Healing the Gut Tribe-February - Page 2

[formerluddite]

Originally Posted by bluets

dh has his surgery scheduled for tuesday a.m. he's nervous abotu the pain meds - any good holistic approaches to pain management? anything they'll give him will be likely to give leaky gut.

arnica! not really for pain per se, but for trauma (but that's what's causing the pain, so...). my dh got hit by a car head on last week while on his bicycle. his face broke the guy's windshield. i started surreptitiously (he was NPO until CT negative for scary things) giving him arnica 200c, 2 pellets every 20 min per our homeopath (who blessedly once gave me her cell phone # when dd2 was hospitalized with pnuemonia). he thoroughly broke his nose, and 2 other hairline facial fractures, had 11 stitches in his face for deep lacerations. he took 1 vicodin that evening before leaving the ER (only because he expected thing to get much worse; they kept warning him he would feel a lot of pain the next few days), and that was it, since "it doesn't hurt that much." now he's taking symphytum to help heal the fractures, and just icing for pain/swelling. he was outside stacking wood the next day.

not sure what surgery/where, but really cold ice packs help numb things. rubbing alcohol and water (1:3 or 4) in a doubled sandwich ziploc, in the back of the freezer til it's slushy, thin wet dishcloth over it. only 5-10 min max, or you can get frostbite it's so cold. if there's a dressing that can't get wet, then just put it on the dressing without the wet cloth. if the bag has freezer frost on it (which will melt and get the dresing wet), put it in a dry plastic bag for the moment. ace wrap it on for a firm contact. it may hurt just before going numb, that's ok. it's also possible to place it on the appropriate spinal nerve, eg if it's his knee, put it over L345 (low back) with the wet dishcloth. the nerves will get cold and stop sending the pain signal for a while. if it's abdominal, i'm not sure you can get to the referring nerves, a lot of visceral innervation comes thru cranial nerves (vagus, etc). but for incisional pain he can ice his back to get the referring nerves for the skin and muscle.

hth.

[APmomma]

Originally Posted by Chinese Pistache

Hi, Robin! Welcome

From what I understand, the enzymes can cause stomachache in the beginning. It might be worth it to decrease the dosage to start with, and work up to a full dose over a couple of weeks. What probiotics are you and Alec taking? Are they dairy-free?

With the blood in the stool, I'm guessing that his gut just needs to heal from the damage dairy did before. If it continues to be a problem, you might want to investigate other allergens, like soy. Also, if I were you, I would avoid nuts and fish/shellfish until your ds is older. My dd is allergic to corn and dairy, but because of that propensity, we're staying away from nuts, shellfish/fish and soy so as to not develop allergies to those, too.

We are taking Baby Bifidactyl. I'm not sure if I am going to continue it though because it seems to contain some bacteria he may not need. It was the only dairy-free one for infants my Whole Foods carried. They said they would order the Solaray BabyLife for me though. This is what is in the one we are taking:
Whole rice concentrate ~
Spirulina (Algae protensis)(whole plant) ~
NutraFlora® FOS (Fructooligosaccharides) ~
L. Acidophilus (875 million microorganisms) ~
B. Infantis (875 million microorganisms) ~
B. Bifidum

We are avoiding soy as well just to be sure-plus fish and nuts. Basically, the only allergen I am eating is wheat. I think I am going to get a different enzyme today because I realized that I may be getting a stomach ache because I am taking an enzyme that is breaking up foods I DON'T eat-like dairy.

Anyone have experience with Pancrease? I read this is a good one for nursing moms who have food intolerant babes. It only contains enzymes to break up protein, fat, and starch.

Off to Whole Foods again....I think they are starting to know us by name these days....

Thanks for your help.


Robin

[APmomma]

Originally Posted by caedmyn

My DD had blood in her stools starting at 3 months old from dairy. It didn't go away even after I cut out dairy until she was 8 months old, when I finally found a dairy-free probiotic for her. Within a week or two she had no more blood in her stool.

This is very encouraging. I am so glad to have found you all. It is so refreshing to learn about this. It seems like his ped is going along the lines of, if it doesn't clear-oh well, wean him. That's just not an option for me so I want to get to the bottom of it. I KNOW he has a problem with dairy-I knew it even before the blood came. He would literally wake every 45 min if I ate pizza. Plus, he(we) have risk factors for unbalanced gut flora. He was a c-section( I have an incompetent cervix and a cerclage placed abdominally so I literally have a sewn-shut cervix-not condusive to vaginal delivery!), and he also received an antibiotic when he was 2 months old because he was running a fever and we took him to the ER. They fused him with abx because they *thought* he had pneumonia. He didn't. So, he had unnecessary abx and after that is then his issues really started.

