PLEASE HELP!

Hello! Well I usually am asking asking regarding my one DD, but know it is for my other twin daughter. Here are the facts:
* Usually has a bowel movement every 2 -3 days, a week ago her stools were very hard and difficult for her to pass
* Called ped, said to give her suppository and enema. DD finally went and then it became very liquidy. Ped said to continue with stool softener prescribed Lactalose 2x day.
* DD has not been eating well for the past 2 weeks. Is taking 4 - 8 oz. less than normal. She used to be my good eater.
* Ped said to continue use of Pepcid for reflux and increase dose to .9 ml 2x day.
* Ped also said can give juice, but dilute it.

We have been doing what the ped has instructed of us, but this morning I called our gastro doctor and she said the complete opposite. She said her not eating was a cause of stools and not reflux. She said not to give the stool softener and give straight undiluted juice. If need be, she would prescribe a med called Myralax??

What am I supposed to do? I have two different doctors telling me two different things to do. All I want is what's best for my girls.

Please help,
Jen

 

I know what you mean. I have goten conflicting dr advise and it frustrates me so badly.
i would go with what the gastro said. just because he/she is specialized in exactly such things and the pedi has a broader overview but not as specialized.
good luck and I hope things smooth out soon.

 

Is this gastro doctor one that your girls see for reflux? If so, I would go with the advice of the gastroenterologist, because s/he is the expert on reflux. I think it's worth a shot to try the diluted fruit juice. Much better for your little girl than a medicine. I gave one of my babies diluted prune juice (on dr's orders) and it worked like a charm.

That's what I would do, but you need to follow your own instincts!

 

I dont know how old your DD is, but I would try prune juice 1st!! That usually works! And its much easier in them!!

 

Personally, I would follow the Gastro if its a doctor you have seen for your girls. That is her expertise!

 

I am a pediactric dietitian. I believe the not eating is also due to the stool - from what you described. I would try two ounces prune juice mixed with one ounce water. Try that and see what happens. I would stop giving her all cereal and just do formula/breastmilk and see what happens.

Hopefully that helps!
Angel

 

I give my twins 2 oz pear juice diluted with 1 oz water. They drink it much better than the prune juice and it does not stain clothes. This gets the poop flowing for us.

 

I would give the juice a shot first. I can see two doctors in the same practice and get conflicting advice! It drives me nuts!

 

Hi, how old are the babies?

prune juice is the least disrptive (and natural) always a great place to start with consitpation. glycerine suppositories work if you need to get things moving another way.

You can always question your doctors - I find that for everything one dr says, another dr will counter. Reality is that you need to do what you feel is right.

Teri D

 

Try juice first for sure. Prune, apple or pear works well for us. After that I'd go with the gastro because she specializes in the digestive tract.

 

I too say give prune juice first. Pear juice does nothing for my girls... I'm also surprised they had you give an enema. My girls have chronic bad constipation and we have never been told to give an enema.. ((shrug))

 

Miralax is a very very common powder granule laxative. You mix X amount with juice or water to get results. I fill a LOT of prescriptions for the generic version (Polyeth Glycol), but Miralax is now OTC so some insurances aren't paying for it. I would personally go with what the gastro doc says just based on personal experience. My Amber when she was WAY itty bitty, wouldn't eat much (we're talking maybe an ounce at each sitting). And usually through it would starting arching her back, stiffening her legs out, screaming and crying. It was so frustrating not knowing what was going on. Our pedi said it could be reflux. I had know idea. I didn't even know, at the time, what the heck reflux was really. He finally referred me to take both girls to a GI doc. While I was sitting there talking to that doc, it came time to feed the girls. I fed Amber first and was feeding her while the GI doc and I were talking. Amber started tripping out like she usually did. I told the GI doc that this was IT. This is why we're here. She said, that doesn't look like reflux, that looks like constipation. So, she took Amber, put some gloves on and shoved a thumb up in THERE. She said yes, there is some super hard poop up there. She recommended to me to put 1 Tbsp of Phillips Milk of Magnesia in every bottle until a blow out occurs then put a Tbsp in every other bottle for maintenance. I was afraid that this was a little excessive so I did cut back the amount of Phillips. The reason being is that the ratio of formula to Phillips that she was recommending was really low. SO, I think I put like a teaspoon in every other bottle to start with. Sure enough, she pooped it ALL out. After that, is was all down hill. She still didn't eat much but did gradually increase her formula intake. The tripping out while eating subsided though. I used MOM basically for the first couple of years from that day forward. If it seemed like it had been awhile since a poop, I would put like 1 Tbsp in the next bottle to ensure that the poop was softened a bit. It turned out to be a wonderful tool. SO, that's what it sounds like your gastro doc is suspecting too. Milk of Magnesia is also stimulant free so their bowels are doing the work not the medicine. The medicine is just softening the poop for them so that they can more easily pass it. I would definately go with the Miralax OR the MOM and stick with it. On a side note, juice NEVER worked for us because I did at one point try to use juice instead of the MOM and just didn't work as well. I agree with what one person said....go with the gastro doc. If the cereal is helping with the spit up and reflux or whatever, I would stick with cereal. A good stimulant-free stool softener will alleviate the constipation that ensues after the cereal or whatnot. You can even still give juice if you want as a treat. Whatever. It's okay. I use to mix ALL their meds with like 5 to 10ml of apple juice (non-diluted). For Zantec and Pepcid, I would allow them 10ml because of how strong that medicine is. I would give it to them before their bottle to make sure that they would take it. Since they would be hungry, it was guaranteed that they would suck it all down. THEN I would give them their bottle with cereal mixed in it. AND if no poop for a while, I'd mix a little MOM in the bottle with the cereal. There's nothing wrong with it.

 

I'd be more comfortable with the gastro's advice, personally.