I am at my wits end with ties!! (long vent)

I'm going absolutely crazy here.

Evie has a "very prominant" upper lip tie and NO-ONE will cut it because it's too thick and would bleed too much, yadda yadda yadda.

She's 6 months old now and the last person we saw about it (#5) suggested she needed general anesthesia in order to correct it properly. And everyone said she does NOT have a tongue tie. I say BS! I'm pissed off right now.

I, myself, have swallowing issues and am constantly swallowing air (among other tie symptoms) so I wouldn't be surprised if I have a tongue tie. I'm pretty sure I have a lip tie.

My dentist just diagnosed my 7 year old with an upper lip tie and will fix it if his lateral incisors don't push his middle teeth together (he has significant gap). He also is having to be fitted with a key device to stretch his palate cause he doesn't have room for teeth in the front (a symptom of tongue tie).

I'm going nuts!! I'm certain that myself and all three of my kids have lip and tongue ties (despite all the ppl who say they don't). This is FLIPPING RIDICULOUS.

I contacted a woman who has a blog about Posterior Tongue Ties and asked her to refer me to someone who will diagnose it correctly and fix it in all three of my kids and myself.. I'm tired of the acid reflux, the slurred speech when I'm stressed, and the constant need to wipe plaque out from under my upper lip. I have dental problems up the wazu and it's a miracle I was never fitted with a retainer or braces. I have TMB issues and click and blah blah blah... sorry for the rant.

Anyway, she suggested a doctor who's 6 hours away (where we USED to live) and I'm about ready to call his office. I need to have all of us looked at and fixed and quick. This is causing way to much hardship and stress on me.

Thanks for reading and letting me vet. FB status posts aren't long enough for a proper vet.

I'm so sorry you're having to go through all of this Janelle. Is this the first time your getting a second opinion on the matter? My DS2 was tongue tied, but nothing like you're describing. We just took him in and his pedi did the snip around 6 weeks of age... case closed. I had no idea that there are varying degrees of tied tongues. I really hope you can finally get some answers not only for your LO but for yourself. KUP! Oh, and no need to apologize about the rant, that's what we're here for!

I've had 5 second opinions. Today was her check up and my doc didn't seem too worried about it and I didn't bring the contact information to have her refer us up north. DH is against looking into it anymore. He agrees with the 3 people who say she doesn't have a tongue tie (a ped, an IBCLC, and an ENT) but I'm still not convinced. The lip tie is just gonna have to wait, I guess, cause DH doesn't want to pursue it any further either.

I'm gonna ask the dentist when Daniel (DS#2) goes back for another cleaning in August to schedule a laser frenulectomy for him before he starts losing his baby teeth, and I'll ask her if she thinks he has a tongue tie and if she can cut it, too (I don't know if she can or not).

There are a few different degrees of tongue tie according to Dr Kotlow (a recoginzed dr on the subject). "

The Kotlow assessment devised by an American specialist paediatric dentist classifies tongue ties in 4 classes according to the length of free tongue (the distance from the tip of the tongue to the attachment of the frenum). Class I (12-16 mm) is mild, Class II (8-11 mm) is moderate, Class III (3-7 mm) is severe, and Class 4 (<3 mm) is complete. A distance of >16 mm is considered clinically acceptable.

There are anterior (classes 1 and 2--I believe) and posterior (classes 3 and 4). At least that's my understanding. No wait, that's length of the frenum, not the attachment location... attachment location is what makes it anterior or posterior. Posteriors are much harder to diagnose correctly.

That is totally frustrating, I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. We had a a really hard time getting DS1 clipped after birth despite being referred by the LC and me basically calling the ENT office everyday and crying begging for them to fit me in. He couldn't even get his tongue past his bottom lip and nursing was beyond painful for those first 2 months. I so feel your frustration still.

I had no idea that there were different degrees of it. But I did know that it runs in the family after a few LCs explained it more to me. Turns out not only does DH have it (he was clipped at age 5 to help speech) but also his yougest brother as well as his dad (my FIL). My DS2 was lucky not to have it but I was like a crazy person after he was born making all the LCs and doctors check to make sure. It totally would make sense for you as well as your other children to have it. I know your DH is against to looking into it more but I would surely drive to that doctor and have everyone checked out.

Thank you.

I've been in tears all weekend from latching pain on one side. She prefers to suck on the tips of my nipples and it cracks me where it connects to the areola. I've got a nice crack right now, and that means the vasospasms are back. :( She also tends to push it out when she swallows during letdown and sometimes afterwards. I just hate being in so much pain.

I wanted to slap my mom, she made me so upset and made me actually cry out of feeling like she gutted me. She said "Maybe Evie is just the baby you are gonna have to bottle feed, dear." But she won't take a bottle because I use the breast flow kind that has the double nipple system so she still has to work at it. After I reminded my mom of that fact she said "Well, if she gets hungry enough she'll take it, or you might just have to buy an easier bottle." But in my mind, she should have NO difficulties nursing or using the bottles we own! If it would be recognized and fixed, then there would be no issue! I shouldn't have to give up on nursing because the doctors don't see what I am seeing. :(

She is my last and I so very badly want to make it the full year and then some. I'm sad that she's even started purees. I find myself just not wanting to give them to her. She doesn't NEED them anyway, right?! :(