help! mesenteric adenitis: has anybody else had a child diagnosed with this?

[ska]

my dd age 8 has been diagnosed with this . She has been very unwell with various viruses over the last month or so. Last Thursday she stared to ge really bad stomach pains and vomiting - so bad we were worried it could be appendicitis. But the doctor says it's mesenteric adenitis (inflammed lymph glands basically). We have been back to GP/out of hours plus A&E since then. She is in agony, always in pain and very often screaming with the pain and writhing on the floor. It is worse in the evening. Anybody have any tips for managing the pain - calpol doesn't touch it. Can I demand codeine type meds? Any advice at all? It's awful watching her go through this.

that sounds horrendous - didnt your gp prescribe anything? is there no treatment, or do you just have to wait till it goes away? sorry, no help, but feel for you...

calpol, calbrufen! Doesn't seem to help. Have been on a US website and they say nothing helps just sedatives. And it can takes months to recover (I think like shingles can or glandular fever). Honestly, it is hell for all of us and we can't actually feel anything.

Poor little thing.
My ds (now 8, he was just 7 then) had this, just over a year ago - we were actually at the stage of the anaesthetist before the appendix operation before they decided to wait & see if it was indeed that & not acute appendicitis.

Anyway - the thing which calmed it then was morphine (seriously) - they gave him a shot of that, because if it is appendicitis the morphine only just masks the pain, whereas if it's mesenteric adenitis the glands subside & pain goes altogether.

So - YES demand codeine, because they wouldn't have given my ds morphine unless they knew it's a really serious horrible pain. Also - if opiates don't in the end help, then perhaps a second opinion about grumbling appendix is in order?

Poor little thing (again).

oh you can't believe ho wpleased i am to find someone else who has experience of this! (sorry). Just come downstairs from her - can't bear it at the moment. so if i go to the GP can they give it to her or does it have to be hospital? She has been to A&E screaming and upsetting all the other people (think tantruming child kind of looks...) and the said 'calpol'....it will pass in a few days its not serious.

bump

and bump again

They took us so much more seriously than they seem to be taking you - that can't be right!

When we went to A&E they admitted ds at once - then we had the examination and the consent for surgery, and everything moved super-fast - I am very glad they decided to do a "wait & see" with the morphine.

We were in Cornwall - I wonder if we got such good treatment because it wasn't an overstretched hospital? Where are you? I think in your place I would go to A&E - but to a paediatric one, if you have one, and not at night unless you absolutely have to.

It's rather a pathetic suggestion, but a hot water bottle can do some good. Can't do any harm.

ska, id be a liar to say id ever heard of this illness, but it does interest me coz my son who is now 8 got a terrible virus one day and his glands in his neck came right up, took him docs and doc was very concerned, checked to see if he had any other swelling in his other lymph nodes which thankfully he didnt, he gave us antibiotics and measured the largest gland, we went back in a week after the anti biotics and it had shrunk slightly so the doc was pleased withthis and kept observing him and trying diff antibiotics, eventually he was sent to the ENT and they said he has huge tonsils and adenoids but he wasnt overly interested in his neck glands ANYWAY that was nearly 5 years ago and the glands have never really gone down, they shrink loads but when he gets even the slightest hint of a cold, they go big again. im sorry im not a help but just thought id share my experiance, think i may start my own thread bout it

ska.....have you definatley had appedicitis ruled out, the vomitting is what worries me. DS had appendicitis and showed a lot of the symptoms your indicating.

dont mean to worry you. DS also had various sore throats etc on the lead up to appendicitis, we were told to this was typical symptoms

My older dd has been hospitalised twice with this, both times as a query appendix. She turned out to have bacterial throat infections and once the ab's kicked in the pains went away.

If your dd can take ibuprofen alternated with calpol that may help more than calpol alone. A problem with codeine is that it can constipate which could make the situation worse. A hot water bottle or wheat bag is v comforting, as well.

Hope your dd feels better soon.

thanks for this. We had tonsillitit diagnosed with 'large glands' in the tummy and penicilin. and they ruled our appendicitis which was obviouslyy what everybody feared. This was when she threw up 28 times in 2 hours and was writhing on floor a - at out of hours gp very kind. next day she therw up a few times and was in lots of pain. Next day threw up a bit more and writhing was incredible and she started screaming. Took her to out of hours. Different GP (also v kind) said UIT and gave her different abiotic and told me off kindly fo rletting her eat some chips (she'd eaten nothing for days and she fancied some, so I relented). Ruled out appndix but said UTI was very severe. Send urine for testing, not had it back yet. Next day she was in agony the entire time and screamed and screamed and cried the entire day. Tried warm baths. Doubled the abiotic (had been told by someone to double up dose first day). Eventually took her to Paed A&E. They weren't much help to be honest. Really disinterested nurses sitting round chatting and they didn't seem to be concerned about her. Maybe they have to have hardened hearts but we were sitting there with her writhing and screaming and all the other parenst were really put out (it was a bit frightening for their little ones I am sure). Nice SHO saw her and excluded UTI and appendicitis. Said tummy wasn't tender. Said alternate capol/ibrofen. Hot water bottle plenty of rest. Off we go home again.

