DAILY STOMACH PAIN/NAUSEA?

[CHRISTYDRAKE]

My son is being treated for autonomic dysfunction.  He is taking fludrocortisone for the dizziness.  Every day since February, he has had stomach pain and/or nausea in varying degrees.  His cardiologist is telling me this is not part of the autonomic dysfunction, but I've read these symptoms can be caused by autonomic dysfunction.  He has already been seen by a GI doctor, who couldn't find anything wrong.  So he sent us to a psychologist, who told us, after having several sessions with him, that his symptoms were physical.  

As the day goes on, his symptoms become less and by evening he is usually functional.  If he stays up all night, he won't be sick in the morning.   When he does go to sleep, he will wake up sick.  They thought he might have been trying to get out of going to school, which I doubted, and since he has still been sick for summer break and hasn't been going out or hanging out with friends the school thing is completely false.

He has also tried every over the counter anti-nausea medication and several prescriptions and none of them helped at all.


Is daily stomach pain and nausea symptoms of autonomic dysfunction?

[Spaceorca]

My son has symptoms so similar to the ones here.  His problems actually started with Crohn's disease (intestinal inflammation) and then the autonomic failure set in.  He had part of his intestine removed before the diagnosis of autonomic failure so  he seems to suffer a combination of stomach pain:  slowed motility plus neuropathic pain from the surgery itself.  He's in tremendous pain 24/7, even with pain meds, and we're pretty desperate.

He also has the cardiac problems, doesn't sweat over most of his body, doesn't maintain salt properly in his blood, endocrine problems, etc.  What is going on with these autonomic diseases?

[dysautonomia55]

OH MY GOSH! Yes, I have dysautonomia and severe stomach pain everyday from it including bouts of nausea.  Dysautonomia causes "Delayed Gastric Emptying" which basically means your stomach doesn't empty the food out into your intestines and I have had weeks  in a row where my stomach wouldn't empty. My doctors diagnosed the cause of my stomach pain from dysautonomia.  It really is painful, I feel for him.  Try fludrocortisone if he can tolerate it, also, dysautonomia may also cause GERD which further complicates the stomach problems.

[CHRISTYDRAKE]

Unfortunately he is still struggling with the nausea.  He was diagnosed with POTS in Oct 09 and has tried many meds for the nausea.  One helped for 6 weeks and then stopped.  

We were just at the Mayo in October for more tests, no new diagnosis.  He then went through 3 weeks of Pain Rehab for POTS kids to help him cope.  His symptoms were not extreme while there so he wasn't taught how to deal with the worst of it.  

What is your son's diagnosis, or does he have one?
Christy

[ToddS_inFL]

I am very sympathetic to your son's story.  My son is 13 and has had a very similar experience.  It has been a few years since you posted anything--is your son doing better now?

[Mshorty880]

i spoke to an allergist who told me I don't have the symptoms of being allergic to wheat. But thanks for the idea! I wish it could be that easy...

[CHRISTYDRAKE]

I don't think it is the Fludrocortisone.  He didn't start taking that until 2 months ago.  He has had the daily stomach issues since February.  

Today was supposed to be his first day of school as a freshman, and he is sick in bed!   It can be very frustrating and exhausting.  He takes it in stride though, so, I try not to show him my frustrations.