Abdominal Migraine????

[rockinhippy]

Can anyone please point me in the right direction for how to get a diagnosis for this?? ie: what type of specialist would a DC need to see - Paediatric Gastro or Nurology or something else??

I'm starting to realise that some of DDs stomach problems might not actually be IBS as is her current diagnosis, as I've noticed the last few times I've had a bad migraine brewing due to the weather - we have storm brewing - she has stomach problems, but different to at other times -

she's just been sent home from School again, feeling sick, white as a sheet, with stomach pain, diareah, complaining of the light being "too bright" & the noise hurting her, & she commented on several things smelling strongly on the way home (the latter all being symptoms I get myself) :(

Googling Abdominal Migraine & asking WHERE she has her pain, it fits perfectly, so realise we need to go back & see our GP, but know from old being able to ask for a particular referral will be a big help in getting it dealt with quickly, as feel as she's missing School its important to have a proper diagnosis & to know how to deal with it

Thank You :)

I had this from childhood into my late teens. It was finally diagnosed by our family GP when I was about 9/10, but nothing was ever done about it or for me. I seemed to stop having such frequent attacks after I left school and at 17 when something stressful occured and I had an attack, I realised that it was stress related. I was bullied mercilessly at school which was sad as I loved it. These migraines no longer happens to me, even in very stressful situations.

I have no advice for you, but I'm wondering if your Dd has heard you mention your own migraine symptoms and has maybe pulled those into her pain and made them her own?
I hope you get it sorted out; it was never any fun and ruined my education.

thanks Solo & sorry you had to deal with it too, especially with the bullying to aggravate it :(

I'm pretty sure she's not making my symptoms her own, as I tend to play it down & just mention it as a very bad headache - she hasn't complained of a headache at all, just the other aura symptoms & saying her stomach "feels like its been turned inside out" & is hard & knotted - & it does feel very hard, not bloated, just knotted up -

she does also get IBS, but her stomach feels different during an attack of that - thats aggravated by stress too & funnily enough she has been ill with that recently too, partly down to SATS worry, & found out later she was having problems with a couple of her so called "friends" which had upset her a lot :( - managed to get it all sorted out & she was really happy again, so I was shocked to get a call to collect her from School again

but thinking on it further I'm really wondering about abdominal migraine been the cause this time, as her symptoms are different & she has had it before without any of her usual obvious triggers - & it fits with the timing my getting weather related migraine.

I've had a look on migraine.org & its mentioned on there, so from that it looks like it might be the nuro rather than gastro she needs to see for diagnosis -

but if anyone does know for sure?? that would be a big help:)

Does she get 'classic' migraines ie headaches as well? How old is your DD?

There is no diagnostic test for migraine, head or belly, so often a 'therapeutic trial' will be suggested which would involve treating her with migraine medication to see if it will work which would confirm the diagnosis.

The way you describe her symptoms, abdominal migraine does sound not unlikely.

Re specialist: I'd have though your first port of call (after your GP) would be a paediatrician - abdominal migraine is not that uncommon and like I said any potential tests are mainly to rule out other possible causes, not to diagnose migraine.

Hi pacific :)

No, not "classic" migraine with headache - but nausea, hearing, light & smell sensitivity & looking very pale, stomach pain, knotted stomach followed by diareah - she also gets very sleepy - though doesn't with IBS - thats stomach pain & diareah only - she's 8

I get migraine myself, have a diagnosis of Chronic migraine (for my sins & I was seen & diagnosed by a nurologist specialising in migraine, but with hers being gastric I wasn't sure how it would work

I do need to take her back to the GP & will do as soon as they open again - but not sure how seriously they will take it, as she already has an IBS diagnosis by a paediatric Gastro & the GP does tend to fob EVERYTHING off on that & anxiety - so I'm thinking I will need a referral to get it taken seriously - hopefully not, but want to be prepared just incase

We've being dealing with IBS for years now & know her triggers & how to settle it again & how the symptoms effect her & this is different & doesn't respond or affect her in the same way & something she said jogged my memory on something I'd read on abdominal migraine - & looking it up its fits perfectly

I really do feel for your Dd. I remember the pain well :( I had my appendix removed at 11 to see if that would cure the problem which of course it didn't.
I hope it is dealt with properly for all your sakes, I really do.

Just realised that the dx must've been much later than 9/10 because of the surgery...it's a long time ago now and not something that I think of now.