DS age 7 abdominal pain V&D for 6wks

[Cocofluff]

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?

Oh dear, how frustrating. Hopefully the ranatidine will help while you are waiting.

Ok then tomorrow you ring gp and say pain was so bad you went to a and e - and they told you to get a referral so please can you have one.

Sorry but it does sound like you were fobbed off a bit - did you take someone else with you? You can be as concise as you want but sometimes you have to be as pushy as hell to get what your lo needs.

I’d push in the morning to the gp now - as for an urgent referral and don’t take no for an answer

And sorry don’t mean to sound critical just been through exactly what you have re the process but with different symptoms and know how hard it can be when you KNOW something isn’t right to get it taken seriously

Morning thank you all for the fantastic advice it really helps to have a bit of confidence behind me. The ranatidine seems to be doing something he has had two doses now and so far hasn’t had a bad attack (managed to sleep through the night). I don’t know if that gives us more clues as to what’s going on but I’m going to stick with it. Ds seems a little brighter in himself he has rated his pain at an 8 which was a 10 yesterday. So will see how today goes.

I felt 2 gps and the staff at the hospital last night all think I’m an over the top mother and I hate that. At the hospital staff seemed surprised to not find ds on their records, this was because I had never taken him to A&E before. Surely that should have made them think differently. This last two weeks has been full of patronising health care providers. I know they have to weed out the fakers but my goodness it makes it hard for those of us genuinely ill. I had my own experience of this some years ago sent away with ibs for two years and then when I kicked up a fuss they found a 10cm tumour on my ovary. I’m fine now btw (after a hellish time)

I will call the surgery for a consultant referal (I feel so awkward about this not sure why?)

Sending all of you flowers this morning thanks you for the support

The most important thing you have is your instinct and you must trust that - the drs don’t have that so don’t see him in the same way you do. Also they only see him for a couple of minutes - you see him and know him for years.
Hope you got a referral

Perhaps phone the surgery and ask for a telephone consultation.

Then when you get through to the doctor say that the pain has got significantly worse and you ended up in a&e out of desperation. There wasn't much they could do but said that you really need that referral. You realise that the test result hasn't come back yet, but could you please gat the ball rolling with the referral now because ds is struggling to cope. Obviously if the results were to come back and change things in the meantime then that's different, but chances are the referral will still be needed anyway. You are sorry to be hounding them, and fully aware that you are coming across as a panicky parent, but ds is steadily getting worse and you are very concerned.

Don't mention the ranitidine being helpful, it's only been one night and may still have been a fluke. You still need that referral and don't want them to have any excuse not to push it through.

I should clarify, don't actually lie about the ranitidine seeming to take the edge off for tonight if asked. I guess I was meaning don't volunteer that it's made some sort a big difference when in reality it's only been a few hours and could change.

That must be a relief the ranatidine is helping. I agree with PP about your instinct, you're doing good OP.

Ok. So for me, this is one of those times where you find the money and you go private ASAP to a children's paed.

I'm sorry but for me, he's in too much pain and has lost too much weight for this to be something mild.

My mum paid out for private (really really couldn't afford it) when I was placed on a waiting list for what was considered a 'routine' non major op. Turned out when they opened me up it was 100% life threatening and if I'd have waited on the NHS I'd have died by the time the scheduled op came round. I was 9.

Not my intention to scare at all, but Doctors are human. They can miss things. They can think it's just a kid making a fuss when your mum's instinct are telling you it's not.

Please, just get him seen by an expert.

DD, 8, has the lymph gland thing.
It’s part of your immune system so whenever that’s working harder than usual she gets awful stomach pains.

Rest, good food, immune supporting supplements and a hot water bottle when it’s bad are the only things that help I’m afraid.

They usually grow out of it when they’re 12 or so.

It’s horrible.

She loses her appetite completely whennshe’s Having a bout of this and the weight falls off her.
She’s been sick a couple of times but stools are normal (unless her immune system is fighting a tummy bug)

Hope you get to the bottom of it. Definitely push hard. It might be something they can actually alleviate.

