Hi Jen,

Wow, that is quite a lot of medication they have placed your little girl on! Where do you live? If you could bring her to a qualified classical homeopath for a full consultation, I know she would do so well with homeopathy. I would be glad to send you a referral list where you could find someone well trained and highly recommended in your area. But a full consultation, done in person, is the only way to treat her properly for whatever seems to be ailing her.

Please feel free to email me in private for that referral site.

On the subject of "getting ammunition to use against the tube," I don't think you will get much support from doctors, who tend to be quite ill-informed about homeopathy and unaccepting of alternatives to any degree. This is especially true if you live in the States or Canada, where I live--but less so in countries where homeopathy has been recognized as effective. The best thing to do is educate yourself about homeopathy and what it can do, so that you have some idea of what is possible. You may have to keep your decisions about its use a secret from your doctors until after it produces positive results! In any case, speaking to a homeopath is still a good idea of accomplishing both the awareness you need and the progress to health for your daughter.
I can also give you a short list of books which will help you to read up on what is involved with homeopathic remedies and prescribing.

Divina

[This message has been edited by Divina (edited 08 December 2000).]

Hello.
I am new to your site and little nervous about telling all but I really need help. I have a 4 year old (will be 5 in 2 weeks) daughter who has quite a history.
Her name is Breanne. She is a beautiful little girl who has many hidden challenges. She looks normal on the outside but there are a lot of abnormal things happening inside her little body.
I am going to start with present day and give her past as I tell her story.
Breanne has been followed closely by our children's hospital. She has been diagnosed with GERD(gastro-esophagael reflux disease)(silent reflux)
with severe Gastric Emptying Delay. She presently exhibits a lot of belly pain,(usually around her belly button), she wakes with a relatively flat belly but as the day goes on her belly gets so distended that we often have to change clothes and by night time she resembles a pregnant woman at full term. She takes 30mg of Losec(Prilosec in U.S.) daily, gaviscon(sometimes up to 12 a day), oval, (was on prepulsid but drug was recently pulled from shelves because there were too many fatalities associated with it), calcium gluconate, multivitamin,magnalox (recently changed from mineral oil because there was too much bowel leakage. She also takes a steroid nasal spray and other meds which are constantly changing as nothing seems to work very well or for very long.
She is on a very limited diet. She has had allergy tests done and nothing showed up yet her body rejects many foods: cow's milk, fruit(especially citrus), chocolate, tomato products,etc. There are some things that she can eat on a very rotational basis: eggs, peanut butter. Anything she has too much of her body tends to not like. She either gets belly pain, spots (measle like)around her mouth (regularily these come),canchor sores or all of the above. She also now gets migraines.
Breanne is also tiny for her age and has been considered Failure to Thrive since birth(although not as bad now as was in past) due to her health problems. She was fed by NG Tube feeds for almost a year. As much as I hated the tube it really was the beginning of her life. She put on 71/2 pounds and came alive. It was the first we saw her have energy to run and play.
They (meaning her specialists:gastro-interologist, dietician and pediatrician) wanted to continue with the tube feeds but we wanted to try without. None of us were real optimistic but I really wanted to try and to prove that she didn't need the tube. Well, it was a year and a half ago that the tube came out and here we are. It 's been a long hard year and all I feel we've done is prolonged the inevitable as they want to put the NG Tube back in and are talking about a permanant G Tube. I know that Bre can't continue on this way and that something has to be done but I'm hoping that there is an alternative to the tube and that has what has brought me to you.
However there is a major difference between now and 21/2 years ago when they first put the tube in. Back then she ate very, very little. Often the equivalent to 3 soda crackers a day. She amazingly sustained herself relatively well considering. They (doctors) that she was born without the innate drive to eat. From day one she never, ever cared if she ate and preferred not to. There were no favorite foods. A donut or candy was no better than a porkchop. She just did not care. You couldn't bribe her or threaten her, it just didn't matter. We went through a "Failure to Thrive and Severe Eating Disorder" Clinic where behavior psychologists work with her and taught us techniques to use. We blew bubbles every time she ate, and did everything but stand on our head. We (my husband and myself) felt like circus clowns. Some things worked for a few meals but nothing worked for long . It just wasn't worth it to her, she just didn't care. That is what brought us to the tube and the fact that at 21/2 she weighed 20 pounds.
Towards the end of the tube feeds she started to eat and actually seemed to enjoy some foods. After the tube came out for the first time she told us that she wanted food and that she was hungry. It was music to our ears. To us it was like a miracle. Since then (11/2 years ago) she has been eating ok. Ok meaning sometimes satisfactory , sometimes not. Unfortunately there has been little consistency and her body is quite confused. This doesn't make sense but the following is the truth. When Breanne eats well she doesn't gain weight. She either stays the same or loses. She never gained anything in a year (30 pounds at 3 1/2 and same at 4 1/2) . During the year she played with the same pound-up 3 ounces, down 5 ounces, up 4, down etc. but the big picture (which is what matters most) is that she is the same now as she was a year ago, however she has been eating. There are times she eats well and I couldn't expect her to eat more (I babysit other kids her age so I have a good idea on normal portions size for her age). Other times she just eats satisfactory but in general she does quite well. That is until 7 weeks ago.
7 weeks ago things seemed to get worse again. She has almost (not when she was on milk) always had some difficulty pooping and they considered her to be constipated even though she pooped everyday, but because of the difficulty, color(Very dark),and size ( very big). However because of the other meds I didn't want to add another and until recently it seemed manageable. About 8 weeks ago she started to consistently cry when she pooped and it really bothered her and then she started complaining that her head hurt when she was trying to poop (she had started to get migraines about a month before this) and because she was consistently having trouble pooping I called the doctor and asked about a stool softener. They said to put her on mineral oil . For the first couple of days a huge amount of poop came out of her and then all of a sudden she was having a lot of trouble again even though she was still taking the mineral oil. They kept putting the dose up higher and higher but it wasn't working. She would poop a small amount and it would be very firm again. As they increased the dose she was having bowel leakage (orangeish fluid in her panties) which I guess was the oil going around the impacted stool and then leaking out. After this continued they then switched her to magnalox. This didn't clean her out which is what they wanted as they kept increasing the dose which is now at twice an adult dose. Pooping is easier for her and lighter in color but not doing as much as it should. I want her off it , it's been about 7 weeks. Since she started on the laxatives, she has been pooping more, but eating less??, her belly has been more distended?? and (get this), in the first week and a half she gained 2 pounds. This wasn't a big surprise because she was eating less and always gains when she eats less (and loses it when she starts to eat more), but she has so far kept those 2 pounds which is longer than normal and has gained 2 more making it 4 pounds in 7 weeks . This child ate satisfactory for a year and didn't gain anything and now slows down on eating, poops more and gains 4 pounds in 7 weeks???????????????????????????? This is crazy. Yes, i'm glad she gained weight but it would mean much more if she has ate it on. I also can't get too excited because I don't know where it has come from and when (and if) she loses it (she usually does) it's a hard let down. Even though she consistently gains when she eats less it's never been this much weight. It's usually 1-2 pounds. The only thing I can think is about the absorption,but what does that tell us about her absorption in the past and does it mean that she has to be on a laxative to gain weight? Anyway, I could babble forever. Next week she is scheduled to be admitted to the hospital for testing. A PH probe and possibly a bowel clean out with tubes.
I would like to have as much information as possible when I get there so I can use it as ammunition to fight off the tube and whatever else they may suggest. They are always wanting to increase her meds, I keep saying no but something needs to give to help Breanne get better.
Please let me know if you have any ideas or you have a child with similar symptoms.
There is more to tell but I will save it for next time.
Until then, thanks...JenH

