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Original poster

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:
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TheFairyCaravan · 18/01/2018 13:25

Cocofluff I’m going to PM you the name of the doctor who sorted DS1 out.

Original poster
Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 13:28

Thank you bat and snow. Just tried him with gaviscon (as gp mentioned it yesterday) ds rescted terribly to it and threw it all up. Could have been the taste or consistency? This however has made the pain worse ds sat cuddling and sobbing with me. makes sense the vomiting would have caused more pain I don’t know if this gives us more clues as to what’s going on.

Yes thank you snow I want to go in and be taken seriously thank you for the practice run. My concerns are

Abdominal pain and vomiting for the past year flaring up occasionally maybe once every 8wks or so that I attributed to tummy bugs or delecate tummy, eating too much etc. Would be over once a few hours without symptoms persisting so I shrugged it off

Around Dec 1st tummy bug for the whole family but ds didn’t seem to get better. Had tummy pain seemed tired slept allot over Christmas break (would take himself off to bed saying tummy was hurting) bouts of diahrea. Was lethargic. This stared off being every few days. The last two to three weeks has been getting worse and worse. Now it’s constant pain with some vomiting and intense flair up of pain leaving him sobbing or groaning in pain. Calpol is not helping. Do you think I need to re phrase any of this?

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 13:31

Didn’t see the previous messages before posting I can clearly see I’m flustered I need to bullet point and be more precise

OP posts:
mumof06darlings · 18/01/2018 13:41

My son has been getting pains like this but it comes for a few weeks and then disappears again. Dr thinks it's migraines. He has got some zantac from the dr which does really help him. I don't know long term how it will work but am hoping he will grow out of it. He got glangular fever in Feb and it seems to have starred since then.

mumof06darlings · 18/01/2018 13:44

My ds is 9 incase that needs to come into it
It's v worrying

BatFaceGal · 18/01/2018 13:44

Constant pain and vomiting that has been going on for weeks BUT crucially has hit a peak today, so much worse etc

Rainbowsandflowers78 · 18/01/2018 13:48

Go as soon as your oh has finished work or take her with you and get him to come and collect her

You are upset and overwhelmed because your ds is not getting the right care and you are worried about him.

You need to bypass the gp at this point I’m afraid. Stay strong - you are not an overly anxious. GPS work on a ‘most likely’ basis and most kids they see just have a tummy ache. You know this is not normal therefore you need to push to get them to see this as something different. Hate hate that before they will do that they will doubt you and think it’s more likely to be you being anxious than something more unusual or serious. Stay strong!

When you go to hospital - take someone else - doesn’t need to be male or female just someone else who will vouch for his symptoms so they can skip the ‘is it just that Mum is anxious’ stage.

SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 14:39

Keep going with your bullet points. Concise as possible without excluding anything important. It will also help to get it all straight on your head so you can explain yourself well.

The emphasis needs to be on the fact that this has moved on from something that was a slow grumbling appropriate for a gp to manage, and is now a more serious situation warranting emergency care. The levels of pain he is in and the fact that they are unmanageable at home are key.

Original poster
Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 15:16

Thank you all so much we are in A&E now I will keep the bullet points in mind thank you

OP posts:
SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 15:20

Good luck, will be thinking of you (and praying, if that's your thing!) Flowers

SofiaAmes · 18/01/2018 15:21

Calpol did not work at all on my ds. Try ibuprofen. If it's migraine, then soothing him will help. I would read to my ds or give him audiobooks to listen to. Tv was no good because the light exacerbated the migraine. Gaviscon is for heartburn....doesn't really sound like what your ds is experiencing.

I found it helpful to do a precise timeline of exactly what symptoms happen and on when. It's also a good calming process for you to do. It will emphasize that you are not exaggerating and it will be helpful for the doctors for diagnosis.

SofiaAmes · 18/01/2018 15:22

Whoops cross posted. I am sure you will get help soon. In the meantime, try doing the timeline while you are waiting.

SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 15:25

Good luck, will be thinking of you (and praying, if that's your thing!) Flowers

SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 15:25

Oh, posted twice oops. Double good luck!

Vitalogy · 18/01/2018 17:32

Best wishes.

mrsreynolds · 18/01/2018 17:57

Good luck

huha · 18/01/2018 18:13

Glad you went in. Good luck OP.

FancyPuffin · 18/01/2018 18:43

I'm so glad you've taken him in.

Hope everything is okay Flowers

Fitzsimmons · 18/01/2018 20:14

Hope you get some answers OP

SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 20:22

Hopefully the radio silence means op is busy getting this dealt with and the a&e trip has set the ball rolling...

Rachie1986 · 18/01/2018 20:26

Hope you are getting things sorted OP and some help for your son, poor love

Original poster
Cocofluff · 18/01/2018 21:30

Thank you so much everyone we have just arrived home.

Waited five hours to see a dr in the peadiactric A&E. Ds was in agony and had double pain relief while waiting of calpol and ibuprofen. It got so bad I had to ask for somewhere for him to lay down as pain was so much worse sitting down. I was asked why are you here if you have seen the gp this week? I told the dr the last 24hrs the situation had got worse and ds was in constant pain. After filling dr in on all of the above he said I had to go back to my GP ☹️ He said gp had to refer us to a consultant and he said there was no reason for a scan at this stage after I asked for one. I told him the gp hadn’t offered us a consultant appointment. I asked what about pain management and was told calpol and ibuprofen only even though this isn’t working. He did prescribe ranatidine to try as he said he thought it sounded like either ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease or an undiagnosed food intolerance. Ds has taken his first dose of this this evening. I felt a bit fobbed off even though I kept calm and precise. Frustrating I’m still non the wiser. Thank you so much for all of the advice. I’m not sure what else I can do now except wait x

OP posts:
SnowGoArea · 18/01/2018 21:45

Oh no I'm so sorry it wasn't more successful Sad

Has the ranitidine done anything for him so far?

Do you have a plan for the gp? Can you go back in tomorrow and push for the referral (preferably as urgent)in advance of the test result?

makingmiracles · 18/01/2018 21:47

Blimey sounds like you were fobbed off a bit, were they busy I take it as you had to wait 5hrs?

Personally if it were my child if he worsens tonight I would go back to A and E again with him, if your presenting twice in a matter of hours with a child on whome pain relief is not actually working and be calm and insistent that he needs 1) stronger pain relief 2) further investigation then they just might taken it more seriously.

If you don’t go back to a and e tonight I would be on the phone getting a telephone appt with your Gp tommorrow and insisting on the consultant referral and something stronger as pain relief.

Poor child, if we are in horrific pain as adults we get stronger pain relief options but I’ve found children do seem to get fobbed off.

moosemama · 18/01/2018 21:49

Can you see a different GP? We have been going through similar with dd, age 9, albeit without the vomiting and it was seeing a second GP at the same practice that finally got her referred to a gastro at the children’s hospital. First GP was implying it was psychological and told me to send her back to school, then she started passing blood mixed in her stool and we are back at the hospital tomorrow to discuss colonoscopy and endoscopy results, but have been told they suspect she has IBD.

Re school/attendance, we had a lot of pressure put on us as well, as dd missed almost half of the Autumn term and school even referred dd for counselling, insisting it must be school anxiety. My advice is to make contact with Education Welfare yourself and explain the situation. They tend to be very approachable and nine times out of ten will just make a note of what’s going on and not bother you, unless for updates once in a while. School nurse is another useful contact to make. Keeping everyone updated regularly, rather than waiting for them to come to you, puts you in control, which reduces anxiety on your part, but also makes their jobs easier, which they appreciate.

Really hope you get some answers and help for your poor ds soon.