Enzymes

We had our monthly office visit at the CF Clinic on July 1st. At that visit the doctors, dietitian, and us decided to start Gabrielle on enzymes as a trial until our next office visit on August 5th. The decision to start Gabrielle on enzymes was based on her weight gain and stools. Currently Gabrielle is only gaining one-third of the weight she should be gaining based on the specialized formula we are giving her. Both Pancreatic Elastase test run to check her enzyme levels have come back in the low normal range. But based on her stools the doctors think there may be a chance that her enzyme levels fluctuate during the day.

By placing Gabrielle on a low dose of Enzyme to supplement her natural enzymes two things should happen. First, the enzymes will digest the food better allowing for her to gain weight faster so that she can grow larger lungs. Second, they should add consistency to her stools. If the enzymes do what they are suppose to do then Gabrielle will more than likely be on the enzymes the rest of her life. Right now she is on them until our next clinic visit on August 5th.

We finally were able to get things worked out and got the enzymes yesterday afternoon and started giving them to her this morning (7/11). We will be getting the enzymes from Walgreens. The pharmaceutical company that makes the enzyme is providing them for free for the first 4 years. They will also provide her vitamins for free when she starts taking them.

Gabrielle is remaining on both the Zantac and Prevacid to reduce the acid in her stomach. This will not only help with reflux but will also aid in the activation of the enzymes.

The other thing we will be doing to help Gabrielle gain weight it to wake her up in the middle of the night for an extra bottle when she eats 18oz or less during a day.

Thanks for praying for Gabrielle and us. We don't know how to ask you to pray for Gabrielle at this time. We don't want Gabrielle to have to take enzymes the rest of her life, but then we want her to have them if she needs them. God knows what Gabrielle needs and he will provide for her. So our prayer is that God will watch over Gabrielle as she grows and develops.

Leaving all in God's Hands,

Jeff, Ashley, and Gabrielle