Appointment with GI doctor

Had our appointment at Vanderbilt with the GI doctor on August 27th. The doctor felt that the NG tube was not harming Aryssa right now. She does feel that Aryssa will need the mic-key button but doesn't feel that it is an emergency or serious that needs to be done right away. She gave us a new formula to try that was amino acid based designed for babies with digestive problems or bad reflux. The reason she wanted us to try this new formula was so we would be able to increase her volume and make a higher calorie recipe so she can get the calories "they" feel she needs that she is lacking (according to the nutritionist). This formula is supposed to be easier to digest and according to the GI doc is impossible for anyone to have an allergy to it. The formula was VERY oily and apparently did not agree with her tummy. We tried it for 5 days and switched her back the formula we had had her on previously. She threw up constantly on this new formula NeoCare. Enfamil Nutramigen seems to be doing well with her so we are going to keep her on that one. I swear every time we listen to a doctor and try what they recommend, it back fires in our face. I don't know when we are going to learn.

Anyways to sum up the appointment there was nothing she could do for us. She feels that Aryssa's reflux seems to be under control with her current medication. She feels that Aryssa WILL need the mic-key button but didn't feel like it needed to be done right away. She said that back in the day that the NG tubes we left in for a couple of years before the mic-key button was created. She was very supportive of us going to Memphis to see a developmental therapist to get a second opinion. She was a very nice doctor that seemed like she had some experience in the feeding tube and mic-key buttons. She is the first doctor that actually sat down and explained in detail WHY the doctors felt it necessary to put down the tube in the first place. We hadn't really got a clear answer from day 1 of the reason. She explained that anytime a baby under 3 years of age is having issues gaining weight or getting the "appropriate" nutrition that the necessary immediate steps need to be taken to fix that. She said that a baby needs proper nutrition at ALL times to fuel the fast growing brain cells and sensitive ever growing nervous system. She said that doctors will tend to "over react" in other words to this for that reason that if damage is done to the brain or nervous system that THAT is not something that will be able to be repaired in the future. Doctors would rather deal with a feeding issue such as Aryssa's over time then to try and wait it out and possible cause irreversible damage to her health. I can completely understand that, and had that explanation been presented to us from day 1, we may not have been so bitter about the whole tube placing in the first place. It was a very informative appointment. I may not like the fact that she has the tube and may not be totally convinced that the "proper" steps and options were addressed before placing the tube and immediately putting an end to breast feeding, but there is nothing we can do about that now... just try to overcome the issue at hand presently.