Guest guest Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 Congratualations on staying off Miralax. We had to do a lot of research and my pediatrician is still really annoyed that I refuse to put my daughter on Miralax. My issue isn't so much some of the things posted here but more because no matter what I'm told, I'll never believe that long term use of a laxative (natural or not) is a good thing. Even the miralax label says not for long term use. Also, this is a case of treating the symptom, not the underlying problem. After much research on our own (since neither gastro or ped) was willing to consider any diagnosis except deliberate withholding. Note: my daughter is 10 and has bowel movements every day but apparently is deliberately withholding since there is no other possible explanation that is acceptable to them. Couldn't possible be what she is putting into her mouth. We discovered that my daughter has food sensitivities to Soy and Corn. The problems (constipation, leading to poor wiping, leading to UTIs) decreased significantly once we curtailed her diet. She still has some issues not fully identified, but the improvement was dramatic. I suspect my daughter is chronically dehydrated and probably needs more fiber than most kids also since the elim diet completely solved the problem. Unfortunately, it's difficult to keep a child on a diet of rice, veggies (except corn), fruit (except citrus), and meat based proteins long term. She does get some corn and soy in processed foods but we've minimized it sucessfully. Lesson learned? First, Gastros are closed minded and refuse to accept that there is much unknown about the Gastrointestinal system. (Forgive slanders, but I've dealt with 2 and found them both to be condescending and suffering from acute God complex). Second, if you don't like the results, keep researching, keep trying new things and keep challenging. What I'm really amazed at is the insistence of the ped to keep my daughter on long term laxatives and fiber supplements instead of increasing fruit/veg consumption and trying natural or alternative remedies. (Probiotics seem to help a lot also - probably because my daughter has been on antibiotics so often for the UTIs) > > THRIVING!! > > I wanted to update the group on my daughter's progress since taking her off Miralax late last November 2009. > > Brief background: my daughter was put on Miralax due to constipation that was caused by whole milk when she was nearly 18 months old, in March of 2009. I was never okay with it, but was reassured by her pediatrician it was only for 3 months to help her intestines shrink back to normal size (never did any test to see if she had enlarged intestines) so she may achieve normal motility again. Three months later, the pediatrician recommended that we keep her on Miralax AND the whole milk, assuring us once again that it was completely safe, that she had many of her patients on it, some of them for years. > > At her 24-month check-up, after having stumbled across this group while researching potential adverse side effects of MiraIax, I informed the pediatrician that I was taking her off Miralax and for her pediatrician to give me alternatives. Once my DD's doctor discovered that my daughter was failing to thrive (no weight gain in those crucial months, in the 10th percentile for height, very thin, dry hair, etc.) she she referred me to a GI and Nutritionist, and made no more mention of Miralax. > > Fast forward to nearly a year after my DD was put on Miralax and 3.5 months after we took her off it, and I am ecstatic to report that she has been having regular, mostly soft BMs without any pain or complaints for the past 2.5 months. She gained a little bit of weight a month after being Miralax-free and today she weighed in at 25lbs and measures 34 inches. She still looks small for her age (we are constantly told), but she lost 8 crucial months of growth to Miralax. > > I fully intend to inform her pediatrician, who I like and respect, by the way, of what the effects of Miralax was on my DD so that she hopefully wont prescribe it as a first course of action in the future. I plan on attaching the reports of adverse reactions of the many parents who have reported to the FDA. > > I want to thank everyone here for all their support and for the information shared. I truly believe that if I had trusted her doctor's recommendation and kept my DD on Miralax, she would have suffered many more side effects than she did, and possibly some permanent damage. I will eternally be grateful to everyone here. I hope that we succeed in bringing the potential dangers of this drug to so many vulnerable children out there to the attention of the medical field so that they will control its use much more strictly than they have so far. > > Once again, thank you all! > > Lillu (Mommy to Almie, 2.5 years old) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 The eagerness in the medical profession to treat the symptoms rather than the cause of constipation in children constantly amazes, angers, and confounds me. Further, the propensity to prescribe adult medication, clearly marked NOT FOR CHILDREN and NOT FOR LONG-TERM USE to