastfeeding. And I was ignorant enough to feed her cereals starting at 4 months blindly following the ped's advice and then continue the low-fat madness.

When I was pregnant with DD2 I also developed eczema that stayed with me even after giving birth. So I started researching it and learned a ton about how poor diet affects us and the babes. So I changed my diet radically. DD2 had never had reflux, very little burping, very little gas if any, no eczema etc etc.

She does have yeast (mostly diaper rash) too just like DD1 and me. We've been working hard to get rid of it and it's really really hard. DD1 does well on SCD, when I manage to keep her on it she is rash free. But DH and family are against it and always sabotage my efforst to keep her junk-free.

Caedmyn,

It takes about 1-2 days for my DD1 to break out after exposure to sugar/junk/most grains. But she will get itchy soon after eating and/or tummy ache. And then it'll take 4-5 days to 2 weeks to clear it up. And then MIL strike again... I give her enzyemes to minimize the damage and her only probiotics is SCD yogurt. I know I need to give her more strains... But it's always the question of money.

[caedmyn]

Originally Posted by moonshine

Sorry if this was mentioned before, but to make coconut milk kefir -- you can use water grains, right? Do you add any sweetner? And do you mix in any water, or just straight coconut milk?

I use water grains, no added sweetner or water.

[Annikate]

Originally Posted by vxclayborn

Hi Everyone,

I hope I am on the right board. I have a question... I'm new to all this. This is long and I apologize in advance.

My DD is currently 13 months and has been through the ringer:

Before she was born I suspected she had intestinal issues. She had hiccups (seems benign right?) 5-6 times a day during my pregnancy and it runs in my family (both grandfathers, g-ma, dad and bro all have severe esophogeal problems) After she was born she was doing some gurggling, tried to ignore it thinking I was being overprotective. At exactly 2 weeks old she through up her entire meal for the first time and was awake and fussing for 13 hours straight, couldn't keep anything down so took her to Emergenc room. They told me it was "Colic" and it was normal, it's just hard adjusting to being a first time mom. I saw her pediatrician and she immediately put her on Zantac and Reglan (my mom really protested reglan b/c its actually a drug for nuero probs). Stayed on a heavy dose of both for the next 4 months with continued pain, and vomiting of every meal. (We ended up nursing every hour on the hour to get some sort of food in her system) At around 5 months she looked terrible... dehydrated, rashy, and just plain irritable. Finally got an appt with a Pediatric GI specialist (2 month wait) she also kinda pooh-poohed me and said I was "breastfeeding incorrectly" but orderd an upper GI to appease me. UGI revealed that her stomach is incredibly large, and was detached on one side and she had an intestinal malrotation. So everytime she would eat her stomach would flip up and what she did get down got stuck! They booked her for immediate surgery and sent us home a week later. That night she began vomiting bile and we headed back to the hospital. We stayed for an additional 2 weeks before they realized she had another inermittent malrotation. She had nothing by mouth for 21 day and was on nutrition via a central line. Since the surgery the vomiting is much better.

However, we battle consipation and reflux issues daily. If we give her milk of magnesia she poops almost straight water (even the smallest dose) but if we don't use it she gets backed up to her armpits and can't eat, sleep, or be happy. In addition, we have realized she is allergic to red dye, Reglan and Penicillian.
I suspected a milk allergy, and her doc did a RAST test came back negative. However, I heard that they aren't very consistent.

Today we discovered she is aspirating liquids and we have to thicken everything to at least nectar consistency. (I suspected but had to wait 6 weeks for an appt.) Docs are concerned about aspiration, but gave me the go ahead to continue BF, she doesn't struggle with that. They say the swallowing problem is most likely reflux related. (She has continual stridor and reccurrent esophagitis)

Most medical professionals I speak with treat this like something I just have to deal with, and medicate. I'm so frustrated. Eating should be enjoyable and she is flat out miserable.

Sorry this was so long, I just wanted to give the big picture. Hope there is someone who could pass on some good advice.

mama
DD2 had many similar problems. I don't have a lot of time to post right now but will add more later.

PLEASE PLEASE get her off the Reglan. That drug is terrible. DD was on it (even though my gut instinct was not to give it to her,) and it caused more problems than it solved. The drug was originally marketed and developed for schizophrenia, was taken off the market for a while and then sold again to help with gut motility.

How do the two even relate? They don't. That is big pharma talking.

I'll post more about our experience later.

In the meantime, read the sticky about healing the gut at the top of the health and healing forum.

