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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to not agree with GP's diagnosis? MN wisdom needed here.

69 replies

abbierhodes · 12/12/2011 13:05

Sorry, this is quite possibly going to be long.

My DS2 (4) has had stomach pains since last monday. He had a tiny bit of diahorrea that day but nothing else. I put this down to nerves about his school nativity play. On the wednesday (after the play) he came out of school and got a very tiny bit sick. By dinnertime he was writhing in pain and groaning. I was worried as it didn't seem like a bug so took him to ooh doctor. They said possible water infection but as DS couldn't seem to produce a wee sample the doc said to take him home and see our GP in the morning.

Later that night he started being sick. He was sick about 4 times, all the time writhing in pain with his tummy. DH took him to the GP in the morning who diagnosed gastroenteritis.

The problem is that EVERYTHING I have read, including the leaflet the doctor gave us says that the main symptom of gastro is lots of D+V. DS has only vomitted once since that first night. Other than that his only symptom has been the pain.
The pain is not constant. Last night it was so bad at one point I was ready to take him to A+E. Now he's happily playing a computer game with his brother. He's been up and down like this all weekend...the pain is worst at night, but seems to ease in the day.

We now have the added complication that my other two children (and DH) have come down with a pretty bad stomach bug over night. I feel like my GP is just going to say 'see? I told you it was a bug!' If I go back and mention this. But DS2 has completely different symptoms.

I'm really at a loss for what to do next. I don't want to make a fuss over nothing, but I'm his mum and I know he's not right. If ii took him to A+E now though they'd think I was mad, as he's perfectly fine. But I know at any given moment he'll go back to writhing in pain.

Does anyone have any experience/ ideas?

OP posts:
JWIM · 12/12/2011 13:28

Not wishing to be alarmist but please ask the GP if it could be a twist/strangulation of the gut. This can present as intermittant pain as it twists and untwists and generally does not present with D&V like a bug. I know of one case which coincided with a D&V outbreak and child's unwellness was put down to a bug - it did not end well Sad.

Original poster
abbierhodes · 12/12/2011 13:29

Vallium, no, he's not in pain now at all. But when he is, it's very severe. Your comment about being 'less worried if the others didn't have a bug' is exactly what I'm expecting the GP to say, which is why I'm hesitant to take him back.

Apologies for all Xposts, I'm on my phone and typing very slowly.

OP posts:
Dawndonnathatchristmasiscoming · 12/12/2011 13:36

Daughter had appendicitis last year. I knew it, took her to gp. got sent home, told urine infection. She was in pain, then she wasn't, then she was. A week later, appendix removed.
The McBurney's point test up there ^ is worth checking out.

GeneHuntsMistress · 12/12/2011 13:52

I'm by no means a doctor or medically trained in anyway. But what about kidney stones. That causes intermittent pain.

I would def get a second opinion. What's the worse that can happen - original doc is proven right and you feel like a bitof a tit.

Hope your DS is ok and turns out to be just a weird bug.

bubby64 · 12/12/2011 13:58

My appendix "grumbled" on for a month or so before the final flare up, so pain can come and go, I am a nurse, and I was not sure what it was until it got bad! If this continues, take him back to GP, or if acute pain, A+E, we don't mind, especially with kids, who can develop serious problems very quickly.

SmethwickBelle · 12/12/2011 14:08

Could be a variation on the gastroenteritis theme.

I had a "h pylori" type stomach bug that manifested as severe stomach ache before and after (not much) vomiting - the stomach was infected not the gut. I mean it's a variation on the gastroenteritis theme as the stomach is part of that system, people just imagine these things to be all about the guts.

I took some protein pump inhibitors called Omeprazole from the docs which stopped my stomach making as much acid and had some antibiotics and it cleared up in a few weeks.

Hope he's better soon.

Original poster
abbierhodes · 12/12/2011 14:24

Thanks for all the responses. The bowel thing has got my attention- he's not pooing very often at all. I'm going to wait for the next bout of pain and get him to A+E at the children's hospital.

To answer an earlier question, his temperature is low- 35.5. Odd for him as he usually burns up at the first sign of illness.

OP posts:
crystalglasses · 12/12/2011 14:33

I agree with other posters and get him investigated for appendicitis, to rule it out.

bubby64 · 12/12/2011 14:36

Sounds to me like he could have chronic constipation, especially as no temp and irregular bowel movements, a simple x-ray would rule that out - get him checked.

aldiwhore · 12/12/2011 14:37

I would take him to A+E at the next bout of severe pain.

