# Constant Abdominal Pain



## Malloyallo

My daughter has been diagnosed with IBS. She has had numerous tests. Her main symptom is constant abdominal pain and it is worse after she eats. She has no relief after a BM. She runs a 100 degree fever throughout the day. This has been going on for two months. She is unable to go to school.Does anyone else have this problem or has had this problem? Does anyone have any suggestions? She takes Donnatal for the spasms and it does not work. She takes Omeprazole, digestive advantage, and takes fiber. She eats a bland diet of toast and baked potatoes. Any comments would be apprecitated.


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## sazzy

Have you talked to the doctor about her temperature? Generally a temperature is not associated with IBS, and so I would be suspicious of this. Try peppermint oil, it's a very good item as it is not your usual 'drug' in the usual sense of the word so she would not be on anymore medicines, this can help stomach pains a lot and some people have found complete relief of this.I would try getting her to aim to go back to school. Yes it can be hard. When I was diagnosed all I wanted to do was mope around the house feeling sorry for myself. But my mum forced me to go to school and now I've learnt to cope. I've learnt that IBS is not the end of the world, I could have something so much worse and I should be grateful that I don't. Your daughter needs to learn to start moving forward, sitting at home all day will not help and she needs to start learning to deal with it. It is hard, i'm not saying it isn't but it's not going to kill her and I've learnt IBS takes over your life only as much as you let it, no matter how many meds you're on it's still about will power and learning to pick yourself up when you have a bad day.


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## Malloyallo

yes i know she is in a ball in the floor crying. she is going to school for a little each day so if that is how we have to start then let it.


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## PattiD

I am going through a similar situation with my 14 year old daughter. She is diagnosed with celiac disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, and recently IBS. She has been on the gluten free diet for almost five months, which seemed to have helped with many autoimmune type symptoms, such as achy knees, overly sensitive skin and rash. Unfortunately, her stomach pain has never been resolved. It has gotten to be more severe and constant. We are trying to get her to school for three hours a day. She made it on Monday, but needed to lay down for one of the three hours she was there. Tuesday was a terrible day, I had to use my Mommy voice to get her up to go to a post op doctor appointment. It was a struggle for her to get dressed, ride in the car and go to the appt. Weds. and Thursday were pretty good days. She went to school for all three hours without needing a break. By last night, she was in intense pain again. She didn't sleep much and is unable to go to school again today. Yikes! What a roller coaster. My husband tried the tough dad approach of "You have to go to school today" but even that didn't help. It just makes her feel guilty when she doesn't make it to school.Feel free to email me directly. It really helps to know that you are not alone. Patti