children as young as 6 months in some instances is truly disturbing to me. What is wrong with the pediatricians that none of them look beyond the "miraculous" results, especially when faced with complaints from the parents about how this drug is affecting these very same children? I just don't get it!!Thank you for sharing your story.To: miralax Sent: Tue, March 2, 2010 12:29:48 PMSubject: Re: Miralax Free and.... Congratualations on staying off Miralax. We had to do a lot of research and my pediatrician is still really annoyed that I refuse to put my daughter on Miralax. My issue isn't so much some of the things posted here but more because no matter what I'm told, I'll never believe that long term use of a laxative (natural or not) is a good thing. Even the miralax label says not for long term use. Also, this is a case of treating the symptom, not the underlying problem. After much research on our own (since neither gastro or ped) was willing to consider any diagnosis except deliberate withholding. Note: my daughter is 10 and has bowel movements every day but apparently is deliberately withholding since there is no other possible explanation that is acceptable to them. Couldn't possible be what she is putting into her mouth. We discovered that my daughter has food sensitivities to Soy and Corn. The problems (constipation, leading to poor wiping, leading to UTIs) decreased significantly once we curtailed her diet. She still has some issues not fully identified, but the improvement was dramatic. I suspect my daughter is chronically dehydrated and probably needs more fiber than most kids also since the elim diet completely solved the problem. Unfortunately, it's difficult to keep a child on a diet of rice, veggies (except corn), fruit (except citrus), and meat based proteins long term. She does get some corn and soy in processed foods but we've minimized it sucessfully. Lesson learned? First, Gastros are closed minded and refuse to accept that there is much unknown about the Gastrointestinal system. (Forgive slanders, but I've dealt with 2 and found them both to be condescending and suffering from acute God complex). Second, if you don't like the results, keep researching, keep trying new things and keep challenging. What I'm really amazed at is the insistence of the ped to keep my daughter on long term laxatives and fiber supplements instead of increasing fruit/veg consumption and trying natural or alternative remedies. (Probiotics seem to help a lot also - probably because my daughter has been on antibiotics so often for the UTIs) > > THRIVING!! > > I wanted to update the group on my daughter's progress since taking her off Miralax late last November 2009. > > Brief background: my daughter was put on Miralax due to constipation that was caused by whole milk when she was nearly 18 months old, in March of 2009. I was never okay with it, but was reassured by her pediatrician it was only for 3 months to help her intestines shrink back to normal size (never did any test to see if she had enlarged intestines) so she may achieve normal motility again. Three months later, the pediatrician recommended that we keep her on Miralax AND the whole milk, assuring us once again that it was completely safe, that she had many of her patients on it, some of them for years. > > At her 24-month check-up, after having stumbled across this group while researching potential adverse side effects of MiraIax, I informed the pediatrician that I was taking her off Miralax and for her pediatrician to give me alternatives. Once my DD's doctor discovered that my daughter was failing to thrive (no weight gain in those crucial months, in the 10th percentile for height, very thin, dry hair, etc.) she she referred me to a GI and Nutritionist, and made no more mention of Miralax. > > Fast forward to nearly a year after my DD was put on Miralax and 3.5 months after we took her off it, and I am ecstatic to report that she has been having regular, mostly soft BMs without any pain or complaints for the past 2.5 months. She gained a little bit of weight a month after being Miralax-free and today she weighed in at 25lbs and measures 34 inches. She still looks small for her age (we are constantly told), but she lost 8 crucial months of growth to Miralax. > > I fully intend to inform her pediatrician, who I like and respect, by the way, of what the effects of Miralax was on my DD so that she hopefully wont prescribe it as a first course of action in the future. I plan on attaching the reports of adverse reactions of the many parents who have reported to the FDA. > > I want to thank everyone here for all their support and for the information shared. I truly believe that if I had trusted her doctor's recommendation and kept my DD on Miralax, she would have suffered many more side effects than she did, and possibly some permanent damage. I will eternally be grateful to everyone here. I hope that we succeed in bringing the potential dangers of this drug to so many vulnerable children out there to the attention of the medical field so that they will control its use much more strictly than they have so far. > > Once again, thank you all! > > Lillu (Mommy to