[charley2006]

HiI hope someone can help as i am at my wits end.For the past few years my 12 year old boy has been suffering bouts of sickness/ runny stools and chronic pain now and again when his symptoms flare up.I have kept a food diary, but to no avail and whenever i took him to the doctors they said it was a bug.There can be days/ weeks when he is fine and then get weeks when he is doubled up in pain and vomits or has the runs. He loses lots of weight when he has a bout of it and can last for days to a couple of weeks. No bugs can have symptoms that run for weeks on end.At one point, during a bad bout i took him up to the hospital A & E and told them to either give him tests or admit him so they could see for themselves.He is now on omeprazole tablets which has helped symptoms upto a point.After waiting months he has now been refered to the Royal London hospital where they have run blood test for celiac and other symptoms but we have heard no news yet from that, no news is good i take it!He is also having a camera down his throat and up the other end to see what is going on but once again waiting...............At this point he has had another episode which has gone on for over a week, lots of pain and vomiting etc and a bloated belly.The schools is now threatening to fine over his days of absence. What can i do to help him. As a Mum that is my job but i dont know what more to do........

 

[baz22p]

Hi, I understand your concerns and worries - so much so that I have referred to a book I have on IBS, and it says:'Nausea and vomitting do not occur very often in IBS. This may seem surprising, given the sensitive nature of the gut in IBS. In practice, nausea and vomitting are usually only seen in IBS caused by anxiety where air swallowing may distend the stomach, leading to nausea in more or - in more sensitive people - repeated vomitting'.If the above applies, then the only thing that readily springs to mind is school life - he will now be at the age where he is at, or about to go to, high school. Are you aware of any problems that have caused anxiety over the last few years? As IBS tends to be diagnosed as an elimination problem of the gut (if nothing else is proved then it must be IBS), it may not be necessarily so in this case. Perhaps persue the hospital for test results, ask for further tests, seek alternative opinions if you are unhappy, but above all work with your son to find what may be the cause.Good luck!Baz

 

[baz22p]

Hi, I understand your concerns and worries - so much so that I have referred to a book I have on IBS, and it says:'Nausea and vomitting do not occur very often in IBS. This may seem surprising, given the sensitive nature of the gut in IBS. In practice, nausea and vomitting are usually only seen in IBS caused by anxiety where air swallowing may distend the stomach, leading to nausea in more or - in more sensitive people - repeated vomitting'.If the above applies, then the only thing that readily springs to mind is school life - he will now be at the age where he is at, or about to go to, high school. Are you aware of any problems that have caused anxiety over the last few years? As IBS tends to be diagnosed as an elimination problem of the gut (if nothing else is proved then it must be IBS), it may not be necessarily so in this case. Perhaps persue the hospital for test results, ask for further tests, seek alternative opinions if you are unhappy, but above all work with your son to find what may be the cause.Good luck!Baz

 

[charley2006]

Thanks for the reply.I have been into the school and a specialist teacher has spoken to him about any worries etc he may have and they say he is a very happy boy with lots of friends.He had had a barrium meal test and they found that it only took 30 mins to reach the bottom of the stomach (usually it takes upto 3-4 hours in a person).He usually wakes with it in the night or early morning.Charley

 

[King Of The Small Room]

Contrary to the no news is good news aspect of your post, it might actually be good news if your son did have coeliac disease. In the circumstances I mean, as it obviously wouldn't be good news really. But then at least you'd know exactly where you stand and would be given the relevant dietary advice enabling the poor lad to deal with the problem.What stands out for me from your post, is the disgraceful attitude of the school. I'm sure that's the last thing you both need.Can you not go and see someone there, perhaps accompanied by a parent governor, preferably the head himself, and maybe even armed with a doctors note and let him know in no uncertain terms that in these difficult circumstances, you expect and need support, not harassment and threats?