That Fateful Appointment

Nearing the end of June we headed back to the GI doctor for Ellie's blood test results and hopefully some answers. What we discussed:
Only on Nutramigen Lipil. She licks foods but most of the time will not eat them and is becoming more and more disinterested. Trigger foods result in vomiting and non-bloody diarrhea and then resolves. Foods tried included sweet potato, rice, banana, wheat products, barley, butternut squash.

I was unable to tell him if she cried more or less at any point because she had cried since birth with no visible pattern. She also slept at odd intervals and was completely unable to get on a schedule, so I could not address that as well. On occasion she did have low grade fevers that appeared at the same time as food exposure.

Blood test results showed mostly normal but some things on the low side. She showed negative to celiacs, and all IgE tests (RAST) came back negative except for a slight peanut. (I found out later that these tests were not very accurate anyway since she has to have eaten the foods for her blood to respond).

He disappeared to discuss with the pediatric nutritionist and then returned. "There is this very rare condition..." he began... "we have only seen a few"...."less than 3% of children"...."FPIES"...."I want her to see an allergist for a second opinion"...."no way to diagnose except by symptoms and process of eliminating anything else it could be"...."we dont really know"...."not a lot of info"...."there is another option for formula we should try"...."stop giving her foods for now"...."establish a plan with the nutritionist"..."here is a copy of the most recent study done"...

WHAT? WHAT was he talking about? Less than how many kids? They don't KNOW anything? This was not what I had wanted to hear. June. 2010. My Ellie is 10 months old and nearing her first birthday. No WAY. Something called FPIES? Food protein? She cant have protein? Rice has protein? So do green vegetables? All food? I just did a lot of nodding and repeating. The plan? Start with the least allergic foods with the lowest levels of protein, preferably all organic. Start with apples, apricots, plums. Nothing else. Keep with the Nutramigen Lipil. Soon she will be a year and we can try other options. And here is a referral to the allergist.