Teenage Chronic Nausea, Headaches, Fatigue...and it's getting worse fast!

My seventeen year old daughter has been experiencing chronic nausea and frequent inexplicable vomiting since she turned thirteen.  It has debilitated her to where her school work and social life are grossly affected.  I'm tired of everyone dismissing it as hypochondriacal hysteria from a hormonal girl with an overly protective, indulgent single mom.  It has been increasing in frequency to where it's now an everyday problem and she is in pain constantly.  She has feverish flashes between being too hot or too cold.  She gets worn out quickly, so much that a walk around the grocery store sends her to bed in exhaustion and pain.  She has a low baseline body temperature, and migraines run in the family along with periodic arrythmia.  Any ideas?  We've been to the psychiatrist, the neurologist, had brain/neck MRI, EEG, (all normal), we are now engaging with a gastroenterologist (for an upper GI endoscopy and biopsies), and the endocrinologist....  

[selmaS]

  Hi...it sounds like u r very frustrated over this and rightly so.....

  I would suggest a revisit to the MRI's...when were they done and do u have copies? Getting copies of all tests and the reports is essential for getting other opinions.....so, if u do not have copies of the MRI's and the reports, call the facility where the studies were done and request them.

  If they r more than a yr old, u may want new ones if she is experiencing new symptoms...this way u can compare the 2...

The dr should be able to not only compare but see if nething was overlooked.

  I pray u get answers soon

  "selma"

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
How is your daughter? It is good that the previous diagnostic tests were fine. Further evaluation by a gastroenterologist may indeed help in identifying the possible cause. With regards to her nausea and vomiting, one condition that comes to mind is cyclic vomiting syndrome or CVS. The relationship between migraine and CVS is still unclear, but may be related according to medical researchers.  Many of the situations that trigger CVS also trigger migraines, including stress and excitement. Medications for migraine may be effective also for CVS. Talk to your doctor about this and do keep us posted with the additional diagnostic tests. Take care and regards.

[horselip]

Hormone-wise there could be issues causing this so it is good that your daughter is having an endcocrine workup. Addison's (Cortisol deficiency) can cause extreme fatigue and vomiting. It is pretty serious. Also the thyroid regulates temperature and so does the Hypothalamus. Sometimes tho it is not clear cut as the disorder lies in a gland that is supposed to be telling another gland what to do. But just testing the hormones and see if they are low is a good start and it points to hormones. Then the journey as to why can begin.
Good luck