And still it goes on. All together I have had 3 weeks off work becasue she has had a series of awful viruses that she just can't kick. And now this. All I want is for her to not be in pain and (feel guilty) for me to be able to get some sleep. I DONT think she's being a drama queen, I think she's in pain.
So should I go back to GP or A&E and kick up a stink?

sorry meant to type UTI (urinary tract infection)

This sounds awful ska

In that much pain I would take her back to A&E and refuse to budge until she has some stronger pain relief or they do more tests.

Would anti spasmodics help I wonder? My ds had some horrendous stomach pain a few months ago - they suspected kidney stones but was unconfirmed and the anti-spasmodics seemed to help more than the painkillers.

just got back from gp. he was great - given her some anti spasmodics and refered her for a scan. doesn't think it's serious but says he knows she's in pain. reassured me a lot. he has asked if she's worried by anything and i said do you think i'm being neurotic and he said no but children can't express themselves as well as adults and sometimes it makes it feel worse. so will spend day gently probing about whether she's worried at school.......

DD2 (9) was diagnosed with this 18 months ago, after a year of stomach pains and vomiting. She eventually had an ultrasound scan which clearly showed glands about 2cm in diameter, rather than the usual 2-4mm. Being a virus, it can take months or years to go, and may well reoccur if she is run down or under the weather. DD2 is much much better now, but still gets pain when she's tired and run down. I alternate Calpol and Ibuprofen, which doesn't take away the pain completely, but definitely helps.
Out of interest, DD1 spent several days in hospital last year, after a week of screaming pain and vomiting. We went to A&E on 3 occasions because the GP was concerned that it might be her appendix, but they found nothing. They eventually admitted her, did various tests and ex-rays, and found that her bowel was blocked with (basically!) poo. She doesn't drink enough so the poo had become hard and she wasn't able to pass it. It couldn't be something like that, could it? She also did the screaming, writhing thing, which is why I ask.

Yay for your GP. Hope they help ska - and that the scan gives you some answers.

thanks to you both. Poos are normal as far as i can tell and she is definitely run down (as are we all). Dreading it lasting ages. And remembering that I had my (healthy) appendix removed at 14 after a year of agnising pain. wonder if it's similar? lets hope lots of tlc and antispasmodics help. thanks to you both - all in fact

DD1 was going to the loo normally too, which is why it took a week of pain before they found out what was causing it. Not that I'm saying the same is happening to your DD - it's just another thing to keep in mind, really. Poor little thing.

Goodness, that sounds awful, Ska, poor wee thing. I'm at the paed nurses just looking on and doing nothing. Have the anti-spasmodics begun to work yet?

Gameygirl, that's v interesting about the results of your dd's scan. I didn't realise it could take so long to go and was likely to recur. That would explain dd1's tendency to begin a cold or other bug with tummy pains and vomiting. Oddly enough, she very rarely, if ever, had an actual tummy bug, it was always a prelude to an infection. She's 19 now and has grown out of it, thankfully!!

this afternoon has been calmer - maybe the antispasmodics are starting to work.

an update, she is so much better! had a peaceful night and i actually slept 9 - 8 myself which was fab as i was exhausted. apparently ihaving it once increases chances of having it in the future so i will be watchful when she next has a virus. thanks all

Glad she's much better ska. At least you'll know what to look out for next time - and know what works best.

(It's saggar BTW - must change this name)

That's good news, Ska! I was a bit concerned when you didn't come back to the thread but I'm glad all is well.

probably spoke a bit too soon as she had a rotten late afternoon and evening but it was all my fault as I was so excited she was well that I took her and her big sister out for a pizza (well we have been stuck inside for weeks!). A bit too much though she did love going out and getting dressed up. Today she is tired and still a bit under the weather but so much better!! I feel light is at the end of the tunnel.

And she is having a scan in a couple fo weeks time to check for anything abnormal inside but I feel certain that is precautionary as they're not rushing her in.

Thanks to everyone, you have really helped me get through this

Can ressurect this thread.

My DD (5), has had really bad tummy pains and been sick 4/5 times for the past 3 days. We took her to the out of hours doctor yesterday, she said it was wind. She seemed even worse today so we took her to our GP and she said swollen galnds in the tummy (the glands in her neck are swollen too) she gave it a name which could be this. However since about 5pm she has been screamming with the pain she's in complete agony. DH had now taken her to A&E (I am at home with DD2). I am besides myself with worry, I want to be with her.

If Ska is around how is your DD now? Have you found out more?

Does anybody know any thing about this? I am worried they will take out her appendix without further consideration.