Great advice thank you all once again. Phoned the surgery and updated them on A&E and that we need a referral to consultant. Was told they can’t until the fecal test comes back which could take until Friday. Was told to get to A&E again if pain gets bad again in the meantime. Ds is still saying he is in pain around an 8 out of 10 but no intense flair ups as yet today.

To add to this I seem to have picked up Dd fly virus my temp is 100 and I’m fit for nothing so my brain isn’t coherent . Dh has had to finish work early to help. I have to admit defeat for this afternoon and leave dh with instruction to get to A&E at any pain flare up. Dam it x

Flu not fly

If I went private could I just have a consultation and then proceed via nhs? How do you do that?

I'm really not sure about that I'm afraid.

If you're considering going private then you could probably ask that very question when you phoned up to enquire. I'm sure it's a common question.

Yes, you can be seen and diagnosed privately, then they can send details to your GP of the referrals you need. The only fly in the ointment is that the GP doesn’t have to act on instructions from a private dr.

Be aware that you will probably still need a referral from your GP to see a private paediatrician, but worst case scenario is they charge you £30.00 for the letter if they don’t agree with the referral.

I was told that there is a huge shortage of private paediatric drs and the insurance company really struggled to find suitable specialists for my ds2, but that was for a different issue, I’m not sure about private gastroenterologists.

Not sure which area of the country you are, but if you can get a referral to Birmingham Children’s Hospital their Gastros are really good. All three of my dcs are under them and they have been really thorough with their investigations.

How is your ds getting on with the ranitidine? Hope you're hanging there OK! Did you manage to get your referral?

Hi I have been down with an awful virus this week so been out of action. Dh took ds back to the dr as he made it to 10am at school before being sent home looking yellow and in pain. Dr has referred him to a pead consultant. This appointment is in a month. Ds is in bad pain every day without let up. I called appointment to see if there were any cancellations to come quicker but told to try every day. His blood and stool test results show negative for inflammatory bowel disease, celiac, diabetes and no inflammatory markers. He is in so much pain still on ranatidine but it hasn't helped him yet.

I'm really worried and don't know what to do? How can a child in pain wait another 4 wks? Total of 8wks of pain before any help?

For a private referal do I just google children's gasto consultant in my area and phone them up? Fairy sent me a great one in Bristol I'm tempted to make the journey my other children are holding me back as it's so far but I would if it were the only option

Have you called the appointments line or the consultant’s secretary? When we were in a similar situation I called the Gastro’s secretary, she spoke to the Gastro and we were seen within the week.

We are going through something very similar with dd, all bloods other than anaemia were negative, no inflammatory markers, negative endo and colonoscopy plus biopsies, yet she is in agony on a daily basis. Now been referred for MRE (MRI of small intestines) and have been told if that is negative, they will have no choice but to diagnose IBS, but she hasn’t responded to any meds so far and the consultant said there aren’t really any more they can try her on.

If you want to go private, have a Google and cross-reference drs on sites like BUPA and Shire hospitals to read their bios and what their special interests are, then have a look on I Want Great Care to see if you can find any references for them. You usually have to get a letter of referral from your GP. What sort of area would you prefer to see one in?

Try going online to Dr. Foster. The website gives you doctors in your local area who practice privately along with ratings, areas of interest, etc.

Have you asked the secretary for the consultant you've been referred to if they do any private clincs?

Coco the consultant I recommended is in Southampton. He’s excellent.

I’m so sorry your DS is still so poorly and you have had the flu. I hope you feel better soon.

Have you done any reading on Crohns? It is often missed in children, and wouldn't show up in routine checks.

Moose I called the appointments line, good thinking about calling the secretary I will do that in the morning. I know the consultants name so I'd guess I'd just call up the hospital and ask to speak to her department.

If that doesn't work then I will ask for her private clinic.

Huha thanks for the suggestion I will try that if the above fails.

Goodness fairy I must have been high on flu meds and temperatures when I read your message. I knew my brains wasn't working right of course Southampton. That's not too far to travel for the right specialist either. Thank you all now I have two good consultants for Gastro as moose recommended one too. We are in Berkshire area.