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Original poster

It goes on and on................I need more advice PLEASE!

55 replies

CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell · 13/12/2005 09:40

Been having trouble with ds's poo for 6 months or more. It is like liquid at times and very very smelly. He has had around 5 solid poos since the day he was weaned and he is 2 years old.

Went to GP who said he had a gut infection and prescribed us medicine, the medicine seemed to work a bit but when it finished, his poos went back to normal. So took him back and the GP said he had a problem with his bowels, gave us same medicine but for a longer period. Same thing happened. Took him back today and the GP said he has a cold (yeah?), we said what about this poo thing? Even his creché are telling us that something is not right, it's not normal! But GP said, "Oh, it's ok, just wait until he's 5!" then as an afterthought he has written out a prescription for Coproculture, looked that up on Net and it seems to be a bacteria. Thing is I don't want to be giving him a bacteria if it might make things worse.

How can the doc go from saying he has an infection, to a problem with his bowels, to there is no problem at all! I've no confidence in him, it's close to Christmas and I doubt we'll be able to do anything till after Christmas now. So should I give him this Coproculture? Without a proper diagnoses I'm uncertain whether to risk it or not, but dh thinks we should.

Any advice please?

OP posts:
Auntybrandybutter · 13/12/2005 09:42

I would ask for a referal!

Original poster
CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell · 13/12/2005 09:45

Referral to a child-botty doctor! Will take him to a different doc I guess, just don't know whether to give him this medicine for the time-being and also worried as to what this could be and have I left it too long? It's been going on months now, it really has, and if you saw his poo, you'd know there was a problem. I feel bad!

OP posts:
FestiveFrex · 13/12/2005 09:47

Have you tried any of the probiotic yoghurts? Yakult or something. Seems like the gp feels there may be a problem with the bacteria in his gut (there are good as well as bad).

It is well known that antibiotics interfere with the good bacteria in the gut and people often complain of runny bums when taking them. Perhaps this is a similar thing, in that the bacteria aren't working as they should and he is getting the same effect as if he were taking anti-bs. It is recommended that you eat probiotic yoghurts when taking anti-bs, so perhaps it would work in this case.

Auntybrandybutter · 13/12/2005 09:48

maybe a dietician? or a tummy doc

tribpot · 13/12/2005 09:52

I assume he's putting on weight well, as v smelly poos can be indicative of coeliacs (but then the little one would be underweight as well). Have you tried eliminating wheat from his diet just to see whether it makes any difference?

Auntybrandybutter · 13/12/2005 10:03

dont feel bad, you have been taking him to the doctor and following his advice. I would just ask for another opinion!

OhTickletownofbethlehem · 13/12/2005 10:25

Cliff did he have anti-biotics as a baby? Just sounds v similar to our ds, now 5. Took him to a paediatrician here in Denmark eventually, but she wasn't too worried. DS also has haemorrhoids (spelling?) I guess from the loose bowels for so long. We independently tried taking him off wheat and dairy to see if it helped (it didn't), but then he and dd had a bad stomach bug that was going round, so we got them both probiotics (good gut bacteria) in capsules for them to take, and presto... poos fine ever since.

DS had broad spectrum anti-biotics from birth for a couple of months, to see off possible infection in his kidneys (they picked up a mild problem in ante-natal ultrasound). I wonder if these anti-bs knocked his digestive bacteria out of kilter from the word go? Just my theory.

Altho your doctor would probably argue that my ds's poos are better just cos he is 5 now

Good luck

PrettyCandlesAndTinselToo · 13/12/2005 10:29

What bacteria does Coproculture contain? It could be a probiotic in the form of a medicine (like getting Yakult on prescription). From the name it does sound like a bacteria cultured specially to deal with poo problems (copro = poo).

Original poster
CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell · 13/12/2005 11:45

Ok, the coproculture is meant to be for a test for his poo, not a prescription, as the chemist kindly explained to me! Although I still have a gripe with the GP for dismissing it when he previously said there was a problem, and for not explaining this coproculture thing.

Anti-biots? Well, at Easter he was diagnosed with tonsilitus and put on anti-biotics, this would tie in for the amount of time he has had this problem, although we are not too sure what his poos were like before this. So could this be a possible explanation?

We will try the yoghurts - thanks! Not sure what else to do. We will get a sample next time he does a poo and take it to the lab, but we're returning to England on Friday so it's a bit rushed. I would see a Brit GP but if they want to do tests, well it's a bit pointless isn't it? We're only back for 2.5 weeks over Christmas.

I still feel bad!

OP posts:
OhTickletownofbethlehem · 13/12/2005 12:01

Think you can get probiotic capsules over the counter at the chemists - maybe speak to them about it... as they can't actually do any harm (just make sure it's one ok for children). We used to open the capsules & sprinkle them on food, til we tasted them, then realised the kids actually swallowed them fine!! There will probably be a more measurable dose in there than in yogs or yakult, but both those are good places to start.
Sounds like your doc is a bit rushed

Original poster
CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell · 13/12/2005 12:19

How often do you give them the caplets for and for how long?
Will definitely get some in England!

