NEOCATE Watery w/blood streaked diapers

[Anonymous]

My daughter was was switched at 3 weeks old to neocate after 2 spotted diaper (she was on Enfamil w/Iron). She is 7 weeks old now. Last week (Thursday)she started having “episodes” where she would gasp for air and then shortly afterward would vomit. She would be sleeping in elvated position or being held in our arms. (She has reflux and is on Prevacid 7.5mg) On Sunday it happened 4 times and then on Monday two more times before we called the doctor. He thought she had a “bug” and started her on pedilyte for 6 hours and then 1/2 strength Neocate for the next 12-15 hours. Then the next morning does the whole choke/gasp for air 3 more times but only vomits with one of them. Take to doctor and he admits to hospital. They test blood etc and observe her overnight. Next day wait ALL day just to be seen by GI guy ..takes until 7pm as we are not accute enough to be a priority I guess. He says could be formula but he doubts it. We are released with no answers. All time in hospital she was on 1/2 strength until 5pm and switched to full strength. While waiting the last hour for GI guy she has 2 EXTREMELY watery stools. People just shrug their shoulders. The next day the runny stools continue and I have always thought she pooped a lot so I count..from midnight to midnight she has 14 poopy diapers!! One of them at 5:30pm looks tinged with blood. Call peditrician and make appointment for morning. Says tests negitive for blood and feels with the vomiting more then likely a flu bug. Late last night started getting blood specks in all diapers. Now they are more like streaks of blood. Called peditricians office and nurse said they still arent’ concerned but to call on Monday with an update. From midnight to midnight (yesterday to 1 hour ago) she had 17 poopy diapers. I have read on the internet that neocate would decrease the amount of poops and that no one can be allergic to neocate. WHAT COULD IT BE IF IT ISN’T THE NEOCATE???

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure what it is, but I can understand why you are worried. i would just keep ringing and ringing and ringing until they do something. Or I would go to the local ER. Do you think she is dehydrated?

[hellbennt]

it can take 2 weeks on any formula to ‘clear’ out the system…I woud get to another ped GI ASAP…

if it is the neocate it might be an allergy or intolerance to corn?

either way I’d get another doctor…

in the Introduce Yourself Forum there’s a stickie (top post) called ‘Groupie Intro’ that will hep you some- there are links from there to help you…

[Anonymous]

First of all it seems like her dose needs to be increased. Or she needs to get more than one dose. Most people see a big difference on 3 doses a day. It could be the corn in Neocate but that is very unlikely. But that doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be. Can you take her to your family doctor? Family doctors sometimes will give higher doses because they deal with all ages of people with reflux. I hope it is a bug but with the Neocate she shouldn’t be pooping that much. We were lucky if Colt pooped once a day on Neocate. Hope you get some answers soon.

[Anonymous]

Good luck. I hope you get answers soon. It sounds like a bug to me- either way that’s a lot of poopy diapers. I’d take her back to the ped and bring a diaper with you.

[Anonymous]

Hi and welcome – so happy you have found us although I can’t imagine how scary all of this is for you.

First of all, I can’t believe they aren’t a little more concerned, especially considering she is only 7 weeks old. I would definitely try to see a different doctor if possible. How is she doing today?

Second, I agree the Prevacid dose may be too low to help out. Hopefully another doctor would take that into consideration.

Good luck and please let us know how things are going

Robin

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for your replies and support. I fogot to type that she is on an NG tube and getting Neocate continously at 27ml and hour so I know she isn’t dehydrated(I can in good conscious cross that one off the list). Not all the stools are fill the diaper kind but a puddle enought that I can’t leave her in them. She is now crying/whimpering before each poo… but otherwise she is fine..no fever, so far no vomiting today..a couple of gasp/chokes that we THOUGHT were going to be vomit but none yet. I have saved some diapers in plastic ziploc and put it in refrigerator -though I’m sure she be able to produce a fresh one tomorrow for them. I wish there was more we could do for the little ones! Mine won’t even drink from a bottle -though we try twice a day and the most she’ll take is 10 ML ..not even 1/2 an ounce!! I couldn’t fathom her being intolerable to neocate -at its price I could only imagine the next formulas price but if it worked I’d pay it. I can tell she swallow the spit up/vomit alot and only wonder what that is doing to her esophogus. Hopefully peditrician will have some answers tomorrow..of course one more night of getting up EVERY hour to calm her down and hold her before she goes pooh..then changing her just to do it all again in 50 minutes or so doesn’t make for a SANE mommy!

[Anonymous]

Im so sorry that your daughter (and you) are going through all that….argh. I agree with everyone else you need to find a new Dr….especially with her being so young. Poor thing

For the record not all babies poop less on Neocate, my daughter goes about 3-4 times a day and they are very watery, and 2 are usually blowouts, but no mucous or blood, like they were without the neocate…but the amount your daughter is going is alarming….hopefully you will get answers soon!

Good Luck

[Anonymous]

Are her stools very foul smelling? That’s often a sign of rotavirus or other types of stomach bugs. In any case I can’t believe any doctor would not be concerned about a 7 week old baby being having that many stools. I’d definitely look for another doctor if this one doesn’t take your concerns more seriously tomorrow. Also, I’d ask them to check for her stool for blood again, and for rotavirus. It takes a few days to get the results of the rotavirus test, but at least then you’d know.

If it is a corn allergy I don’t even think there’s a formula out there that you can buy (if she is also MSPI). There’s at least one mom on this board whose baby is MSPI and also allergic to corn and she has been making a rice milk formula for her baby, so if it comes to that be sure to let us know so we can help you.

Right now I’d want to rule out a virus and stick with the Neocate until you are sure there is or was no virus causing the diarrhea.

Good luck and glad you found us.

[Anonymous]

Your poor poor little one, how terrible it must be for her, I can’t imagine pooing that much, she must be so unconfortable, her little bottom must be sore as well. I am really hoping you get some help from the Drs today. I’m glad she is not getting dehydrated. Is she gaining weight?

Alana also has very watery runny poos on her pepti junior but no more than three a day. So I think runny poos in themselves is Ok, just the frequency is unusual. It sounds like the virus thing needs checking out, because I think my Dr told me rotovirus needs a special type of antibiotic.

Goodluck.

[Anonymous]

Actually rotavirus cannot be treated because it’s a virus. It just has to run it’s course. At least that’s what I’ve been told when each of my three children has had it.

In any case I really think they should do a stool culture to rule out any kind of infection.

[Anonymous]

There is a formula you can buy from Ross but it has soy in it. It doesn’t have any corn in it and its used with whatever your doctor decides to add to make up the carbohydrates. http://www.ross.com look for RCF.

[Anonymous]

I don’t really have anything to add to what has already been said but I just hope that the drs can figure out what is going on soon. Big hugs!

[Anonymous]

Well I took Hope to Dr again and they did a stool culture and also blood to check her electrolytes since she’s been going so much…haven’t heard back but it hasn’t been that long since we left -I figure the stool culture might take overnight… forgot to ask. Dr was also going to talk to GI guy again..told him good luck with that one and he said if he wasn’t comfortable with his information he would go ask another GI doc…(Thank Goodness)

Though after all this, I think her stools are slowing a bit today…so virus is probably pretty definate..I had asked about the formula and he said the only other formula we could try was extremely more expensive then Neocate and I had never heard of it so I can’t even write what it was…

Thanks for all the info and support!

Desiree

[Anonymous]

Was it Elecare?

I think stool samples can take a few days. If they are looking for bacteria anyway. I could be wrong.

Glad to hear the stools are slowing down some. Hopefully it was just a virus and will pass soon.

[Author]

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