Thanks for responding. I wrote a response but somehow lost it, I am new to computerland so,here I go again.
Whoops, I forgot to tell you about this part, I have so much on my mind and so much to tell.
We took Breanne to see a Naturopath about 2 years ago. I loved the ND and was very impressed with her. We followed her recommendation to give Bre "Calcarea Carbonica". It seemed to work quite well, she would still have flare ups but with mega doses she would get through it. After a period of time that Bre was doing better we stopped the Cal. Carb. and stopped seeing the naturopath.
Now that she is doing worse again (last few months) we went to see Naturopath again last week. She recommended "Calubrina". I haven't been able to find much info on it but I have found it crossed referenced with "Nux Vomica"??? We have decided to wait and give it to Bre after her admission to hospital and tests are done next week. I feel it is important to know exactly what we are treating and I want to get a true reading. Breanne's ND contacted Bre's specialist to let her know what we have planned. ND. said MD seemed very open and willing to co-operate. Time will tell. During a stay in the hospital while Bre was on Cal. Carb. the hospital did give it to her. Maybe there is hope of them working together.
I don't doubt our Naturopath at all but I came to this sight to see if anyone had similar symptoms, any suggestions and just to learn more. I feel the more minds working together the more hope there is. I'm also wondering if anyone knows about "Calubrina" (Nux Vomica). Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks, Jen

Hi, I forgot to mention that her temperment. She is very smart, expects too much from herself, is very demanding (of herself and others), very moody, very sensitive, easily frustrated, etc,. on the other hand she is very co-operative, helpful, sensitive, caring
It's like I have 2 different kids. Her moods are very related to eating. When she gets hungry she is miserable and sometimes out of control, much better mood after eating (If she'll eat , she does't understand hunger very well. She often has more pain after eating but is much more pleasant.
Also, she has a lot of trouble sleeping. Either insomnia,-goes to sleep well but wakes around 1am and sometimes stays awake foe 4-5 hours or she sleeps but wakes often refluxing but goes back to sleep quickly after reflux is settled with a couple of Gaviscon (usually works temporarily but now always).