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## KRIS R

MALLOYOALLO,I AM SO SORRY ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTERS SUFFERING. IT IS SO HARD TO SEE YOUR CHILD IN SO MUCH PAIN. I WISH I COULD HELP MY SON ALSO. DID THEY EVER DO AN ENDOSCOPY? MY SON HAD ONE LAST YEAR AND HE HAD GASTRITIS. THIS YEAR HE STARTED WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LAST YEAR, ABDOMINAL PAIN, HEADACHE JUST FEELING AWFUL. I FEEL LIKE OUR GI GUY WAS JUST GUESSING THIS YEAR. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK. I JUST DON'T TRUST THEM ANYMORE. FOR SOME REASON THE GI DOC JUST POO POO'D THE IDEA OF HIM HAVING GASTRITIS AGAIN. SAID HE HAD IBS THEN SAID HE HAD STOMACH MIGRANES. ALL THE DIFFERENT MED'S THEY GAVE HIM JUST MADE HIM SICKER AND IN MORE PAIN. I FINALLY GOT A REFERRAL TO CHILDRENS HOSP. IN OAKLAND TO SEE HIM. I AM FED UP WITH KAISER. I AM GOING WITH MY INSTINCT OF WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM. I FEEL HE HAS SOME SORT OF GASTRITIS ULCER PROBLEM. I KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE TO JUST FEED YOUR KID POTATOES, RICE AND TOAST CONSTANTLY, IT SUCKS. TO HAVE YOUR KID LOOKING TO YOU FOR HELP AND NOT BEING ABLE TO HELP THEM IS HEART BREAKING. I AM HAVING A TEACHER COME OUT 1 HOUR A DAY OFFERED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO KEEP HIM UP. HE'S IN THE 5TH GRADE. I AM HOPEFUL THE CHILDREN'S HOSP. CAN HELP US. THE FIRST YEAR IBS BOOK BY HEATHER VAN VOROUS HELPED AND IBS FOR DUMMIES WAS VERY HELPFUL. I LEARNED ALOT. HOWEVER WHEN THEY SAID PEPPERMINT TEA HELPS CALM DOWN AND HELP WITH THE PAIN IT JUST TRIGGERED A MAJOR ATTACK, THAT'S WHATS PUSHING ME IN THE GASTRITIS DIRECTION. I DON'T KNOW, THE GASTRITIS INFO SAID TO COCONUT MILK WOULD HELP THE SUFFERER SO I AM GOING TO TRY THAT WITH CROSSED FINGERS IT WON'T TRIGGER ANYTHING. IT'S LIKE A GUESSING GAME I NEVER FELT SO CRAZY. WHATS WRONG? WHAT CAN HE EAT? WHAT MED TO USE? THE CHANGING OF DIAGNOSES 3 TIMES IN TWO MONTHS IS JUST INSANE. I JUST WANT MY HAPPY SKATE BOARDING ON THE GO KID BACK SOOOOOO BAD. NOW I HAVE TO MAKE HIM WALK AROUND MAKE HIM DO HIS HOMEWORK. HE JUST KEEPS SAYING I DON'T FEEL GOOD MOM, MY STOMACHE HURTS AND HE LOOKS GOD AWFUL. WHITE SKIN AND DARK CIRCLES AND WHEN HE GETS BAD ATTACKS RED EYES. FOUL BREATH AND HEAD ACHES. THIS HAS BEEN A LIVING NIGHTMARE!!!!!!! I SO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE FEELING. ITS HARD TO PUT IN WORDS BUT I UNDERSTAND. WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN THATS ALL WE CAN DO. ITS HARD TO PUSH SOMEONE THAT FEELS SO HORRIBLE AND THATS IN SEVERE PAIN. WHEN HE HAS GOOD MOMENT I PUSH WHEN HE DOESN'T I DON'T. I KNOW MY KID BETTER THAN ANY ONE AND I KNOW WHAT HE CAN HANDLE. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!!!!! DO WHAT YOU FEEL IS RIGHT. I'LL BE PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR DAUGHTERS HEALING.KRIS


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## Malloyallo

My daughter has had several tests endoscopy,colonoscopy.CT scan,ultrasounds,and 4 different sets of bloodwork. After finding nothing on these tests they diagnosed her with IBS abdominal pain she has no c or d with hers just constant abdominal pain. She takes 3 different kinds of medicine, which we can't tell really help. Pain is worse after she eats.Our last visit to our pediatric GI doctor refered us to a child pyschologist who specialzes in dealing with kids who suffer from chronic pain.She has been on homebound for three months, the pyschologist had us start her going back to school for one hour per day for a week then bump it up to two hours the next week now we are own week three and she is going three hours a day. Some days are harder than others. We are suppose to keep everything as stress free as possible.We have tryed everything we know right now. Maybe somebody will come up with something to help give these kids some relief.


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## gbourgeois

My 13 yr-old daughter finally had her appointment with the specialist, who said there was now a new illness in children with allergies that resemble IBS -- so she does not want to diagnose too quickly. I guess that's better than 2 different diagnoses in 2 months. So she did bloodwork, an ultrasound, then is doing the Barrium drink test in a few weeks. In March (they had nothing sooner!), she will do the 3-hour fructose and lactose tests. The specialist says she thinks my daughter will need to do an endoscopy, also. So it will probably be another 6-9 months before we get a diagnostic. So in the meanwhile, I am feeling helpless as my daughter misses more school, eats very little and is constantly on the verge of tears. I suppose I will try peppermint capsules, Acacia powder (if I can find it!) and peppermint teas to see if her nausea will finally go away. But her periods are next week, so we're not looking forward to that! Sigh! Ginette


