# 15 year old girl- Serious Problems



## auburngirl97

Hey everyone. I'm a fifteen year old girl which is clearly stated by the title. So, let me start you off from the beginning. When I was 9 years old I started have *SERIOUS* stomach cramps, very bad diarrhea, and vomiting. It always happen in the mornings or at night. My parents took me to many doctors before finding a pediatric gastroenterologist, and he diagnosed me with IBS-D. He ended up putting me on Prilosec (Which I took the equate brand omeprazole.) which I took twice a day, morning and night. That has worked for the last 6 years, but lately I have been having serious problems with it. I have been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). I now take medicine for that. Anyways, these last few months I have barely been able to eat. In the last 3 months I have lost 15-20 lbs. I mean don't get me wrong, I would *LOVE* to lose weight but not that way. When I do eat, I feel like someone is stabbing me in the stomach and side. I feel very nauseous, and have trouble breathing. I also have very bad gas, from both ends. I have developed a anxiety to go anywhere or do anything with my friends because of this trouble. I am visiting my pediatric gastroenterologist again, but I am very nervous about even going to the bathroom anymore. I was just wanting to share my story and see if anyone else my age has these problems...

Thanks,

auburngirl97


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## Amanda Nicole

Hi auburngirl97,

I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry that this is happening to you and you are not alone. I'm a Registered Dietitian and I've known many people (children and adults) in situations like yours. It sounds like you may have food sensitivities - if this is the case with you, your symptoms will start to get better after you take out the foods/chemicals that are causing you problems. I use a special blood test with my clients that helps us figure out which foods are causing them to be sick. Many doctors don't know much (if anything) about food sensitivities, so it might help to work with a dietitian who specializes in this area. Many people who have had this testing done have seen very good results - not just in IBS symptoms, but other symptoms, too (such as anxiety, shortness of breath, nausea, etc.). Feel free to send me a private message if you'd like more information on this stuff.

I hope you start to feel better really soon! Hang in there!

Amanda


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## Dr. Dani

Dear auburngirl97,

I'm sorry you've been through so much tummy trouble! It's a very difficult time to have these issues as a teenager, and going back to your pediatrician is definitely the right thing to be doing. They should test you for celieac disease, which is just gluten allergy, to make sure this is not the cause of your symptoms. If it is, it means that you can follow a gluten free diet and get better and even rid of your symptoms completely by doing this. If it is IBS-D still and not anything else, the anxiety is also related to your tummy troubles, and in some people citalopram can cause more tummy troubles, so make sure to ask your doctor about this. To work on both the anxiety and tummy pain and IBS, what really does work wonders (but isn't an overnight fix!) is starting a 15 minute mindbody practice, like gentle yoga or a breathing meditation or a 'mantra' meditation. It only takes a few minutes each day, but over time the dysfuncitonal signals being sent from your brain to your tummy due to anxious thought patterns and stressors can start healing, just by doing this. Good luck at the doctor's appointment and I hope this helps you on your healing journey!


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## dramamama

Hi auburngirl197,

I'm a mom to a 13-yr-old girl suffering from severe IBS. After observing all her food reactionjs for years, we finally figured out that she was extremely sensitive to any soy product. She had allergy testing done, but a soy allergy did not show up. We have been doing our best to have her eat soy free, which is difficult because it's literally in everything & goes by many other names. We've found that she does much better with her symptoms when she stays away from the soy. She's also lactose intolerant & takes lactaid pills, and stays away from sugary foods, as these make her worse. Have you tried keeping a journal of every food you are eating? Also-start reading every label of every food you eat & start to look for ingredients that are similar in foods that make you sick. You may find that there is definitely a connection with a food allergy or sensitivity that is causing your IBS & flare-ups. I hope you're able to find some relief soon, but it may take some detective work to get there.


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## Teresa Perry Maynard

Dramamama that happened to my sister. She was tested for dairy it came back negative. She finally went to a naturopath and he did a complete test and she is severely allergic to dairy. They also told her she couldn't have gluten, but it was eggs that she was allergic to.


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