I read a lot of comments and posts about digestive enzymes and probiotics and wonder if they may help my 2 year old daughter. She suffers from severe bloating and distention. Venting her g-tube doesn't give enough relief. I asked her GI and he dismissed the idea, saying she doesn't need enzymes. (Although she did just start a course of Lactobacillus...I think its probiotic?)
I also have a growing concern over long term effects of giving my daughter acid blockers. She is on an oral Prevacid and also gets Ranitidine in TPN each night. We thought she was developing severe reflux, turns out it was a slow growing bacterial infection (a rare and hard to identify species) that was causing persistant vomiting. IV antibiotics stopped the vomiting immediately and it hasn't returned.
While I recognize that she likely needs some type of treatment for reflux, I think her system is on overload with acid blockers. Do digestive enzymes also help reflux or acid control?
If her doc won't listen, I need to ask all of you, the real experts!
It's a vicious cycle... bloating and distention worsens her motility....bacterial overgrowth....becomes a line infection in her CVL...in the hospital every 8 weeks.
I'm just desparately searching to find a system that works.
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help me with digestive enzymes
- By rileysmom
- Posted August 21, 2009 at 2:27 am · 8 replies
- In Alternative therapies
- Shared with the public
Explore topics in this discussion:
Dehydration Surgery GERD Prevacid Gastroparesis Probiotics Pain Paralysis Ranitidine
8 replies
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- By philsphan09
- Posted August 21, 2009 at 10:37 am
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I think the lactobilious is a probiotic. I hope your daughter gets well soon. michelle
- By dzeldin
- Posted August 21, 2009 at 11:43 am
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I have a 4 year old who also has a lot of bloating and distention. Her doctor started her on the digestive enzyme Creon and it has really helped the bloating. Her belly still looks a little "full" but it is so much better. She is also having less episodes of belly pain and nausea. The Creon is not an acid blocker, it works but helping her body break down food (primarily fats) more effectively. Hope this helps.
-Debra
- By rileysmom
- Posted August 21, 2009 at 12:55 pm
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Are digestive enzymes only available by prescription or can I get them at a health food store or online? I really think they could make a difference, no matter what her doctors opinion is.
- By dzeldin
- Posted August 21, 2009 at 3:28 pm
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Creon is only avaliable by prescription. It is a regulated pancreactic enzyme, not simply a suppliment. My daughter had stool studies done that showed she was NOT deficient in digestive enzymes but her doctor felt that they would still help her break down and absorb nutrients more effectively. They have helped a lot and she has even managed to gain a little weight as well after steadily losing weight for the past 8 months. She takes a full capsule with breakfast, lunch and dinner and a half of capsule with snacks.
-Debra
- By GinaB
- Posted August 21, 2009 at 10:15 pm
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Dear Rileysmom, I'm sorry to hear your baby is so ill. Many times too much and too little acid in our system have the exact same symtoms, this was true for me. I was on all kinds of acid reducers, then blockers for my stomach and gerd, then I got diagnosed with gastroparesis, which is stomach paralysis. With lots of help from this forum and my doctor, I quit the prilosec,previcid, etc,and sugar, started using a sweetner that's natural called new stevia, not bitter at all and began to use enzymes I bought at a health food store, They are Source Naturals essential enzymes,it's a digestive aid. It helps break down protein,fats,carbos,fiber and milk sugar. This combined with a change in diet for GP has resulted in a drastic improvement for me. I also quit dairy except for low fat yogurt, these are probiotics and I definitely feel more normal now. The horrible bloating and gas are gone. I can only guess that I somehow lost the ability to digest my food properly. I used to feel so full and had nausea so bad. Today, I eat the phase III diet, canned peaches, pears, applesause, avoid fats and fiberous foods like shreeded wheat, oatmeal, beans, lentils, and even potatoes for me. Every person is different, its trial and error, but I'm a firm believer in yogurt, I like Fage, it has the good bacteria we need for the intestines. If our intestines has overgrowth of any flora (candida) we will bloat. I'm also on a gluten free diet. No wheat bread or crackers, I use splet bread. If you were my daughter I would recommend a good nutritionist, if no money then try the enzymes and yogurt and see the difference. I think our food today has no nutrition and the meds we take kill the good flora of the gut. Best Wishes for a good recovery for your little angel. May God give you wisdom and strength to help both of you. Big Hug :)) Gina PS -gatorade is good for bloat and helps refresh the electrlytes.