Anyway, thanks for the help.

Robin

[caedmyn]

Originally Posted by APmomma

We are taking Baby Bifidactyl. I'm not sure if I am going to continue it though because it seems to contain some bacteria he may not need. It was the only dairy-free one for infants my Whole Foods carried. They said they would order the Solaray BabyLife for me though. This is what is in the one we are taking:
Whole rice concentrate ~
Spirulina (Algae protensis)(whole plant) ~
NutraFlora® FOS (Fructooligosaccharides) ~
L. Acidophilus (875 million microorganisms) ~
B. Infantis (875 million microorganisms) ~
B. Bifidum

We are avoiding soy as well just to be sure-plus fish and nuts. Basically, the only allergen I am eating is wheat. I think I am going to get a different enzyme today because I realized that I may be getting a stomach ache because I am taking an enzyme that is breaking up foods I DON'T eat-like dairy.

Anyone have experience with Pancrease? I read this is a good one for nursing moms who have food intolerant babes. It only contains enzymes to break up protein, fat, and starch.

Off to Whole Foods again....I think they are starting to know us by name these days....

Thanks for your help.


Robin

I don't know about Pancrease specifically, but I think any digestive enzymes would help to some degree. The ones generally used/recommended around here are Enzymedica Digest Gold (should be available at WF but pretty pricey--much cheaper online from www.vitacost.com or www.iherb.com), enzymes from www.throppsnutrition.com (similar to Digest Gold but about half the price), or enzymes from www.houstonni.com. I've used both the Digest Gold and the Thropps.

I don't think you'll get a stomach ache from taking an enzyme containing lactase--JMO, though. It's probably from starting with too high a dose of enzymes. Some people are very sensitive to them and have to start with 1/4 capsule or less per meal and work there way up. My DD had problems with crankiness when I first started enzymes although they didn't bother me so I had to work my way up slowly on the dose.

[caedmyn]

bluets--that's great about your DS' improvement. Do you think the homeopathic remedy he was taking helped?

I've been reading a really interesting book called "Energy Medicine"...talks about the scientific basis behind homeopathy and things like that. It's quite technical and I probably only understand 1/10th of the information, but it's super interesting for anyone interested in alternative therapies.

[KAHMama]

This is my first post here and I thought I'd better follow this month thread from the beginning so it's less overwhelming LOL.

We are currently working on eliminating dd's bloody stools. She's 6 months old. She is taking an infant probiotic (UDO's Choice) and I have Solary Babylife on order. I'm taking a probiotic as well and I'm also obviously on a dairy-free diet.

It's been a week and already the stool is MUCH better. There used to be big chunks of dark stuff along with a lot of dark strings but these past couple of days, I really have to look for the blood and question myself if it's blood or not. So, good progress here. Hopefully she will be clear very soon!

Working on including probiotics into ds' diet but it's hard to hide it and I get frustrated when the food I've added the probiotics to doesn't get eaten. His only symptoms are that he wakes a lot at night (not sure if related to gut issues, seems more like nightmares because he wakes up and he's upset at us for taking his toys, stuff like that) and he's pretty small (again, not sure if related, I'm 4'11", 97 lbs so could be genetic). He's 3.5yo.

[formerluddite]

Originally Posted by KAHMama

Working on including probiotics into ds' diet but it's hard to hide it and I get frustrated when the food I've added the probiotics to doesn't get eaten.

these days my kids will let me just pour the powder out of the capsule into their mouths, but if you're trying to get a lot of stuff in, a smoothie (frozen fruit chunks alone are like smoothie sherbet) works great, they think it's desert! my then 18mo would come running to the kitchen and get a cup out of the cupboard whenever she heard the blender.

[caedmyn]

Originally Posted by KAHMama

Working on including probiotics into ds' diet but it's hard to hide it and I get frustrated when the food I've added the probiotics to doesn't get eaten. His only symptoms are that he wakes a lot at night (not sure if related to gut issues, seems more like nightmares because he wakes up and he's upset at us for taking his toys, stuff like that) and he's pretty small (again, not sure if related, I'm 4'11", 97 lbs so could be genetic). He's 3.5yo.

You could try adding the probiotics to his water/juice/milk/etc. Have you tried eliminating gluten? Gluten intolerance is a pretty common cause of both failure-to-thrive/small size and night terrors IIRC (not saying your son is FTT, just that it might be something to try if you're concerned).

