EoE: No Steroids, No Symptoms

It’s been a while since I’ve updated you all on my son’s EoE status.  This past year has been hectic to say the least with homeschooling for our first time and our youngest son’s eosinophilic esophagitis diagnosis.  Here is a quick rundown of where our EoE journey has taken us…

EoE Journey

June:  Our son stopped eating.  EoE: My Child Can’t Swallow

August:  Starts a liquid steroid mix after biopsy results show elevated eosinophils due to eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).  EoE: Eosinophilic Esophagitis Diagnosis & EoE: Emotions of Diagnosis

October:  Appointment with Allergist to determine which foods he should avoid.  EoE:  First Allergy Appt After EoE Diagnosis

November:  Another biopsy to determine if there is a decrease in eosinophils.  EoE: Emotions Prior to Biopsy 
Biopsy shows decreased eosinophils and steroids are stopped.  EoE: Results of Second Biopsy and Game Plan

January:  Symptoms come back.  Postpone the next biopsy, go back on steroids, and add another food to his avoidance list while trying to stay positive.  EoE: Back on Steroids

Today:  This is the good part… Our son is symptom free.  We took him off the steroids after 4-6 weeks and removed pork from his diet (he already avoids many foods on the EoE list).  Then we waited for symptoms to reappear.  We’re still waiting.  🙂  For the first time in his life, our son is eating…a lot.  He finishes his meals with no coercing, begging, or games (okay, okay, he’s not crazy about potatoes…but he IS a kid).  He doesn’t choke on food and the best part??? He’s GAINING WEIGHT!!!  He will be six years old in four months and weighs 39 pounds.  I can only hope that the next time I update you all on his EoE that he has gained even more.

There is something I’d like to talk about for a minute.  Instinct.  I know my son.  I am with him 24/7 and see him at his best and worst.  I know what he eats every single day.  In the end, it was my instinct that asked to remove pork from his diet…not a test.  Although his skin test did show a slight reaction to pork, it was not the next food to be removed from his diet.  Lucky for us, we have an excellent allergist who actually listens to his patients and their parents.

What is our next step?  Another biopsy to confirm that there is in fact no eosinophils in his esophagus.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

-Elizabeth DiBurro
Easy Breezy Life
EBL Food Allergies