Ds is always complaining about not feeling well

[Fabellini]

Ds2 (15) is off school again today, and I'm just not sure what to do about it.
He complains every single day about not feeling well, he has a headache, or a stomachache, or his shoulder hurts, or his leg is sore.
I have taken him to have his eyes checked - they're fine.
Last year he was off for two whole weeks and I took him to the GP who checked him for everything. She concluded he had a virus similar to glandular fever, and he has since recovered, although the moaning goes on!
I'm confident he isn't being bullied, and he has no problems at school - and the moaning goes on through weekends and holidays too.
This morning I gave him paracetamol for his head, he ate breakfast and then announced he felt really sick, and has taken to his bed.
This is the third time he's been off since Christmas, I've been giving him the benefit of the doubt, but I really don't know if any of this is genuine any more.

[Runningtokeepstill]

Back to the GP? If you're confident he's not worried about being in school, it could be something physical.

I know he's had tests but as GP's can't really test for everything they go for the most common things. It might be time to look at something else.

My ds, 16, recently had blood tests as I suspected he might have low vitamin d D levels. GP tested for this and also did a full blood count. She said if it had just been the full blood count she'd have said he was in great health: no anaemia, kidney or liver function issues and no signs of inflammation. But the addition of the vitamin d check showed he had scarily low levels (much lower than the trigger level for starting supplementation) which will be causing him problems now and certainly storing them up for the future.

I don't think anyone on here can second guess what is going on with your ds or whether it it's physical, psychological or both. Also if he has had glandular fever this can cause problems for some time after apparent recovery. So see what the GP has to offer.

[Fabellini]

Right, back to the GP then. They did a full blood check last time, although whether vit d was included, I have no idea. He does have a fairly decent diet, and takes a multivitamin every day though.
He didn't actually have glandular fever, just a non specific similar virus.
There's moaning now about not sleeping - he got a new (double) bed around Christmas time, has blackout curtains, and room is well ventilated. Every thing I've tried seems to make no difference, and I'm getting quite fed up.

[Readysteadyknit]

I was going to say vitamin d as well DS complained of feeling unwell and a blood test showed had low vitamin D despite a healthy diet and playing sport outside for at least 4 hours every week. It is apparently quite common (a blood test showed I had low vitamin D as well)

With regard to sleep, have you tried telling him not to play on games consoles, phones etc for at least an hour before he should being going to sleep? The blue light is supposed to interfere with sleep patterns. DS also used to take his phone into his bedroom which then pinged constantly through the night - he now leaves it downstairs.

Is DS in his GCSE year? I underestimated how stressed DS felt about his AS's last year and that didn't help with his general health and sleep.

Hope you sort something out.

[Fabellini]

So vitamin d deficiency is a fairly common thing then? I didn't realise that, and it would never have occurred to me.
I try and wrestle iPad and phone from him most nights, sometimes with more success than others, but he's usually pretty good about switching them off when it's time to settle down for the night.
He had been pretty stressed about prelims (we are in Scotland, so he is in S4 and sitting Nat5 exams this year), but they were all before Christmas holidays and his results were all fine - pretty good actually. It's mostly because he was so stressed that I haven't just told him to man up and get to bloody school!

[Imnotaslimjim]

More than 50% of the UK population can be vit D deficient. We don't get enough sunshine. It really does make you feel bad, I ached from head to toe til I knew what was wrong. Pop him back to the Dr, but be warned that the test can take 2 weeks