Sounds to me like the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) will help you (and your dc.)

[Punchy Kaby]

I have added coconut oil back into my diet. I am at 2 t. a day and I have an eczema flair up (mine is just tight, dry, burning skin all over my body that isn't relieved by any lotion) and I am getting huge underground zits in different areas. DS also has little patches all over his body now. It does not cause me any stomach distress as it did before. I don't know how long to keep trying at this low dose or if this is still too strong of a reaction and I should not use it.

[sparkletruck]

how to choose a practitioner

Hi Mamas,

I need some advice. I have seen 2 practitioners, a DOM and an AK. I stopped after a few appts because I start to feel like I know more than them and need to choose carefully where I spend my $$. But at the same time, its so hard emotionally to do this on your own, especially when you're working so hard and nothing is happening. If nothing else, I just want someone to talk to about my protocal on a regular basis. I know you are all here, but you are in the same boat and need to direct your energy your way, not mine . I want the person to be well read, to feel like they know at least what I do (for example, the AK tested me for progesterone and I needed it, but everything Ive read says that progesterone feeds yeast). I know there's no magic fix. Is it realistic to think that I can work with someone on this? The emotional part of having a team-mate would be great, but dont we all keep coming back to the fact that we know more than everyone we see? Anyway, I found an ND in my area and am interested in seeing her, but am I kidding myself. Isnt it just the desire to figure something out when in fact I just need to keep throwing things at this to see what sticks? My main question has to do with the reflux. It has to relate to dysbiosis, but I dont know how, and I cant find anything in my searches except a few accounts of people who treated their reflux by treating yeast succesfully. It just seems like, if it is yeast, why am I working my arse off treating yeast and nothing has changed! Except that I now have this sore throat that is utterly miserable, swollen, burning, full, constant. So what do you think? The ND I spoke with said this is not a quick fix kind of thing but if I want to work with her as explorers, that would be what we'd do. I definitely liked that. What do ND's know/do exactly? Thank you

[sparkletruck]

kefir

Those who make coconut kefir, is this b/c you arent doing dairy? If you were would you do dairy instead? That is, do you get any more benefits probiotically from dairy vs. alternate milk kefir?

[sparkletruck]

One more thing; digestive enzymes. I took digest gold for a month and didnt notice a difference in my digestion or stool quality/quantity. What am I accomplishing by taking them? i.e. is this an expense I *should* maintain in my protocal? (I think the point of them is to better digest food so you dont get alergic or feed yeast, is that right? So even if I dont notice differences does that mean they are still accomplishing this and I should continue?)

[Panserbjorne]

vxclayborn: I'm so sorry.

I have to agree about the meds. It feels like the docs are helping by managing your little one's case, but they aren't. Treating the symptoms never resolves anything.

I totally get how afraid and helpless you must feel. I wish you had never had to go through this. I had something happen with dd that was pretty hard for us too. Doc's recommended drugs, invasive procedures and surgery. She was in BAD shape. I was very lucky to be in the alternative healthcare system myself and was able to navigate the waters and draw upon many resources.

The docs were insistent that she wouldn't get better on her own and my mother refused to hold her because she was convinced she'd never make it. I had faith that we could find something that would work and acutally correct her many problems.

It was a long road. She was tube fed and totally unresponsive. She refluxed everything she took in, and she could only take in about a 1/2 an ounce at a time. She was FTT. She turned blue more times than I can count. IT was awful.

We treated her using homeopathy, craniosacral therapy, physical therapy and chiropractic. She never got those "life saving" meds or procedures (except for a GI scan which I insisted they use breastmilk for) She is now 2.5, has some food allergies but is otherwise fine. She is not the same kid at all. I know the ONLY reason she is the way she is today is because I ignored the conventional advice. I will be forever in debt to my D.Ht, DC, PT and IBCLC.

THose fancy diagnoses are just labels. It's really hard to understand that as a mom watching your child suffer. What I had to come to terms with was they are useless. Only when you fix the inderlying issues (which in your kiddos case sounds significantly structural) will they be able to heal.

I'm not telling you what to do by any means, just offering what helped us. My suggestion would be to find a good CST that works on babies. They will be able to help with the reflux and any residual intestinal problems. Do change your diet. How and what are you feeding at this time?

I have many ideas about what *could* be going on for your little one. I don't want to overwhelm you though and anything I say is just an instinctual response to what you are describing. nak anyway so sorry if this seems a bit terse.

Welcome to our little tribe though, and I hope you can find something that helps you.