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## Malloyallo

GinetteI very curious to know what this new illness is called. We have an appointment with our G.I. in about 2 weeks. I would like to run it by him to see if he thinks it would apply to my daughter. I know how you feel, about feeling helpless. My daughter does not eat very much, due to the pain. She is back at school for 4 hours a day and is still considered to be on homebound. Keep in touchDana


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## whitenanook

Hi! I know that your posts on this website were a while ago but, I was wondering if you could tell me what ever became of your daughter's pain. My daughter is 15 and has been on homebound education for 3 months with severe abdominal pain(lower left quadrant). Originally, they diagnosed her with IBS, but then said it probably wasn't IBS, since she was in constant pain and she didn't get relief from going to the bathroom and it isn't affected by what she eats. She has had numerous tests that all have come back as normal(CT scan, bloodwork, Meckel scan, upper g.i./lower bowel series, lyme disease test, lactose breath test, ultrasound, etc...). Finally a doctor decided to do exploratory surgery and found that her appendix was in bad shape(kinked, had scar tissue in it, etc..) and we thought that was the problem(the doctor thought she had referred pain to her left side from her appendix). Anyways, she still continued to have the same pain. We went to a dr. on Friday and he thinks she has a severe case of IBS and put her on Bentyl(to help with spasms that she is having) to hopefully give her bowel time to heal as he thinks it might have ulcers and be inflammed. He will see her in a month and if it isn't better, he will do a colonoscopy. My daughter has been on amitriptyline, donnatol, and levsin(all did not work). Could you please let me know what ever happened with your daughter and how she is doing? I would love to know what happened. Thank you and we hope all is well.


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## gbourgeois

I was so surprised to hear from someone on the IBS forum. It is so terrible to see the hardship our children and ourselves must live through. Constant pain, confusion, tears, frustration, helplessness, irregular meals and routines. Had I known then (Nov 07) what I know now (and have lived through since then), I would have been horrified, because the worst was yet to come. Following additional tests, including upper and lower endoscopy, my daughter's pain became worse each week. In August and Sept of 2008, she was hospitalized. In Oct., Nov. and Dec. we were regulars at the children's hospital ER. It was a farce: they asked me what meds to give her, and at the same time insinuated that is must be all in her head.The silver lining came when we first met the chronic pain specialist at the hospital. She treated my daughter's puzzling case with professionalism and respect. She took her off almost all her useless meds, except Gabapentin, sent her to see an elderly Chinese doctor for acupuncture for weekly visits, and supported diet changes included in IBD books. Fortunately, she is getting a bit better, slowly. Her pain level is between a 7-8; whereas it was a 9-12 (on 10) from Aug-Oct 08. I think the Gabapentin and acupuncture are starting to make a difference (both take a very long time to act). Also, we are starting to do breathing and meditation exercises. If she can go down to a 6-7, she might be able to go back to school. She has hardly attended any school, but studies when she can. She will be writing one of her exams next weekend at home!In your daughter's case, I find it odd that she is not affected by what she eats. Have you tried avoiding foods like junk food, corn, beef, most green vegetables, ice cream? Even insoluble fiber or spicy foods can be dangerous. It has taken us a few years to finally start to figure it all out. A sure thing is rice, chicken (the white meat only) and carrots. When she is at her dad's and eats fish sticks and chicken wings, she is sure to get bad cramps (w/ or w/out c or d).I have so much more I would like to share, but time is in short supply in our circumstances. In parting, I would like to add that it would be worth seeking help from people who study the benefits of energy and spiritual healing. It may sound crazy, but it offers more relief than superficial pills and diagnostics. This is why Olivia Newton John's last CD has been a great source of inspiration for us!Take care, and feel free to write again.Hugs,Ginette


