how do you tell how much enzymes?

anonymous

New member
I have twins that are 8 months old and every time we ask our nutritionist this ? she just says well she is gaining well blah blah, but she never answers the ?. She is always at the 50th% range for weight she eats ALL the time, it seems like she is always hungry and she has never been sick. She only takes one half of an enzyme when she eats. She did have the bowl obstruction when she was born and had to have surgery and had it reversed last Feb.. She cries all the time like every day lately and has been having really hard stools, but sometimes the fill her diaper but are not like runny. So what should I do? Does this mean a half an enzyme is to much? It seems like sometimes she goes alot but sometimes she gets stopped up. It seems like she has been getting stopped up the more food she has been eating and not just drinking formula. What in the world do I do with this kid????<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

On the other hand my other twin takes 2 and a half enzymes and is sick all the time. They are fraternal by the way!!!! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">
 
2

2sickkids

Guest
My nine month old could go for a day or 2 without going they said that was normal. If you think something is off TELL them. I complained for ever and now we know my baby was not gaining because he had feeding trouble and major stomach problems. He was not reacting because he has mild cp and hearing and vision problems. I was the only one that caught these things till I would just complain over and over. He was not ever digesting his enzymes there for not gaining. Weighed less at 9 mo then 5wks. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO TELL THE DOCTOR TILL THEY LISTEN IF YOU THINK SOME THING IS OFF. Would you prefer to bug the doctor of let something possible go undetected.Even if you are wrong maybe you won't be next time.
 

anonymous

New member
You have to wonder, is it a growth spurt or is it time to change the enzymes...It sounds to me like your daughter needs her enzymes increased. When my son started eating double the amount of formula, it was time to increase. We went through this 3 times already (he is 6 mos old). It seemed like he would start eating more, crying more and then the stools became puzzling. As soon as we started solids, he wanted nothing to do with the bottle. I was told to push a cup, prunes/prune juice, etc. Find out what the minimum required amount of formula is for her age and then add up the onces that you give her in a day. (for example-at 6 mos, 18lbs, my son is supposed to have a minimum of 24 oz of formula a day-per our nutritionist). Wouldn't it be great if it was simple as not enough liquids! Ask for another nutritionist. Have you had a fat fecal study done? There are ways to test the stool to see if there is a high amount of fat in it. This also helps develop a baseline so they can determine when to increase it in the future.
 

DebbieC

New member
If you are at an acredited CF center, I agree that you should have the fecal fat study done. Enzymed have to be tweaked every now and then and it's not a big deal, but it sometimes takes a few tries to get things right. I know it can be very frusturating, but hang in there.
Debbie
24 w/ CF
 

anonymous

New member
We have upped her enzymes before and it made her even more constipated where she was drinking 2-3 bottles of juice a day and I still had to MAKE her go to the bathroom. Then we went back down and she started going more... I dont know, it drives me insane!!

Thanks for the replys!
 

anonymous

New member
Hello - I had this same issue with my son who is 10 months old. He went thought a 2 month period where he wouldn't go without a little help. I started feeding him prunes with his enzyme every other feeding. I would also give him one small jar of prunes in the morning or afternoon. This did help. There were times when I had to do an enema if he didn't have a movement in a 24 hour period. Sometimes I could just tell he was unconfortable with alot of gas and I would give him one anyways even if it hadn't been 24 hours.
His intake of forumla was always sufficient.

He is doing great now. I wish you luck. You have your hands full!

Paula
 
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