Really need some help pls

[shaz68]

My 13yr son has been complaining of sore stomachs for the best part of 9months now. Frequent visits to the doc's have been frustrating to say the least. Just had 1st paediatric app the outcome of which that he'd write to GP to leave a scrip for a indegestion tab.(wk later prescription still not there)
Now i know things have to ruled out and medications given a chance to work, but son is in constant pain,missed a lot of school last term and is beginning to withdraw socially and obviously i'm worried.
How do i approach doc to do more in a quicker timeframe without coming accross as a neurotic mum? Its geginning to affect me now as i sometimes cant sleep cos i'm worried about it all
Many thanks
Shaz

[Sqad]

Not enough information.....not nearly enough.

Aged 13 yrs old

Where about's in the stomach right. left, upper. lower, nausea or sickness?

Why a Peadditrician and not a surgeon I wonder?

Paediatrician......what investigations and what were the results?

One week later....no letter to GP.....common situation but totally unacceptable.

Look forward to your reply

[shaz68]

Pain is all over stomach. doesn't seem to settle in any 1 place and has rarely said he feels sick...on the occassions he has felt sick he's also said that the pain is at its worst, but never vomitted with it.
Paediatrician took blood pressure(normal),weight height,listened to chest,felt abdomen(said it felt normal) asked about eating habits and appetite.
Son previously had blood tests which ruled out (apologies for spelling here!) coelliac disease and crones.
As for why not a surgeon,i dont know.
Perhaps i've already been labelled as a neurotic mum
Shaz

[Sqad]

Thanks chaz....yepp.it looks as though you have been labelled.

Google.......abdominal migraine

Hope you get the medicine eventually.

[Johigham1234]

Who is this sad squad????????????????

[Sqad]

Me! I am happy today, stick around until I am in a bad mood!!!!!!!!!

[shaz68]

Thanks for the suggestion, but doesn't appear to be that.
When i said he was in constant pain,thats what i meant,he has not had a pain free day in over three months but has been getting increasingly sorer,to the point that its waking him through the night now too.
Therefore he's less rested and less able to cope with the pain. Been told to give paracetamol when its really bad, but if i'd done that he'd have been on the maximum dose everyday for 3 months now and obviously i've not allowed that to happen
Shaz

[Sqad]

Shaz...no option but to see if the medication works.....when it arrives.

Keep in contact eh?

P.S He is not being bullied at school, is he?

[Sqad]

red...two great minds eh?.....LOL

[shaz68]

No not being bullied but not the most sociable child. Had it been a school issue i'd have expected it to improve during the summer hols and it didn't.
Thanks anyway

[bednobs]

what on earth is wrong with taking paracetamol if he has pain? It seems very cruel for a mum to withld painkillers from their child
yu say "Been told to give paracetamol when its really bad, but if i'd done that he'd have been on the maximum dose everyday for 3 months now and obviously i've not allowed that to happen " why not? if he took painkillers at a safe dose then it might help him with pain!

[moonshadow]

Has your son been tested for Helicobacter Pylori, shaz ? If not treated it can lead to gastritis which has very similar symptoms to the ones you have described. When I first read your question, like sqad I thought of abdominal migraine as my daughter had it when she was 14, after keeping a food and drink diary we discovered it was fresh orange juice that triggered it.

[shaz68]

Bednobs
I am not withholding medication... have been given conflicting advice from diff docs regarding painkillers.
I do give them when he's very bad but have also been told in no uncertain terms that that he should not be given them for more than 5 days at a time.
No doc's are helping with the pain or appreciating how constant it is.
moonshadow
Yes was tested for h pylori and was negative
Shaz

[shaz68]

Thanks everyone for the replies.
I'm just really frustrated that his level of pain and the constantness of it is not being takin seriously by anyone we see.
Nine months for a child to be in increasing pain is a long time and i just want it sorted out once and for all, instead of being passed round in constant circles as its really now taking its toll on him . He has no energy, and its making him quite irritable too.
I just want my good natured boy back

[moonshadow]

You are entitled to a second opinion shaz, if you aren't happy with the outcome of the consultation with the paediatrician. May I suggest you go back to your GP and ask to be referred to a Gastroenterologist where hopefully he will give your son the tests he really needs.Palming you off with indigestion medication is disgraceful as for getting labelled a neurotic mum join the club we have all been there.

[bednobs]

i didn't mean to sound uncaring, it must be v. hard for all of you. However, have you even tried regular painkillers? You say five days max - have you even tried that? or more than one dose in a row?

[shaz68]

Moonshadow
Thanks I think i'll make an appointment tomorrow but go without my son and try to get across again the level of things. I will also ask to be referred to a gastrologist. Thanks again.


Bednobs
No offence taken.
Yes we have done all that we can in regard ro painkillers but its like this...1 doc says"give him painkillers every 4 hours as long as he needs them"
No improvement, make another appointment, see a diff doc and be told"why are you giving him so many painkillers? Don't you know that too many or for too lomg will do more harm than good?" How to make you feel like a lousy mum in one easy step.
Its also there at the back of my mind that as we're in a small town in a rural region that our docs dont see as much complicated or serious conditions and it worries me that something more serious could go missed
Thanks again
Shaz

[jen78]

Have you looked to things like lactose intolerance?

I know you said they had ruled out coelliac, intolerance is difference. May be worth keeping a food diary.

It is also possible tests just haven't picked up on something yet, certain things cannot be definitely ruled out with just blood tests and some conditions can take some time to show.

Have a chat with your GP about appropriate pain management as you could be in for a long haul with the NHS.

I got referred internally to gastro by my rhumatologist and the waiting lists are very long. I had to change one appointment I couldn't make last November and they couldn't get me in again until May.

Different hospitals will have different times but it might be worth getting a strategy in place now to help him through the wait unless you can afford to go private.