Diarrhea-3 months-12 years old

My son has had diarrhea for 3 months.  8-10 times per day 20-40 minutes on toilet every trip.  He is out of school.  Doctors are finding no answers.  Tests are all coming back normal.  We have tested for parasites, bacterial infection, liver function, allergies, celiac, intolerance to lactose and other foods, blood sugar, pancreatic function, the list goes on and on, and still no answers.  We have also tried an elimination diet just to see if they were wrong about the diet and there is still no improvement.  Help!!!!

[patient915]

Welcome to the gastroenterology community!  What were the exact tests that he has had?  Has he had a colonoscopy?

[SheilaTS]

Hi!  He has had a colonoscopy and an endoscopy.  They both looked like the picture of healthy and totally normal.  They took biopsies from the colonoscopy to test for various forms of collitis that are not visible from the pictures, and they all came back negative.  They just took another blood sample and they are testing for VIP ulma (sp?)  and we are still waiting for results on that one.  The VIP ulma is where little tumors in your body excrete hormones that cause diarrhea.  I feel like I am just at a loss of what to do next!  I also just found out that my sister-in-law had similar symptoms...including hungry all the time and weight gain in addition to the diarrhea, and she had elevated TSH.  Thyroid Simulating Hormone.  So, I am going to ask his doctor to test for that and see if he could possibly have the same thing!  I think I am going crazy!

[patient915]

Those all sound like good ideas to try.  In the elimination diet, did you eliminate all lactose (even if the test didn't show it)?  Does he drink a lot of juice?

[SheilaTS]

We eliminated everything except for 5 foods...chicken, carrots, apples, grapes and potatoes.  He had a very small amount of salt.  He really doesn't drink much juice or soda.  He mainly drinks water.

The VIP ulma test came back negative.  Thankful, but still no answers!

[patient915]

Has he had tests for malabsorption issues?  Has he had a full metabolic panel?  Has he tried a probiotic?

[SheilaTS]

Hmm...I don't know about the malabsorption issue or the metabolic panel...I will ask his doctor.  He has tried a probiotic.  He didn't have any change.  I just got the Thyroid test back and it was sky high, so I am going to see an endocronologist now...I don't really know if they are related, but we'll see.

[patient915]

Okay, I hope you find what's wrong.  Keep us updated.

[SheilaTS]

Hi, so, I got in to see an endocrinologist, and they say his thyroid isn't actually high, but that the antibodies are high.  This means that his immune system is attacking his thyroid, but it isn't causing it to lose function yet because his thyroid levels are normal.  He said because of this, we shouldn't treat him with medication until his thyroid quits functioning normal.  He said this elevated level of thyroid peroxidaise antibodies doesn't explain his diahrrea, stomach cramping, hunger, weight gain, or vision decline.  He said that eventually this is most likely to turn into Hashimotos disease, and then we should treat it, but it doesn't explain his current symptoms.  I am going in for a second opinion tomorrow.  The endocrinologist did order a second set of labs and an ultrasound on his thyroid just to be sure there isn't some cyst or variance in thyroid levels from the first lab results reporting normal functioning thyroid.  I am back at square one which is not knowing anything!

[patient915]

I would recommend asking your pediatrician to test for malapsorption issues and metabolic issues.