BUT, whenever the family gets the same bug, our symptoms all vary slightly. Last weekl we had some gastro-type bug, eldest was glued to the loo seat, youngest got really constipated but sick, I had stomach cramps and DH had what he described as indigestion from hell.

I do think it was the same bug though.

Saying that, if I was worried I'd certainly be off to A+E.

Cherriesarelovely · 12/12/2011 14:39

Take him to AandE as soon as he is in pain again. I think you should always trust your instincts, you are not being ridiculous.

TartyMcFalalalalalalalalarty · 12/12/2011 14:56

A bit like what JWIM suggested, my brother had interssuseption as a toddler (rare at that age), which was a sort-of folding in of the intestine. Again, I don't wish to be alarmist but it's the lack of bowel movements and vomiting that bring it to mind.

cestlavielife · 12/12/2011 15:02

sounds like constipation this can leave child writhing in pain and it comes and goes.
make sure he cleared out lots of prune juice also GP should feel tummy for bowel blockage.
dairrhoea can mean constipation it is the bits that go round the side of the impaction .

TartyMcFalalalalalalalalarty · 12/12/2011 15:04

To balance what I just suggested, I think cestlavielife could well be right, but that you should definitely check it further.

NK346f2849X127d8bca260 · 12/12/2011 15:57

My ds had what we thought was a stomach bug and it turned out to be a twisted testicle. He had to have it removed as it couldn't be saved, still feel guilty about that.
Please get him checked again

zeno · 12/12/2011 16:02

PLEASE READ

Low temp can be a sign of a child going into shock. Please take your child to A&E straight away. Don't ignore the low temp, it can be a significant sign of serious illness.

Also be aware that a child can be experiencing severe illness but that they can mask symptoms and appear to be functioning well even when seriously ill.

Take him to A&E and let the expert paediatricians make an assessment.
Hope all is well soon.

zeno · 12/12/2011 16:06

And I meant to say, don't worry about what people may think. Just take him now, don't wait for the pain to come round again. Make sure you tell them his core temp is abnormally low.

festi · 12/12/2011 18:00

low temp and possible compacted bowel I would get him to a&e

UnexpectedOrangeInMyStocking · 12/12/2011 18:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

valiumredhead · 12/12/2011 18:10

Ds often has terrible cramps with bugs, I wish he would just be sick like every other kid as I am sure he'd feel better for it.

4madboys · 12/12/2011 18:19

yeah when i am ill i am rarely sick but i get stomach cramps that are worse than labour pains!

how do you know his temp is that low, is that the temp the dr said or do you have a digital thermometor? check it is working properly and do you know what his 'usual' temp is when not ill, most people have a sort of base line, but you need to have taken it when he is well to know what it is.

i would prob take him to out of hours if the pain reccurrs, it could be anything from constipation, trapped wind, tummy bug, has he tried having a warm bath that could ease his tummy and help him to go to the toilet?

valiumredhead · 12/12/2011 18:21

Sipping peppermint tea is good for tummy cramps/ache too.

wonkylegs · 12/12/2011 18:30

Sounds like bad constipation to me.... Until I started my latest round of Meds I didn't realise how bad constipation could get. Vomiting and 'overflow' diarrhoea are side effects as is intermittent intense pain. I also regularly pass out when it gets this bad Sad due to pressure on a nerve (keep forgetting it's name) when I get a compacted bowel.
As you are uncertain it is best to go get him checked out again. No decent doctor will criticise a parent for concern over their child.

saladsandwich · 12/12/2011 18:46

ds gets low temps, they are the bodies reaction to something just like a high temp is... if his temp is still low take him to A and E.

i will say i react to stomach bugs though very similar to the symptoms you say, i think because im not really sick or get proper runs the bug stays in me longer. i think because you are worried that is enough to seek as many opinions has you like.

LizzyLiz · 12/12/2011 18:49

My DS has had 2 occasions of writhing on the floor in agony with stomach pain.

The 1st went as quickly as it started and was trapped wind. The 2nd continued for several hours, initially there was no temperature but then he got one, couldn't wee, wouldn't eat and it was appendicitis.

Several people have mentioned a rumbling appendix to me since which I think means appendix pain but it calms down so doesn't get taken out, at least not at that stage. I have also heard that appendix pain can come and go.

I'd definitely go to A&E if he's in that much pain again.