[APmomma]

Originally Posted by KAHMama

This is my first post here and I thought I'd better follow this month thread from the beginning so it's less overwhelming LOL.

We are currently working on eliminating dd's bloody stools. She's 6 months old. She is taking an infant probiotic (UDO's Choice) and I have Solary Babylife on order. I'm taking a probiotic as well and I'm also obviously on a dairy-free diet.

It's been a week and already the stool is MUCH better. There used to be big chunks of dark stuff along with a lot of dark strings but these past couple of days, I really have to look for the blood and question myself if it's blood or not. So, good progress here. Hopefully she will be clear very soon!

Working on including probiotics into ds' diet but it's hard to hide it and I get frustrated when the food I've added the probiotics to doesn't get eaten. His only symptoms are that he wakes a lot at night (not sure if related to gut issues, seems more like nightmares because he wakes up and he's upset at us for taking his toys, stuff like that) and he's pretty small (again, not sure if related, I'm 4'11", 97 lbs so could be genetic). He's 3.5yo.

Hi! I am new here as well and it seems like we are dealing with similar issue IRT blood in the stool. My son improved right away with the removal of dairy but the little blood specks are still popping up even after 3 weeks.

I have a 3 yo dd and for her, I just mix the probiotic into her milk/juice. I have to blend it good though because if she sees it, she picks it out and says, "Ewww....what is this, Mommy?"

Good luck. I noticed that cutting out soy helped as well.

Robin

[Taedareth]

Question for the knowledgeable healing-the-gut mamas:

How long does it take to get results from doing a colon cleanse? I am taking 1 tbsp psyllium husks and 1 tbsp bentonite clay every day, and drinking filtered water. I've been doing it for about 2 weeks. The information I read said this should clear out the "plaque" that is stored up in my colon; I should pass something that resembles a "bicycle inner tube." But I haven't seen any evidence of this. Do I need to take more psyllium? How long does this take to work?

Thanks!

[Pookietooth]

Taedareth, I have heard of the colon cleanse thing before, but haven't done it. I've heard a colonic can do the same thing.

As far as infant probiotics, bifidus is the only type of probiotic that infants younger than 6 months and/or who are not eating anything other than mama's milk should have. Other strains like lactobaccillus and such are for older babies, kids, and adults.

[bluets]

Originally Posted by caedmyn

bluets--that's great about your DS' improvement. Do you think the homeopathic remedy he was taking helped?

I've been reading a really interesting book called "Energy Medicine"...talks about the scientific basis behind homeopathy and things like that. It's quite technical and I probably only understand 1/10th of the information, but it's super interesting for anyone interested in alternative therapies.

it probably did help, but only because we found the right remedy. the last time he got constipated, it didn't work -- his indicators were totally different and it took me a day or so to recognize the change. once i changed the remedy to something with matching indicators (symptoms?), the constipation resolved quickly. we're not doing any remedies right now and he's pretty regular - once in the morning and once in the evening, with an occasional one during the day at daycare/school (though he's getting quite private about it -- "go away mommy daddy", so i imagine that until he's potty trained, school frequency will taper off).

[bluets]

formerluddite - it's an inguinal hernia, so definitely abdomen. i'll be stocking up on arnica for sure, maybe some rescue remedy beforehand. i have an appt with our ND tomorrow so i'll give him the lowdown (we haven't had a chance to tell him yet!) and get helpful recovery tips then too.

[LovinLiviLou]

Hi, all. Here’s our update – we got the results from our Immunocap back, and it shows no allergies. So, I’m feeling pretty certain all this is digestive. DD is 8 mos now, and eating some solids. Peas, green beans, butternut squash, and beets seem to be a go. The jury is still out on carrots. But avocado – not so good. She ate it well, and then had a very good looking poop a day later. I was so ecstatic, thinking that all was going well. About an hour after she pooped, her cheeks started getting red, and within another hour, she had what looked like classic eczema (not oozing yet, but the rash and color). I couldn’t believe how fast it happened. It lasted about 24 hours, and then faded back away.

I’ve had a suspicion that sulfur may be the issue, but I decided (after the avocado episode) to try the FAILsafe diet and avoid any high sulfur foods that were on the “ok” list. I thought ahead, and bought lots of things I could eat. I did miserably on it. I felt absolutely horrible and hungry all the time, and after just 2 days, my skin looked awful. This was not the same horrible that I experienced in the beginnings of SCD which I think was die-off. This was all around bad in a whole different way. So, I abandoned that after day 3 and went back to my modified SCD diet. I really think the biggest thing that may have caused the horribleness was going off all my supplements cold turkey. I think I’ve hit a good balance of what I’m taking (especially since I know I’m not getting everything I need through food), and I guess it was good to reaffirm that.

