Digestion problems or bowel infection in 2yr old?

[CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell]

Ds has been suffering from sloppy and smelly poos for 6 months now. At first we thought it was toddler diarrhoera, we kept on hoping it would just sort itself out. Everything else about him is fine, his appetite is normal, etc. I took him to the GP's about this 2 weeks ago and he diagnosed a bowel infection. We got some medicine and after about 3 days there was a slight improvement, but once the medicine had finished, his poos just went back to being sloppy again. So I took him back this morning and was told that he has digestion problems. Yet the GP has prescribed the same medicine he had for the infection, only this time for a longer period. And when I got home I looked at one of the medicines and written on the back it says to stop taking it after 7 days, yet both the GP and pharmacist told me to give it him for 14 days!

So who do I trust on this? And if he has digestive problems, how will medicine for an infection help? Has anyone had something similar with their kids? I have asked about a possible allergy but the GP said no.

[CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell]

Shall I put this in Chat to generate some replies???

[GREATauntymandy]

firstly if the gp and pharmacist says 14 days I would go with that 7 days will be unless otherwise stated by dr!!!
Do you think it could be a food intolerence?
Is it worth asking GP about cutting out wheat or something. Some medicines go under one big umberella and cover a few ailments!

[GREATauntymandy]

I never know where to posr stuff, but as I look at all active I assume others do too!

[doormat]

go with the 14 days as doc has suggested
hope he gets better soon
xxx

[doormat]

btw is it augmentin he is on

[CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell]

He is on Nifuroxazide and Ultra Levure. On the Nifuroxazide it says that once opened, you should not keep it after 7 days. It has Saccharose, sodium and alcohol in it - wonderful stuff for a 2 year old!

[CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell]

Well? Please? Pretty pretty please? This issue has been going round for months now and both me and dh are stumped as to what is actually wrong with him!

GP said no to allergies or food intolerances. How does he know? No history of, but I have hay-fever. Help?

[Lonelymum]

Don't know about the condition, but if the medicine you are supposed to be giving for 14 days only lasts 7 days after opening, something must be wrong there! Are you sure you are not meant to go back for the second lot at the end of the week? It would be a good excuse to ring the GP up about that and then ask the questions you have thought of since seeing him/her.

[CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell]

Yeah, but the GP is French, and my French is absolutely awful on the telephone! Plus what he prescribed was different to what we got, we got a substitution. Will go back to pharmacy today and show them the bottle.

[Lonelymum]

Oh if you are in France, I despair for you! I didn't realise, sorry.

[CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell]

Just went back to the Pharmacy, they tried to tell me it was the GP's mistake, that the medicine should only be taken for 7 days. I had to then explain (in my shit French) that the original medicine had been substituted for this, and the GP definitely said to take it for 14 days as 7 days was not long enough. She gave a big sigh, looked at me as if to say "how dare you question my judgement!" and then gave me another bottle to open after this one has finished. So result on that score!

Still don't know why he has to take medicine for an infection if the problem is with his digestion. Anyone out there know of anything similar?

[Heartmum2Jamie]

I don't understand why you dr outright said no to possible food allergies/intolerances. My ds has been having ALOT of dirty, smelly, mucousy nappies that contain half digested food. I took him to the dr's yesterday as it had been more than 7 days. I asked about toddler diarrhoea (but his stools aren't watery), he said it is possible, but he thinks it is possibly a wheat/gluten allergy (food allergies/intolerances run in the famiy, as well as asthma, eczema & hayfever)

I hope that the meds do the trick.

[suedonim]

Has your Dr tested a sample to check whether your ds actually has an infection, Rhuby? I had gut infections with similar symptoms while abroad but it really needs to be properly diagnosed so the correct a/b is given. It could even be a parasite infection, which needs differnt treatment. Once those possibilities are ruled out then you can move on to consider intolerances etc.

Tbh, it beats me why dr's don't make more use of simple, easy tests which can quickly eliminate some of the possibilities. Hope ds is better soon.

[CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell]

Nope, no tests done at all. He felt his tummy and listened to it through his stethoscope.

Now I'm all paranoid that it could be something else!