My Daughter Has an Enlarged Colon and Is Now on a None Dairy High Fiber Diet

My son also has a dairy allergy and we had to wipe all dairy from his diet. Overwhelming at first, but now 6 months later he is so much healthier and happier, and it's a new way of life for all of us. It does get easier and more natural to plan meals and eating out. Check out http://godairyfree.org/ as well as search dairy free in Mamapedia. The moms here have been talking about this issue for quite some time and have helped me out a lot! My favorite thing on their website is links to restaurant menus with dairy free items. You'd be surprised what has dairy in it, and but there is a lot that doesn't-even pizza! As far as high fiber, my husband has IBS and uses metamucil and we eat lots of high fiber foods which don't affect dairy allergy at all. In fact, lots of high fiber veggies are loaded with calcium which will be good for a dairy free child. My kids have also learned to love nuts, like almonds and cashew, both high fiber and high in calcium. Good luck!

So sorry that you're having to deal with this. I don't have experience with the colon issue, but my daughter did have many respiratory infections and congestion issues before she was diagnosed with a cows milk protein allergy. As soon as her diet was completely free of cows milk and cow dairy, her health improved 100%. We went from going to the pediatrician 36 times in 18 months (not counting appointments to her pedi ENT) to 3 times over the next 12 months (due to water accidentally getting in her ear or pink eye from school).

I chose the goat milk and goat butter, yogurt, cheese route instead of soy. I'm not sure if her doctor wants you to wipe out all forms of dairy or just dairy from cows-? It might be something for you to clarify. I bought a bread machine (to make cow milk free bread), pretty much home cook all meals. If you need ideas about milk free kid friendly food/brands, let me know. (she doesn't necessarily eat a high fiber diet, but she does eat a good amount of organic, fruit based snacks if you need ideas for that too).

I am sorry, I do not have any advice but will pray for your daughter and your family.

You might check out the website I've included. I heard Dr. Lipski speak a couple of years ago and she was fantastic. She's an expert in the 'gut area' and maybe there's something on her site that will be helpful. It looks like she has a lot of resources she makes available and I know she's written a couple books as well. - You can always give her a call too. - Good luck!

http://www.innovativehealing.com/ - Dr. Liz Lipski

I am so sorry your little girl is going through this! I myself have colitis and know that too much dairy, caffeine, or any alcohol definitely are triggers for my symptoms. However, I am surprised that he jumped to the idea of removing her colon-this seems very drastic to me as it would be a completely life changing event. I would recommend a second opinion if the test results don't reveal anything more definitive. I wish you and your family well, sounds like your daughter has been through a lot :(

I don't know her full history or what you've tried or gone through, but removing her colon sounds terribly DRASTIC! Have you had her tested for food allergies? Celiac disease? Wheat and/or gluten intolerance?? There are plenty of food allergies that can cause a host of horrible symtoms without being "deadly allergic". My brother-in-law ate wheat and dairy his entire life, but due to worsening intestinal problems (and a swollen colon!) he went on an elimination diet, eliminating EVERYTHING, then slowly adding things back to see if he had a reaction. It turned out to be wheat and dairy, and now that he no longer eats anything with wheat, dairy or gluten, he is completely fine. I would do some serious research into food allergies, and GET A SECOND OR THIRD OPINION!! I wish you the best of luck and hope you quickly figure out the problem and get your little girl back to good happy health!

I have has asthma and respiratory issues since I was 3 and I never had a problem with my colon.I even had pneumonia several times again nothing, my son went through the same things I did as a toddler and again no colon issues. I think you need to get a second opinion.sounds to me like she could have celiac or crohns diease or Hirschsprung's disease and ulcerative colitis.For the breathing problems they need to make sure its asthma and she needs to be put on the right meds or she could have a heart problem causing her breathing problems(most dr's misdiagnose heart problems for asthma as I have a heart valve defect as well) as for her lips being blue she could have circulatory problems(which can be caused by the heart problems) or she may have low iron. The only reasons I know that they remove the bowel is if it is dying or if it is diseased (like with cancer,etc).Get a second opinion before you let anyone take it out it could be something that can be treated with diet and meds alone

you don't say how old your daughter is now

I am not sure how big my colon was when I was diagnosed with enlarged colon. But, I was born a preemie and diagnosed really young. I too was alos on a non dairy and a high fiber diet. To this day and I am 28 years old now, I still only have a bowel movement once or twice a week and it still really hurts to go, but I know I have to. If I eat the fiber like I am supposed to then, I go more often. It got so bad once, where I could not go as it was very painful and could not get it out. I could not keep anything down and I had to be rushed in to the hospital. I am not sure if there is anything that can be done to restore my colon, but just keep doing the no dairy and the high fiber thing. Dairy tends to combine with the stuff and make it harder to go. It clogs everything up in there. I still dont have a lot of dairy either. Make sure you also have her to tested for Hirshbrungs(sp.) disease as well. That is where the colon muscled does not work at all. Mine works, just not very well. I tested negative for that. You are the first person I have come in contact with the enlarged colon, so I dont think it is a very common thing. I wish I was my mom, because she could tell you everything she had to go through with me from earl gray tea, laxatives, suppositories all the way to a stomach pressing I had to endure when I was 8(that was the time it got really bad). I hope everything goes well and that you dont have to go the bag route. I wish you all of the best and I will pray for you and your daughter.