OP posts:
gggimmesnowsnow · 13/12/2005 12:21

Take him to a paed Cliff. I can recommend a lovely one in town if you like. He is 72(!) but so calm and knowledgeable and very caring.

Original poster
CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell · 13/12/2005 12:23

Oooh, was mailing you! Hang on a sec and I'll mail you! Oh no, call me will ya? CALL ME! I'm at home!

OP posts:
gggimmesnowsnow · 13/12/2005 12:27

My phones are on the blink again. you cant ring me, I have to ring you - assuming I can find the phone
hangy ony

Original poster
CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell · 13/12/2005 12:33

"I'm just hanging on the telephone!"

OP posts:
gggimmesnowsnow · 13/12/2005 12:34

i cant find the one working phone

gggimmesnowsnow · 13/12/2005 12:34

No one can ring in and we can only ring out on the one phone. Vive la france.

Original poster
CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell · 13/12/2005 13:39

Email me with your mobile number!

OP posts:
busybusybee · 13/12/2005 13:50

Sorry I havent time to read the whole thread but my instant diagnoses is Lactose intolerance - I experienced identical symptoms with my ds when he was little

Does he eat and drink dairy products - ie milk cheese and butter - If he does i would suggest lactose intolerance is the problem

PLease feel free to CAT me and i will help more

Original poster
CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell · 13/12/2005 14:14

Hello!
I'm not sure, I really really don't want it to be an allergy of any kind. He was ok on breastmilk, everything was normal, once weaned his poos were still sloppy as you'd expect. They did harden at some stage, I do remember him doing solid poos, but can't remember at what age (it seems so long ago!).

People on here have mentioned wheat allergies too. So I'm going to wait for the lab results, would an intolerance come up with this kind of diagnoses?

I so DO NOT want it to be an allergy! I have hayfever, but there are no food allergies in either mine or dh's family.

OP posts:
SnowQueenVictoria · 13/12/2005 14:42

It sounds like an intolerance. Cows milk protein, wheat/gluten are the commonest.

busybusybee · 13/12/2005 14:42

CRSEIH

An allergy is different to intolerance

An allergy - i think means your kid will have perhaps a severe reaction

An intolerance just means that your child cannot tolerate the substance but it wont harm them as such,

Lactose intolerance means the person does sloppy stinking disgusting poos, The only way to cure this is to stop eating and drinking dairy products for 8 weeks to allow the gut to re-develop tolerance to lactose.

After that then you can try gradually introducing lactose again to see how much your child can tolerate.

My ds for example can tolerate 1/2 a pint of dairy products a day, any more and he does disgusting sloppy horrid poos. Which demonstrate he is unable to absorb the lactose into his body.

Its no problem - he drinks soya milk which he loves, eats soya yoghurts and cows milk yoghurts and eats cows milk cheese (which is low in lactose anyway)

Lactose intolerance is nothing to worry about once you get used to it - as long as we follow these simple rules it doesnt affect ds life at all

HTH

busybusybee · 13/12/2005 14:47

If it is lactose intolerance becuase you dont like the idea of him having a food intolerance then the sloppy stinky poos will continue and your child will become unhappy and probably skinny cos he wont be absorbing foods properly.

tHe test for lactose intolerance is inconclusive and unreliable.
If you remove ALL dairy products from his diet (cows milk, butter and cheese) for several weeks. I am confident that after2 weeks the horrid poos will become normal and hey presto happy child.

If they dont then maybe it is a casein problem, gluten or some other allergy or intolerance

Ignore it at your and your child's peril

HTH

tribpot · 13/12/2005 15:25

I'm amazed your doc hasn't suggested a food intolerance might be the cause. I have similar feelings, btw, my dh is wheat intolerant and it's a pain in the neck (among other places). I am really really hoping my ds has my robust constitution and doesn't inherit dh's problems.

However, I think you need to face the possibility. If it's Coeliac's it's a serious condition and needs to be diagnosed. However, if your ds is thriving, it probably isn't (in my non-medical opinion) but could be a less serious gluten/wheat intolerance.

Has he had blood taken?

Original poster
CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell · 13/12/2005 15:39

Ok, he is a very good weight, 14k for a 2 year old is not bad. He shows no other symptoms. He loves bread and dairy products. A wheat intolerance would be hell in France.

Would they pick up an intolerance at the lab? Does he need a blood test?

Of course I don't want to make him worse, but before I cut anything out of his diet for 8 weeks I want to make damn sure that it isn't all in vain.

So, are there other symptoms to a food intolerance that he would be showing?

OP posts: