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Children's health

DS age 7 abdominal pain V&D for 6wks

96 replies

Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 03:43

Up in the middle of the night as so worried. DS has always been a bit pukey (I though he was just a bit sensitive) but for the last 2 months his symptoms have got much worse. 6wks ago I thought he had a tummy bug but he just hasn’t gotten better. In the last three weeks he has been getting abdominal pain he normally circles his whole tummy to say it hurts all over. Sometimes it’s more painful at the top (under his rib cage) and sometimes in the bottoms right. The pain gets much more intense 20min after eating. He is writhing around the floor groaning.
He normally is a well child with a high pain threshold who doesn’t make a fuss ever. However this is making him really upset and ill.

I have been to the GP four times over the last two weeks.

His blood tests have come back as normal no sign of inflammation or infection. We are waiting for the fecal calprotectin test results. Dr thinks it could be another week or so. Calpol is no longer working for the pain but dr said nothing else can be offered at the moment as to avoid ibuprofen as can irritate the stomach. We have been dairy and gluten free but gp today said as the pain is getting worse she doesn’t feel this is responsible.

I was worried about gall bladder and appendix but after checking him over she said she didn’t feel this was a problem and also his blood didn’t show any infection and showed his liver working well.

He has lost 7lb in two weeks.

I’m just so worried about him. Warm baths water bottles and tummy rubs are not helping. I just don’t know what else to do. Dr said we have to wait for the fecal test to return and if that’s inconclusive then we will be referred to the gp.

Is this normal that a child is left in pain for so long before being referred? I’m just so desperate to stop this pain for him. Anyone been through this and have any idea about what could be causing this?

OP posts:
Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 03:45

Sorry type of this fecal result is inconclusive we will then be referred to a consultant not the gp

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Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 03:47

Sorry typo not type (I really shouldnt write messages at 3am)

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Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 03:52

also blood test for celiac can back negative and diabetic blood test was fine. Urine samples are all clear too.

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Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 04:09

He is now at the stage where the pain is constant all day every day at points through out the day it gets more intense 2-3 times a day. Then he is lying on the floor or the sofa with the water bottle on his tummy legs out flat not curled in a ball. Sometimes he vomits and sometimes he has sweat on his forehead. He says he is hot (my thermometer is broken new one arriving tomorrow so don’t know temp) but my hand it doesn’t feel like he is burning up. He had one of these episodes right in front of the gp last week throwing up into a bowl so had his temp and pulse checked at that time. Most of the day he is laying around looking sick. He has red rings under his eyes too.

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FlippertyJibbit · 18/01/2018 04:14

Sorry unsure of what to suggest but didn't want to read and run. The abdominal pains you describe do sound like gallbladder issues, I have gallstones and the pain always starts in my chest and radiate down my right side to my stomach.

If the pain is constant 24/7 have you considered speaking to 111 or A&E if it is continual? It sounds horrible for him, poor little thing Thanks

SofiaAmes · 18/01/2018 04:31

Does he actually have diarrhea or just the vomiting? If so, could be abdominal migraines or cyclical vomiting.

SofiaAmes · 18/01/2018 04:35

Here's a study that differentiates between chronic and cyclical vomiting.

SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 04:42

Abdominal migraines not usually every day, and if they are they tend to be short lived. Not a bad suggestion though.

Do you have a children's hospital local to you? If you do then I would recommend going to a&e at a children's hospital with him during one of these episodes. He would most likely than get reviewed by a paediatric consultant.

Regular a&e is less likely to be helpful.

huha · 18/01/2018 04:45

Yea I wouldn't be accepting the fob off from the GP, OP. You have to make LOTS of noise and get him seen by a pediatrician ASAP. Do you have BUPA or private insurance?

Vitalogy · 18/01/2018 04:46

Any idea how much longer the test results will take? I know, as long as a piece of string
I agree, with going to A&E, hurry things up with the consultant. Poor love, hope you get to the bottom of this problem soon.

Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 04:59

Thanks for replying everyone I think it does sound like gall bladder but three trines the gps have said no children don’t get that (even though google says otherwise) I think the fecal test might take up to another 10days. Thanks for the study on migraine tummy pain I will have a look. It does happen after eating though so not sure if migraine works like that?? It’s getting worse too. I don’t have private medical insurance sadly. I was thinking about A&E and have been weighing it up especially as I am now sent away with calpol for possibly the next 10 days. I am extremely worried hence why I’m not sleeping this is not normal for him at all. I will search for a hospital with a children’s ward thanks for all of the suggestion I really appreciate them x

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SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 05:19

You really want an actual children's hospital for getting to the bottom of this quickly - they will have multiple paediatric consultants of different specialties as opposed to one general children's ward.

No idea where you are but examples would be Sheffield children's hospital, Bristol etc.

Obviously if there's nothing like that near you then that doesn't help, but if there's one the next town over then go for that rather than your local.

SofiaAmes · 18/01/2018 05:20

I second the pediatric a&e suggestion. When we lived in London, I would travel 45 minutes to the pediatric a&e at St. Mary's. It was worth the trip (and the parking fees) because we would get seen promptly and more importantly by actual pediatricians who were knowledgeable about pediatric issues. We once spent 4 hours in our local non-pediatric a&e waiting for a doctor who knew how to check a newborn for an ear infection. (DS had a fever of 104 and I knew it was an ear infection, as he had had several already, but needed a doctor to confirm and prescribe antibiotics and larger doses of ibuprofen than I could comfortably given without medical approval.)
Ds has mitochondrial disease and two of the symptoms that he has experienced multiple times are cyclical vomiting and abdominal migraines. Unfortunately neither were sporadic or short lived. He would get abdominal migraines that lasted weeks (as did his head migraines). His cyclical vomiting was clearly distinguishable from D&V because he didn't have the d part. He was also not really nauseous in between vomiting and perfectly happy to eat in between vomiting. Which isn't the case with D&V.
Ds was 10 when he was finally diagnosed with mitochondrial disease. Before that I just had a lot of doctors scratching their heads and telling me all the things they were sure he didn't have and/or that they had never seen anything like it. We had several visits to A&E with suspected appendicitis. In retrospect, it was abdominal migraines. And multiple diagnoses of sinus infection that didn't improve with antibiotics...because it was actually a migraine.

SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 05:21

Gey yourself some rest though, you'll need your energy and you can resume worrying in the morning.

Really feel for you, sounds awful to watch him suffering like this.

Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 08:26

I’m sleeping with ds and he woke me up sobbing because of the pain. My nearest hospitals are reading and frimley both of these say they have a children’s A&E with seperate waiting rooms. Is that what I am looking for?

I will read up about the migraine thing thank you. He just told me that there is sometimes a pain in his head when the abdominal pain starts but it’s not as bad as tummy that is much much worse.

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Rainbowsandflowers78 · 18/01/2018 08:28

Also saying take to children’s a and e - and don’t let them fob you off - make clear you’ve have all the tests done and it’s getting worse. Do not underreport his pain- tell how bad it is as that isn’t normal at all.
This sounds awful but the nhs love to type cast an ‘anxious mum’ so if possible take your oh or another family member along with you so you are both saying it - there’s then no doubt about the levels of his symptoms as you will be both saying it

Rainbowsandflowers78 · 18/01/2018 08:29

Coco yes re the hospitals but see if they have children’s wards too

Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 08:52

Thanks I just checked frimley (my preferred one as it’s so clean) and they have children’s wards so I think I will take him there

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Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 08:57

I totally agree about the over anxious mum stereotype thing I’ve been treated like that twice out of the four gp appointments I have had this week. It’s so frustrating.

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AtlanticWaves · 18/01/2018 09:02

Has he been scanned? DS had crying on the floor in pain with his tummy for 6 weeks and it turned out that his lymph nodes were infected - it's very common in children and teens and unfortunately there is sod all they can do to stop the pain.

He was sick a few times as well but not lots.

The infection didn't show up in blood tests though.

mrsreynolds · 18/01/2018 09:06

I would totally take him to paediatric a and e
It could absolutely be gallstones or appendicitis
Poor boy:(

Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 12:42

He hasn’t been scanned yet I was all set to take him to A&E and then my dd has come down with I think tonsillitis ☹️ The school is going to hate me.

The last two weeks it’s been hard to the gp to take me seriously and get beyond the “lots of children have tummy ache” speech. Luckily he started one of these bad pain episodes in front of the GP so they started to listen.

He has never had unusual absence from School before but now I have pressure from School attendence person about his attendence because he has missed 3 weeks. I did try and reluctantly send him in on two occasions during the last three weeks but both times he was sent home after a couple of hours because of the pain. Even with this happening I was told I had to send him in every day and the school would decide if he was ill enough to be sent home.

This really upset me so I called a meeting with the head (who is lovely and used to teach ds so knows this is unusual and that he is not the kind of child just to miss School) explained everything and she explained what I am to expect regarding his absence. Letters then referal to education welfare. Embarrassing I know but I then burst into tears. It was due to worry about ds I think not his education and frustration that the school can be so difficult when I’m in such a difficult situation right now. I have been calling them every other day with updates so it’s not like I haven’t kept them informed.

Unless things drastically change I am taking him to hospital in the morning as dh can be at home with sick dd

I really hope they listen to me and I hope they don’t just say why aren’t you waiting for the results of the test.

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BatFaceGal · 18/01/2018 13:02

I would take him to A & E ASAP and I’d not make too much of a meal out of waiting for test results. It’s irrelevant if you have a child who is getting worse with stomach pains, unable to attend school properly and is waking up crying in pain

So I’d be focusing on that, also think about what you want. What’s your goal here? Do you want him scanned? Sounds like he needs one. So I’d be pushing for that to happen TODAY

SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 13:06

If you're near Frlmley and reading then it sounds like you aren't close to an exclusively children's hospital unfortunately - nearest would be Brighton, Bristol or London.

Not to worry. When you go to frimley do your absolute best at being calm and reasonable. Upset if you need to be, but not angry or hysterical. You have every right to feel the two later, but this is just about not giving the impression at being silly and ott.

Write down the list of concerns as bullet points. Practice here even and we can help to make sure you emphasise the right things.

You can always hand the list over if you find yourself getting in a fluster, and you can check it to make sure you've mentioned everything.

SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 13:18
  • 6 week history of diarrhoea and vomiting


  • general abdo pain that initially came on after eating but is now constant.


-pain leaves him writhing on the floor and crying and cannot be managed by paracetamol, warm baths etc.

Etc
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