13 yo anxiety and severe tummy pains

[Joco34]

My nearly 14 yo DS was violently ill throwing up in January. He has never been sick before and it really scared him. Since then he has had ongoing reflux and tummy pains most days and anxiety about being sick again. The GP thought he might have reflux and he has been on gaviscin and other meds for his tummy. The problem is the pain in his stomach is still there. He burps alot so it sounds like reflux. Been to GP 3 times as he is missing school. Then there's the anxiety which I believe makes his tummy pain worse. Some days I think the pain is through anxiety itself. Poor boy is terrified and genuinely uncomfortable. I have another GP appt today. I will spk to them about the anxiety, I will ask for a referral to gastro if needed. Does anyone else have any idea how I can help, or what it could be please. Thanks

Have they tested his poo for bacteria/parasites?

Sorry you're going through this. My DD had slightly similar as well as cyclical vomitting syndrome but, obviously very different being a girl, was later connected to endometriosis.

what’s his diet like? My ds is 10 and has meds for reflux and is worse if eating anything UPF. He’s much better with ‘clean’ food. UPFs also send his ADHD traits sky rocketing. Sweeteners are a prime culprit, anything fizzy.
Is he taking paracetamol for the pain? Ds settles with pain relief. It’s always worse in the morning on a school day so influenced by anxiety

I’m not saying the pain definitely is anxiety because could be an array of things BUT I went through something very similar around his age. I got a 48 hour vomitting bug which for some reason really affected me mentally, I became petrified of being sick, I was constantly anxious over it, so much so that the anxiety over vomitting made me feel sick and gave me bad stomach pains. I didn’t want to eat a lot because I was so scared of being sick again, so the hunger was making my stomach hurt more.

My mum took me to the GP and I was prescribed Omeprazole for stomach acid, which didn’t really solve the overall problem. After a year of this I was diagnosed with Emetophobia, the fear of vomitting, it was basically all stemming from this. Took another 2 years and a bit if therapy to grow out of it.

Honestly I have no idea why it upset me so much because I’d been sick before? My poor mum had no idea what the hell was going on with me, so I can sympathise for you and obviously for him.

So definitely still go for a gastro referral, better to be safe than sorry, but there is a chance it could be fear and anxiety causing the symptoms, anxiety and stress can increase stomach acid and reflux too

Also not suggesting there isn’t a physical issue, but I would look into learning about Emetophobia, it’s a debilitating phobia of vomiting. It can cause severe anxiety, physical symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain, OCD, food aversion/safe/unsafe food practices.

i hope this isn’t what it is, as it is truly awful to live with but worth considering or at least reading to understand.

Your lad had got to 13 without ever being sick? Impressive
Poor boy. It is horrible.