My son is 16 and has had stomach aches and diarrhea for over a year. He has food allergies and an endoscopy about 14 months ago confirmed high eosinophil levels. On the basis of this result, he was diagnosed as having eosinophilic gastroenteritis and put on a very restricted diet including almost four months on an elemental diet (vivonex). Even when he was drinking only vivonex, he continued to have nausea and chronic diarrhea. The elemental diet was stopped three months ago and the diet expanded somewhat. A month ago, another endoscope study showed the eosinophils were cleared. However, he still has chronic diarrhea and stomach aches, often more so at night (10 pm to midnight). Recently, a HIDA scan with CCK showed a 6% ejection fraction but he does not have other symptoms consistent with gallbladder disease. His pain is in his lower stomach (around the belly button), not sharp, not associated with eating fatty meals and he did not have pain during the HIDA scan when they injected the CCK (apparently this is significant). He has had lots of blood tests, scans etc. Other info that may be relevant is that he has high creatinine levels, high total protein, high cholesterol (sometimes), high glucose (sometimes), high HCT, HGB,high acidip acid, low acetylcarnitine and low IGG3 levels. An ultrasound and CT scan were negative although they mentioned there was a large amount of fecal matter in the colon. CSDA studies show putrefactive SCFA's are high and some dysbiosis. Also, bile acids were high.
Is there a possible explanation for the diarrhea that we have not explored? Are there tests that should be done that haven't that may explain the stomachaches and diarrhea and could the diarrhea be explained by gallbladder disease, even without any other symptoms. The GI wants to remove the gallbladder but the surgeon has said we shouldn't. We are desperate to get him back to school and let him get on with his life.
Thanks