- By gpgirl5
- Posted August 22, 2009 at 7:07 am
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You can get digestive enzymes over the counter, but they are not at the strength of the prescription ones. For me, I need prescription strength because the over-the-counter ones did nothing at all for me. Digestive enzymes so not have any impact on acid or reflux, but they help break down the food, which I think makes the stomach able to empty somewhat faster. Make sure your daughter is taking a probiotic, because that will greatly help to prevent the bacterial overgrowth. (Check if the lactobacillus is, or is not - you can call up any pharmacist and ask).
- By busyteacher
- Posted August 22, 2009 at 9:36 pm
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Zygest is a good over the counter digestive enzyme, but with a little one, I would be very careful. Lactobacillus is a probiotic. The supplements I take have it in combination with others. It's the one they use in Activia yogurt.
I know you can get liquids and live cultures. Mine are capsules. I just don't know how what I do applies to a tiny one.
- By RickeyF
- Posted August 22, 2009 at 10:36 pm
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I also have a lot of bloating and distention, but mine seems to be a lot worst when I do my TPN infusions. If I am not on the infusions as is the case right now, my stomach is down dramatically. This past summer I underwent tests to evaluate me for a small intestine transplant. While they showed my intestine could possibly work over time so I was declined at this time, it also showed right now that my nerves/villi are pretty much shot. My surgeon and GI doctor at Georgetown in Washington, DC think my intestine is permanently damaged. They initially were suggesting I get a feeding tube to get me off the TPN through my metaport and then eventually wean me back onto eating and off the feeding tube but they are not convinced it will work so that option is off the table. I'm having a consult on 9/4 with GI doctor to have stents placed inside my intestine to open up narrowing/strictures/obstructions which will release pressure on my intestine. However, I will have to give up eating/drinking most everything to allow my intestine time to rest and hope the rest will allow the nerves/villi will come back to life to help my absorption. During this time, I will get all my calories through TPN. It will be very difficult to give up eating/drinking everything. If this doesn't work, then I will be reevaluated for small intestine transplant but I'm hoping not immediate because the success rate is around 90% for the first year but then its only around 30% for more than 1 year of survival. While the surgeon could do the surgery and guarantee my body would accept the organ (there are only about 1000/year while there are about 6000 liver/kidney per year so there are 5000 extra intestines available - the wait may only be a couple months at most vs years for liver/kidney), he would almost guarantee I would not be living after 1 year due to an infection setting in. That is the fine line the doctors would have to walk with anti-rejection meds (too much to accept organ wil result in infection, too little so I don't get infection would result in possible rejection).
As for drinking gatorade for electrolytes, yes that will work but if they are becoming dehydrated due to many BM's as a result of the bloating/distention being uncomfortable, the extra fluid by mouth will only add to the complications and cause extensive dehydration. The only way for me to get the extra hydration needed is by IV which I do as needed. If I use hydration with potassium, then I put it on a pump over 4 hours but if I do hydration without potassium, then I put it on a drip pole and its finished in 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
Also, a procedure that has helped me in the past with the bloating/distention is to have a dilation of your intestine. Its an outpatient procedure that takes about 1 hour to do. This can be as often as needed. My problem is that I had too many done in 1997 (balloon procedures to open up strictures/narrowings every 2 weeks for 6 months) and then the time that has elapsed. I have had 4 additional dilations since May of this year. I can have more but then it becomes an issue when the stictures will not respond to the balloon. If that happens, then I am at the mercy of the GI doctor and surgeon whereas I want to have procedures/surgeries done on my terms.
Check with your doctor about dilations. This may allow you to stop taking other meds at least for a short period of time after the procedure in addition to trying to alter your diet with foods that are gluten free for example.
Rickey
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