So, I’m pursuing learning about sulfur, amino acids, and the way everything works and breaks down. I’m thinking the avocado issue could be related to the digestion of the glutathione and creation of cysteine in the digestion process. I’m also going to test the sulfur vs amine thing this weekend. My parents are bringing me some fresh (laid same day) eggs from a farm near their house, so I’m thinking that if it is sulfur, DD should still have an issue, but if it is the amines, probably not. I know this isn’t exactly science, but I’m interested to see what happens. And I am so incredibly excited to eat eggs!

I also had an interesting experience with cinnamon this past weekend. I had been off it for at least 2 – 3 months after I figured out that it was causing issues with DD. So, I decided to try some this weekend, and after eating it, my mouth felt like it had tiny cuts all over it – my tongue, my cheeks, my gums, everywhere. It was truly terrible. And to think that in the beginning I thought I had no food issues – ha!

But overall, as long as we’re away from all offending foods, DD is doing really well and is so happy. While all of this is so hard and frustrating at times, I do feel really fortunate to have learned so much and to at least know what to look for (can’t say I always know what to do about it, but awareness is a step . . .) It is good to hear from everyone about where they are in the journey.

[KAHMama]

re: hiding the probiotics in my ds' food, I've tried milk and he gave it back saying "no like it, tastes not real good mommy" For now I'm hiding it in pudding, not the healthiest but at least it gets eaten. I'm going to try the smoothies!

[caedmyn]

Originally Posted by KAHMama

re: hiding the probiotics in my ds' food, I've tried milk and he gave it back saying "no like it, tastes not real good mommy" For now I'm hiding it in pudding, not the healthiest but at least it gets eaten. I'm going to try the smoothies!

You can make healthy homemade pudding--it's pretty easy.

[caedmyn]

Originally Posted by LovinLiviLou

And to think that in the beginning I thought I had no food issues – ha!

I'm finding the same thing--I never thought I had any food issues but I had a persistant runny nose that went away when I eliminated dairy, and now that I'm off eggs, a couple of patches of dry skin went away, so I suppose they were egg-caused eczema I'm sure I'll still go back to eating at least the eggs once I wean or DD outgrows/heals out of that allergy, though, since they're such a nutritious food, sort of essential to baking, and a good protein source. A bit of eczema in a spot that doesn't show isn't a good enough reason for me not to eat eggs! (And hopefully with avoiding them for a while and all my gut will heal and I won't react to them anymore either.)

[Chinese Pistache]

I found this link while reading about enzymes. I thought it might be interesting to those of you thinking about phenols/salycilates/amines. http://www.danasview.net/phenol.htm

[caedmyn]

Anyone have any idea whether soaked GF grains/seeds or soaked/sprouted legumes like lentils would be easier to digest? And would soaked GF whole grains or sourdough/sprouted GF flour (brown rice) be easier to digest? I'm still having a lot of gas and I'm not sure whether it's due to all the water kefir/kombucha/beet kvass or whether it's due to the GF grains I've added back into my diet. Probably not a great sign either way.

[APmomma]

So, I had my son at the dr yesterday and we tested his stool. After 4 weeks of being dairy free, the blood is GONE. I am so excited that all of this dieting has been worth it. I am going to stay dairy/soy/peanut free and am considering eliminating wheat. I hope to add eggs back in, but will wait a while.

So what does this all mean? Is his gut "healed" because the bleeding has stopped? I feel like I have a fresh start with him, and I really want to figure out what agrees with his body(and my own.) I am starting to suspect that I have issues with wheat. I have been feeling so sluggish since I added back in. He is also acting like he has stomach cramps when he sleeps and he has a ton of gas(he wasn't having this before the wheat). It's just odd because it seems like it took him about a week before he reacted to the wheat. Does that sound normal or do you think it is something else?

I am also wondering what everyone takes in terms of supplements for the foods they are lacking. I have noticed big bruises on my legs and am worried that I am lacking some critical vitamins. I also really want to continue with my enzyme because my ds seems to have issues when I eat meat and I really think the enzyme could help, but it seems to really bother him. I even cut the dose in half and he still seemed bothered.

Lastly, does anyone have any good recipes they would share that don't include the top 8? I am looking for a good chicken/veggie soup recipe.

Thanks for all of the help!!



Robin