Chronic abdominal pain

[allyoop]

My 15 year old daughter has been experiencing chronic abdominal pain for 10 months.  She has seen two gastroenterologist who have ordered a CT scan, a lower GI xray, and an ultra sound.  All results have produced nothing.  She has seen a gynochologist and has also received two more ultra sounds with no results.  Blood work, stool culters and urine tests have also been run and have revealed nothing.  Chronic appendisitis (appendicitis) and urinery tract infections have been ruled out.  Food allergies have been considered but after lengthy food avoidance the problem still persists.  She is also seeing a psychologist and recently has started taking celexa which makes her feel a little better emotionaly but has not reduced the abdominal pain.  We are currently treating her for candida but the medication has not produced any positive results.  Is there anything that we are missing!!!????  My daughter is not able to attend school and does not feel well enough to do much of anything.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

The evaluation has been pretty comprehensive thus far.  Other possibilies can include inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel disease.  

The ultrasound and CT scan would indeed make the appendix or gallbladder/liver disease less likely.  

An upper and lower endoscopy can be considered for a more thorough evaluation of the bowel tract.  

These options can be discussed with your personal physician or in conjunction with a pediatric GI physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
http://www.straightfromthedoc.com

[sick for 22 years]

Has your daughter`s thyroid been checked? I hate to sound like a broken record here, but I started going through the same thing even younger than your daughter. Has she ever had an intervenous pylogram (an x-ray involving radioactive iodine, used to diagnose kidney and bladder problems)?Do you have a family history of diabetes, goiter, prematurely grey hair, lupus or other autoimmune diseases? Does she have a low body temperature, or aches in her legs, hands and feet? You mentioned candidiasis. I also suffered from candidiasis, caused by the suppression of my immune system plus abnormalities in my metabolism. Does she have headaches,vomiting, hypoglycemia, or sensitivity to caffeine? Please, please ,please get a TSH, T3 and T4 test done on her to determine if she has this problem. I suffered for twenty-two years for nothing, was forced to quit school because of this. Also see my earlier thread below that says GET YOUR THYROID CHECKED. Don`t let a doctor tell you she is too young to have this problem!

[sick for 22 years]

I forgot to mention also that menstrual difficulties are a big symptom of hypothyroidism. You mentioned she had been to a  gynecologist. Some psychiatric drugs can also excerbate thyroid problems.

[ArmourGal]

Let me second the suggestion to check thyroid.  I had severe progressive IBS symptoms for 10 years.  Got diagnosed with Hashimoto's/hypo...started thyroid hormone...and problems resolved.  I was so mad...the gasterontologist never mentioned this.  

Make sure you get the right tests for her:
TPO - thyroid antibodies - very important
TSH
Free T4 and Free T3 - actual thyroid hormones.

[allyoop]

Thanks for all the advise.  We are having her thyroid checked, again.  IBS seems to be the diagnosis of choice right now, however, like many of you I feel that it is a symtom not a diagnosis!

[davidg50]

I was just talking to a person today whose daughter has celiac desease which is in intollerance to glutton. This was missed by a specialist at Mass General Hospital and is not on the radar screen for many doctors. IBS is the doctor's first answer to everything.

[cattle]

stomach problems are blotting everytime i eat something, doesnt matter how much or how little, iv lost a few pounds, Im always constipated, i was using phillups laxitives, 2 every night maybe one during the day i would go a little bit but not much i used delcalax laxitive, 2 at a time i might have gone a little bit more than with phillups pills, my stomach constantly feels blotted, its miserable, iv had a little interjestion this last week, this has been everyday for about 2 month with my stomach before 2 months age i have aways been constipated on and off but not like this, im also tired all the time joints hurt all the time im 43 today and feel like a old woman, iv always been active i dont feel like doing anything anymore just what i have to do this has truely got me down, my deductable on insurance starts on Jan. 1 2006 do you think i just need to go to the dr now. PLEASE HELP

[nebi]

my 14 yr old daughter had the same symptoms for almost 2 years with doctors saying it was in her head.  Finally we found a gastrologist who suspected gastroparasis.  He did a Upper Endoscopy and a gastric emptying study and confirmed gastroparasis.  Can't hurt to ask you doctor if this could be your problem.  My daughter also had  constant nausea (without vomiting).  Good luck, it is frustrating when no one can diagnoise the problem.

[nebi]

p.s. my daughter also went through many blood test, upper gi, gallbladder, cat scan, and mri.  We had to get a tudor for her because she missed so much school.

[nickodemus]

dont let them doctors think your daughter is crazy just because they are unable to find the source of the problem.thats the way they make themselfs look better to blame the patient.keep fighting search until you find a real doctor not a license on a wall,playing doctor to make a buck!

[nessie1]

nickodemus:  I ditto what you just said.  The only thing that was wrong was that you understated it.  Try using more explanation marks then maybe everyone will hear you better.

[sick for 22 years]

I forgot to ask:Has your daughter recently had mono? This could trigger a thyroid problem at an early age.