Final Diagnosis - DD "Episodes"

Hi All – Well as most of you know I was living a nightmare that started on October 8th, then again on November 14th and then again on November 30th.  Those were the three episodes that my dd had which all involved me in calling an ambulance and her being admitted to the hospital with no answers.  She has since been to Neurology, Cardiology, Allergy and yesterday Pulmonary.  After the third episode they started her on Zantac – all doctors agreed that was an issue but I never had the test done.  Reflux

Yesterday when I went into CHOP for her final appt the wonderful doctors there sat down and went over everything again.  The doctor decided to change her Zantac to Prevacid saying that her sleeplessness at night and her moving to the bottom of the crib is probably caused from discomfort due to the reflux.  Her morning cough and her lasting cough from her cold is related to Asthma.  Asthma goes with Eczema which she also has.  She now has a final diagnoses from her episodes.  What all the doctors agree on is that during those three feedings her reflux was lodging her food in her throat possibly blocking an airway and her Asthma was not helping her airway clear on its own causing her to black out and seize.  

Believe it or not this diagnosis makes me so happy.  It is just good to hear something that makes sense and have a treatment for it.  She is now on inhalers and Prevacid.  She will be examined every two months and then possible taken off of some medications gradually as she gets older.

The doctors are very optimistic that I will not have to see my little girl go through that nightmare again.  It is truly amazing how you can have two children’s hospitals just 10 miles apart and one make the difference.  St. Christopher’s just kept sending me home, Children’s would not stop until they had an answer – I think they would have sent me to a mechanic if they thought they could figure it out.  

Thank you all for listening to my cries these past 5 months.  Looks like that chapter is closed now on to her happy 1st birthday and maybe even her little brother or sister.  MAYBE!

PS Still no teeth but she finally calls her dad  - dad.  Bob is hanging around whoever he is.

[GNicole]

That is wonderful news! Avery also had reflux in the beginning-they put her on the Enfamil Gentlease and that seemed to help. I still think she has some episodes though. She also ends up squished in one corner at the bottom of her crib.  I hope Eva is feeling much better now and you too! I guess you read my post about the faulty pregnancy test. You are right, of course I was excited thinking that I could be pregnant! :)

[1nana]

What a relief for you! Now you can relax a little.

[pertykitty]

thank god its something that can be controlled so easily!!   what a rollercoaster ride this has been.

[Waiting4myprincess]

Wow, I am glad you got a diagnosis. I wish that they could figure out why my DD has her "episodes" and passes out in my arms. They also diagnosed her with reflux and put her on Zantac but we took her off of it. It was making everything 100 times worse.

Anyway, I am glad that they finally gave you some peace. I know that we PM'ed each other about this before.

Good luck to you!

[BIGMAMA24]

MY BABY WAS born with acid reflux and she out growed it she is 3 now

[BIGMAMA24]

oops she still haves asthma its under control

[cantwait4baby]

Have you gone to a specialist?  Maybe she also has the asthma too.  They can give her different reflux meds.  It took them 5 months of testing to give us an answer.  It was so hard and so scary.  I hope you get an answer soon too.  let me know if you have any questions at all.  I think I know everyting from A to Z within all the doctor areas I have listed above.  Take care and good luck.  Thanks you !

[maddysmommy]

Ill deft agree with the hospitals...im much more impressed with chop vs st. chris..im glad we switched..and im glad you got your answers..there's nothing worse that NOT knowing!

[Crritter]

It's good to get a diagnosis so you know what you are dealing with.  I'm surprised they are calling it asthma so young though, usually it's a reactive airway (RAD) then around 2 they will re-evaluate.  Both my boys have had breathing problems, very scary, we had an ambulance ride too.  Cameron has bad reflux with his airway issues and does the choking and gagging too.  He is on Prevacid, but during a test they discovered that he was refluxing really bad still.  He is now on Reglan and Zantac twice daily and Prevacid once daily.  His RAD comes from family history and also from his reflux, he sees a pulmonologist for his breathing and is on a high dose of steroid inhaler.  It's a huge relief to get an answer, and it should get better, and with Prevacid they don't outgrow the dosing as soon.  He will be 1 the end of March and nowhere near outgrowing his reflux.  (They are also blaming his ear infections on the reflux.)  Gald to hear it's something they can fix, hang in there.