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## Malloyallo

Sorry, it has taken so long to reply. We live in KY and have endured The Ice Storm of 09. It has taken a while for electricity, phone lines, and internet service to be restored. Life is beginning to get back to normal ( one month later). My daughter is doing better.. but is not well! She still continues to suffer from abdominal pain. The pain is worse after she eats, but never goes away. She is back in school full time. Although, she now seems to catch every germ that is out there. She has learned to deal with the pain, sometimes better than others.At the advice of our hometown Dr. we took her to the Mayo Clinic. While in Rochester, MN. the gastro found that she has dumping syndrome. Her food empties 80- 90 % to fast into her small intestines. This is the cause of some of her problems, but not all. While at Mayo, she underwent a series of genetic tests. One of which, tested postitive for Crohn's. With that being said, it is hard to diagnose. She continues at times, not as often, to have blood in her stool. While at Mayo the Dr. said, her body would let us know when she needed to be scoped again. It has been a little while since she has been in a flare.Sometimes when she is in a flare, she will have sores on her face. They almost resemble a carpet burn, the size of a dime. When they heal, they leave a scar. We are not sure what is causing this to happen. The phrase IBS was never mentioned at Mayo. She is not taking any meds for her stomach they did not help. She is taking Lyrica. Lyrica is for chronic pain. It has helped greatly. She has gained much needed weight. It is a side effect of the Lyrica. It has not taken the pain away but, it has allowed her to be able to function enough to be back in school ( she was on homebound the entire year of 07-08 school year). She recently started back to gymnastics and is beginning to ask to do things with her friends. My advice is listen to your kid, and to yourself. You know your child better than anyone. If you do not like the answer you are getting, go to another Dr. Good luck


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## gbourgeois

Hi,It is wonderful that you were able to go to the Mayo Clinic, which is recognized internationally.I am also happy for you and your daughter that she has been diagnosed. That is often half the battle!My daughter registered into the <www.starbrightworld.org> a month or so ago and has made virtual friends who have IBS, Chrones, etc. It looks like a more active and current site than this one; your daughter might want to mingle there too for friendship, laughs and support!Kind regards,Ginette


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## Owlblue

What ever became of your stomach pain and school?


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## nikkigil

Hi, I am new to this topic. My 14 year old daughter has been having constant abdominal pain for the last 3 years. And they diagnosed her with IBS. We have been trying all kinds of medications and none seem to work. The doctor gave her 8mg of amitiza and it took all the pain away. She was so happy the pain was gone she had energy that she hasn't had in 3 years. But the kicker is she cant have it because she is 14. And you have to be 18 to take this medication. And the insurance wont cover it for that reason. And the price is $340.00 a month. And I cant afford that kind of money each month. Witch is outrageous. Dose anyone know what other types of medication that might work???? I just started giving her peppermint oil and it doesn't seem to help. She has the pain all day every day. Some days aren't as bad as others. And some days the pain level is at 10. There has to be something out there that will help with the pain for her and all others that feel the same way this is so crazy that they have medication for people who are 18 years and older but there are none for kids who range from 1-17 years old. So if you have any ideas of thing that we can try I would appreciate it. she has already missed 10 days of school and it is a little over a month since school started.

PLEASE HELP!!

Thank you


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## littlepinkcupcake

I understand how your daughter is feeling. Mine started when I was 14 and I have been living on toast, rich tea biscuits, cereal and pasta for four years. I have been off school for three weeks because some antibiotics messed me up. You NEED to try buscopan (hyoscine butylbromide), it works wonders and if I didnt have it I dont know what I would do. It relaxes the muscles and basically takes away the cramps and pain. Good luck and hope you find some answers


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## littlepinkcupcake

I understand how your daughter is feeling. Mine started when I was 14 and I have been living on toast, rich tea biscuits, cereal and pasta for four years. I have been off school for three weeks because some antibiotics messed me up. You NEED to try buscopan (hyoscine butylbromide), it works wonders and if I didnt have it I dont know what I would do. It relaxes the muscles and basically takes away the cramps and pain. Good luck and hope you find some answers


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## Emilyy

The fever is an indication of the GI issue being inflammatory. Fever is not a symptom of IBS. This is an important symptom to report to the doctor. Even though she's had the tests done, they may be inconclusive. More help from the doctor is required.


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