I look forward to hearing from you. JenH

Hi Jen,

First of all, I'm very glad you've found a practitioner to work with--this is the tough part! And with that accomplishment comes the added bonus of having an MD willing to go along with your wishes for treatment--this can be even tougher still! So all things seem to be going well for you there.

Sometimes, when the case is so difficult, homeopaths will try to affect a progress toward cure by a process which is similar to a "zig zag". So, the patient will be treated with a remedy which is very similar to the case (in your daughter's case, this was the Calc. Carb.). Sometimes there will be progress, but it may not hold or completely resolve the situation...so, the follow ups to the case will often involve the selection of another remedy. The Colubrina you were given is an example of this. Colubrina IS Nux Vomica (you must be in Canada--where Nux Vomica is sold under the Colubrina name because of legal restrictions). The symptom picture for your daughter must have changed a little bit for this new remedy to have been prescribed--and this one fits her a little more closely. If it turns out the be the similimum remedy, then you should see dramatic improvements, despite all the drugs she is subjected to. I hope this will be the outcome for you.

Nux Vomica or Colubrina is made from a plant. The symptoms in this remedy are many, it is what we call a "polycrest" remedy, one on which many provings have been done during the course of the last 200 years, so there is a great number of symptom effects associated with this substance. One of its main spheres of activity is the digestive system, where we see many difficulties with vomiting. The www.homeopathyhome.com site has a link to a number of different books on-line which can give you some idea about the remedy--in their list of books on line you'll find some of our oldest Materia Medica books, including Boericke's Materia Medica, and Clark's Materia Medica. Both of these books will have a chapter on Nux Vomica, where you can read up on all the different symptoms produced by that substance. Please write to my at my email address if you would like more modern articles on the remedy--I have one I could send you which you might find more comprehensive.

Briefly, it is a remedy which is often prescribed to children for digestive complaints, including those which arise from teething issues. It is also often used for pregnant women during childbirth.

I hope it does wonders for your daughter.
Looking forward to hearing more from you,
Divina

Thanks again. I hope this new remedy will work. Do you have any suggestions for our hospital visit next week. I'm most worried about the clean out that has been talked about. I would love to have the latest articles. I appreciate your help. PS. Have you ever heard of another little person with similar symptoms?

Breanne's stool has only been orangeish in color since she started on the laxatives 7 weeks ago. Before that it was very hard, big and either dark brown or black.

If her problems are related to her back would she have hurt it or have been born with it. Do her symptoms from birth sound point to her back or just her most recent symptoms?
GM, I looked at your questionnare and I think that I have already answered everything in my original posting. Additions would be; skin is dry but relatively clear(wasn't on cows milk but seems ok on the soy) except she doesn't heal very well. She has 2 IV spots on her hand. One is 6 months old and one is a year and a half old and they both look like the IV was removed only a few days ago. Also she has a scratch on her back that doesn't seem to heal. She is afraid of loud noises. Her fear isn't as bad as it use to be. She used to be afraid of the plumbing. She didn't mind if she was in the room where the water was turned on but if she was in another room and heard the water in the pipes she was terrified. Also, she is very afraid of train sounds. Her favorite color is red. She is very finicky and presently is very bothered by socks and tights either being twisted or not fitting perfectly at the toe. Also, she has had a alot of ear infections(numerous throat infections too). In her first 24 months she had 27 antibiotics. She had tubes put in her ears and 18 months and this helped some but they didn't totally disappear. When her first tube fell out last summer she had an ear infection immediately and couldn't get rid of it until the tube was put back in. She still has problems with ears from time to time, especially when she yawns or hiccups.
She has been on Soy Milk for about a year and a half. I wonder about it but the calories are too important to play around with it too much. What is your thought on SOY?
Thanks,Jen

Wow, that's amazing. It sounds just like my little princess. As I said I have no doubts in my ND.
Devina, I still want the test done because what if they are treating her with 30mg of Losec daily and it's not even addressing the main problem. I want to make sure we are treating the right area. I feel it may be more lower trouble than upper trouble. In her gastric emptying test-at the end of the hour long test I guess 60% should have started to empty and she had 0%. So, I feel we should be looking more lower because I think the lower is making upper GI worse. I'm no doctor but I just want to make sure we're treating her for the proper thing.
GM-you said you thought Nux Vomica would help partially but not cure all, what do you mean?
I really appreciate your help. Have you seen these symptoms in others? Thanks again! Jen

Hi again, Jen,

To answer your question about having seen this before in other patients--well, I've not seen anything quite so severe. But our repertories are filled with rubric descriptions of children who have suffered similarly. Many remedies have been used to address the various symptoms, and all the symptoms combined as they are in your daughter's case. So I know it is not common, but there has been clinical experience with similar cases where benefit has been derived.

Has the little girl started school yet? You said she "looks normal but has a number of challenges underneath"...it is a great deal for her to cope with, I must say. She sounds like a good fighter!

Anyway, I'll send along the Materia medica stuff for you soon.

Divina