Almie, 2.5 years old) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 I would also like to add that the ones prescribing the antiobiotics never once suggest a probiotic, even though they know it wipes out all the good bacteria. Go figure? Subject: Re: Miralax Free and....To: miralax Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 11:29 AM Congratualations on staying off Miralax. We had to do a lot of research and my pediatrician is still really annoyed that I refuse to put my daughter on Miralax. My issue isn't so much some of the things posted here but more because no matter what I'm told, I'll never believe that long term use of a laxative (natural or not) is a good thing. Even the miralax label says not for long term use. Also, this is a case of treating the symptom, not the underlying problem. After much research on our own (since neither gastro or ped) was willing to consider any diagnosis except deliberate withholding. Note: my daughter is 10 and has bowel movements every day but apparently is deliberately withholding since there is no other possible explanation that is acceptable to them. Couldn't possible be what she is putting into her mouth. We discovered that my daughter has food sensitivities to Soy and Corn. The problems (constipation, leading to poor wiping, leading to UTIs) decreased significantly once we curtailed her diet. She still has some issues not fully identified, but the improvement was dramatic. I suspect my daughter is chronically dehydrated and probably needs more fiber than most kids also since the elim diet completely solved the problem. Unfortunately, it's difficult to keep a child on a diet of rice, veggies (except corn), fruit (except citrus), and meat based proteins long term. She does get some corn and soy in processed foods but we've minimized it sucessfully.Lesson learned? First, Gastros are closed minded and refuse to accept that there is much unknown about the Gastrointestinal system. (Forgive slanders, but I've dealt with 2 and found them both to be condescending and suffering from acute God complex). Second, if you don't like the results, keep researching, keep trying new things and keep challenging. What I'm really amazed at is the insistence of the ped to keep my daughter on long term laxatives and fiber supplements instead of increasing fruit/veg consumption and trying natural or alternative remedies. (Probiotics seem to help a lot also - probably because my daughter has been on antibiotics so often for the UTIs) >> THRIVING!!> > I wanted to update the group on my daughter's progress since taking her off Miralax late last November 2009.> > Brief background: my daughter was put on Miralax due to constipation that was caused by whole milk when she was nearly 18 months old, in March of 2009. I was never okay with it, but was reassured by her pediatrician it was only for 3 months to help her intestines shrink back to normal size (never did any test to see if she had enlarged intestines) so she may achieve normal motility again. Three months later, the pediatrician recommended that we keep her on Miralax AND the whole milk, assuring us once again that it was completely safe, that she had many of her patients on it, some of them for years.> > At her 24-month check-up, after having stumbled across this group while researching potential adverse side effects of MiraIax, I informed the pediatrician that I was taking her off Miralax and for her pediatrician to give me alternatives. Once my DD's doctor discovered that my daughter was failing to thrive (no weight gain in those crucial months, in the 10th percentile for height, very thin, dry hair, etc.) she she referred me to a GI and Nutritionist, and made no more mention of Miralax.> > Fast forward to nearly a year after my DD was put on Miralax and 3.5 months after we took her off it, and I am ecstatic to report that she has been having regular, mostly soft BMs without any pain or complaints for the past 2.5 months. She gained a little bit of weight a month after being Miralax-free and today she weighed in at 25lbs and measures 34 inches. She still looks small for her age (we are constantly told), but she lost 8 crucial months of growth to Miralax.> > I fully intend to inform her pediatrician, who I like and respect, by the way, of what the effects of Miralax was on my DD so that she hopefully wont prescribe it as a first course of action in the future. I plan on attaching the reports of adverse reactions of the many parents who have reported to the FDA.> > I want to thank everyone here for all their support and for the information shared. I truly believe that if I had trusted her doctor's recommendation and kept my DD on Miralax, she would have suffered many more side effects than she did, and possibly some permanent damage. I will eternally be grateful to everyone here. I hope that we succeed in bringing the potential dangers of this drug to so many vulnerable children out there to the attention of the medical field so that they will control its use much more strictly than they have so far.> > Once again, thank you all!> > Lillu (Mommy to Almie, 2.5 years old)> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.