Neocate users – are you having to medicate too?

[Anonymous]

I am really confused about Neocate and reflux.

I am aware that reflux can be caused by MSPI / multiple food protein intollerance. Therefore a hypoallergenic amino acid based formula SHOULD ‘cure’ the reflux, as there will be no allergens to cause a reacion.

From reading these forums, it seems that lots of your LOs are on Neocate BUT are also still being medicated for reflux.

Does this mean that the Neocate doesn’t work completly?

The reason I am asking is that I am breastfeeding my 7.5 month old baby on a strict elimination diet, but he is still having episodes of reflux. I have a choice of using reflux meds, and continuing to breastfeed, or to switch to Neocate and hope that it cures all. I am concerned that I switch to Neocate, still have to medicate (as I may as well have just stayed with the breastfeeding and medicate anyway IYSWIM).

I would be so grateful if you could share your experiences, if you are / have used Neocate. Thank you, thank you, thank you in advance!!!

[hellbennt]

when you say your child is still having epidodes of reflux, what do you mean? is he getting any medication at all?

what are you eating? rice? it might be the rice. corn/corn products?
there still might be something to tweak in your diet, let’s discuss

even mamas on the strictest TED have babies that still need medication.

has the TED helped? what happens when you introduce new foods into your diet?

have you read all of Erin’s links, etc?

there is no guarantee that switching to neocate will mean not having to medicate

Rachel from neocate is on this board and while she’s very neutral (thank you Rachel!), she also works for them so I’m sure she will reply kindly and offer you some samples if you should ever want them…

maybe this link I’m putting here for you will help? please read this link, as it’s about ‘how’ the elemental formulas ‘work’:
https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6013

here are the other links:

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Erin’s sticky: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12948&PID=105126#105126

More
erin; https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13175&PID=106395#106395

Erin post: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13576

Great anne post: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9242

Exposure
to foods & blood testing: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12993

Sheri’s
allergy/intolerance explanation: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10223&PID=87638#87638

Another
Sheri explanation- intolerance/allergy post:

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11579&PID=97442#97442

Accuracy of
allergy testing & great post
by sherri explaining IgE and IgG (intolerance/allergies) https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10815

(sue again, replying to gina- breastfeeding info to (TED)https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11324&PN=1

hellbennt2010-07-22 07:55:35

[Anonymous]

I was also on a very strict diet and breastfed my son and he still required medication, at a very high dose.

Reflux CAN be caused by intolerances/allergies but actually it’s much more common for it to be caused by a weak LES. That muscles just needs time to mature and eventual is then able to cut off the back wash of acid from the stomach. That’s generally why babies “grow” out of reflux.

[Anonymous]

With my 2nd ds, I was able to keep him off medications while exclusively nursing him (on a VERY strict diet), but once we started solids I did have to start a PPI. His diapers were fine (ie: he was tolerating the foods) but even the very hypoallergenic foods (squash, sweet potatoes) were enough to aggrivate reflux to the extent that we started PPI & it was so much better (I was still nursing him on strict diet as well).

With my 3rd ds, he has had to be on medication (PPI) since very early on, eventhough he’s only had my breastmilk (again, on a VERY strict diet).

So, I would say in most cases (in my experience my 2nd ds’s situation is rare) babies need to be on a hypoallergic nourishment (ie: TED breastmilk or Neocate/hypo formula) as well as some type of medication (usually PPI).

Hope that helps!

[Anonymous]

Hi there! I do try to be neutral (thanks Laura!) although I work for Neocate, because I’m also a mom and the most important thing is helping the babies (and moms!). I would consider maybe evaluating your diet again and see if you are consuming hidden allergens. Have you cut out soy as well? Some LO’s who have problems with milk proteins also have problems with soy. In any event, if you do decide to try Neocate, like Laura said, I can have samples sent to you. Just let me know! Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Sorry, one more thing! I forgot to say that sometimes a milk protein allergy can cause “reflux-y” symptoms, so once you treat it, then they go away. But for others, the reflux is caused by other things in addition to the allergy, so they need some kind of meds as well. In other words, it depends on the baby whether or not they need a hypo formula (or strict BF diet) and meds or not. KWIM?

[Anonymous]

No, he is not getting any medication. He was helped greatly by me cutting out dairy and soy at 6 weeks (reflux / colic).

He has MSPI – but we suspect other protien intollerences too.

He had issues with BMs (mucous/dihorea and pain passing). So did the Sears elimination diet for 6 weeks (turkey rice etc). Not much difference so left it at cutting out the main allergens. So I am now at the point where I have cut out:

Dairy

Soy

Beef

Chicken

Pork

Nuts

Seeds

Eggs

Gluten (wheat, rye, barley oats etc)

Citrus

Tomatoes

Onions

Corn
I am now also following a low salicylate/amine diet.

All my food is fresh, no processed food AT ALL. I know about hidden dairy / soy etc. I have always been absolutely rigorous.

His poos have improved – mucous mostly gone. But he still has periods where his reflux seems to flare up. I did try reintroducing chicken for 3 days and he ended up being refluxy (sicking up clear liquid and curdled milk all day – up all night gulping and screaming). This episode has now passed and he is happy again. Could be the chicken, or could be just fluke… so hard to know.

It’s getting a little late to tweak my diet anymore. He needs to wean. Pear and apple have been fine. carrits seemed to make his reflux worse again.

The thing is that he has periods of being fine, and his weight gain has always been ok. I keep a food / symptom diary but can;t really find any correlation.

?~~#

[Anonymous]

Oh forgot to say I do still drink rice milk, but have this every day – so if it was rice, wouldn’t his reflux flare up every day too?

Oh and ‘carrots’ not ‘carrits’ – I can spell, honest!

[hellbennt]

if his poos are fine and he ‘just’ has episodes where he refluxes,
then I would keep everything the same and get some zantac or pepcid for when his reflux flares…you can get pepcid ac chewables over the counter-
split one in half and dissolve w/ some water and see if that helps…

[Anonymous]

Wow! You’re doing an awesome job with your diet and I’m so excited you’ve been able to continue bf, it sounds like your LO is really benefiting from your efforts. I would say if he’s having reflux episodes occassionally to maybe ask your doctor about meds? I believe you said you aren’t using now, right?

Rachel_Neocate2010-07-23 19:24:02

[Author]

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