Constant Retching and Stomach churning - HELP PLEASE!!!

[selma67]

My 13 year old son reported intermittent stomach churning for about two weeks, which my husband and I thought might just be indigestion.  Then last week, he started retching at school.  Initially he threw up a bit of green stuff (bile/stomach juices), but that was a week ago.  Since then he has been off school and not thrown up at all.  He has no nausea, no burning pain in the stomach, and no other symptoms like fever, illness etc.  His skin colour is also normal (pink and white, not yellow).  His main symptom is frequent, unproductive retching and constant stomach churning.

At first, we thought he had a simple tummy bug, but a few nights ago, the retching became very frequent and severe (like every few minutes).  It stops when he sleeps though.  The past few days, it didn't go away, but it is now about every 10 - 15 minutes.  He is very uncomfortable with it, and can't really return to school like this.  The GP is doing blood tests, but I was wondering about h pylori.  The GP is more inclined to think it is some sort of tic, but I don't know that a tic would involve constant stomach churning (which is his other symptom).  There is the possibility of virus, but does anyone have any ideas here?   I'm at my wits end and I admit to being very concerned by this, since I've never seen anything like it before.  

[caihooves]

Hi Morecambe,
i have suffered from dry retching from being a teenager, i am now 40 and dont feel like a weirdo after reading your post! thank you !! all my family and friends now about it and call it my weird thing , ive been in the police and taught in schools and get worked up beforehand but always carry a bottle of water with me and sip that and as you say pretend to cough, i ask people to ignore me and explain its my way of dealing with being nervous, airports are the worst when i know i cant have my water! i do it first thing in the morning, before going out somewhere different and if im upset, is this personal anxiety? i went to a doctor a couple of years back who was going to refer me to mental health but didnt want to go down that route, thanks Caroline

[sackles1153]

I have an 11 year old son that has developed very similar symptoms as your son. After several Drs we are leaning toward a Tic as well.  He can be pretty uncomfortable and missed 2 months of school, felt better for a month but now has a return of the gags and retches. Trying Zoloft to see if that helps.  Would love your insight, thanks, Barb S.

[Morecambe]

In my opinion stemetil would make no difference.  I think this is a drug given to dampen down the physical symptoms that are present in "vertigo"/Menier's disease etc.

You may find that sucking a strong mint might help to mitigate any "dryness in the throat" that may bring on dry retching - but, as I suggested above, this really seems to be a psychologically induced matter.  

My suggestions:-

- if you are on your own, have a quiet "dry retch" if necessary on the platform before boarding the train.
- if you need to dry retch while on the train then "camouflage" it in a "pretend cough"
- if you are travelling with friends confide in them that train travel makes you anxious and you may "dry retch" - but tell them that they should just ignore you.
- best of all, seek psychological counselling to overcome this

regards
Morecambe

[trina10]

Hello, this article has interested me as I am in my 20s and find myself dry retching when I have to go on a train and can't seem to get over this problem, it's incredibly unpleasant and makes me dread these situations.  If I were to take an antiemetic (stemetil) on the odd occasions when I need to make a train journey, would this stop the retching?  Thanks in anticipation.

[Morecambe]

Hi Selma - glad to hear that things are improving.  All the best to your son and I'll watch out on this posting every few days/weekly in case you need to revert.

Best regards
Morecambe

[selma67]

Hi Morecambe

The pediatrician confirmed what you thought---it is partly a nervous thing, but thought to have hormonal changes of puberty underlying it.  It is much better during the day than just before bedtime, but this is also true on weekends and spring break etc, which suggests it is not just about being a bit edgy, but has some underlying hormonal or steroidal thing with it.  There is no treatment though, other than trying to help him relax and keeping a gentle eye on it.  To be honest, it is much better than it was when I originally posted, so my husband thinks it is a transient thing, whatever it is.  His grandparents had him at the weekend and said that during the day it had all but completely disappeared, but during the evening it could be quite severe when he was tired just before bed.  That seems to be the case, anyway, but I'm just relieved he can attend school normally and is haivng normal days anyway.  

I'll keep you posted, though, since it is very kind of you to offer your support and help.  You are honestly the only person I know who has experienced anything similar, so I am grateful to you for your kindness.

selma

[Morecambe]

Hi - I hope that all goes well during your meeting with the paediatrician  I'll keep watching this space for any further questions that you may have after your consultation.

I hope that your son is reassured by the paeditrician's (expected??) comments that this complaint is more common than imagined.  The key is to share the problem with one's family and friends such that there is sympathy and understanding rather than a fear of suffering alone in silence.  

Good luck
Morecambe

[selma67]

Hi Morecambe!

Yes, it does help a lot.  In fact, the past week or so the retching has gone down a lot.  I don't know that it is nerves in my son's case, so much as puberty hormones being partly to blame.  Of course, stress makes it worse (stress makes everything worse), but we should have some answers today from the pediatrician.   All the same, I'm very grateful for all your help and advice.

Many many thanks!

Selma

[Morecambe]

Hi again - I think that once you have suffered from something like dry retching, you never completely forget it and, if it is caused by an anxiety inducing event, then you will always be susceptible to it.

However, as life goes on, and with the appropriate help, you will have developed coping strategies and it will be seen as a minor inconvenience compared to the way a teenager would regard it - i.e. a crippling disability.

For instance throughout life, I found that if I had to stand up and give a speech at a conference, then I might suffer from dry retching.  However, the key was to have a quiet "dry retch" a few minutes before stepping up and thereafter the urge to "gag" would have disappeared sufficiently for me to launch into the task at hand and not think about dry retching.

I guess that with psychological help, it can blunt the seeming severity of the symptoms - as it does with fear of spiders - you never forget it but about it but you cope 90%

Hope this helps.

[selma67]

Hi Morecambe!

Well, it looks as though you were right!  The tests came back negative for microorganisms and it looks as though it is a (hopefully transient) adolescent tic.  His dad had a blinking tic at his age which ultimately improved, but in any case, he doesn't seem particularly stressed.  We'll see what happens.  

Your comments are especially helpful, though, so  I am very grateful for them.  In your case, it is mostly better now?

Anyway, my server was acting up yesterday and so posted 3 times.  If you know how to edit or delete the extra posts (or how to tell me to, since I am new to the forum), that would also be really helpful!   I'm keen to find some answers, but not so keen that I would have posted 3 times in a row! :D  

Many thanks for everything

Selma

[Morecambe]

Hi - there is not really much more that I can add.  Yes - I think it is desirable to pursue the "possible psychological cause" as well as a physical cause.  I believe that it may be helpful to ask for an endoscopy in order to check whether any physical symptoms can be seen inside the upper intentines/stomach.

A paediatric phychologist certainly ought to have seen this before and to know the line of questioning/investiagtion to pursue.  If the cause if psychological, then the underlying reason(s) may well be one(s) that do not readily spring to the mind of an adult.

Good luck

Morecambe

[selma67]

HI Morecambe

Thanks for your post.  In fact, we are looking into psychological or tic-related retching, but the main problem is he is reporting stomach-related symptoms such as a feeling of gas and swelling in the stomach, like "a partly inflated balloon" were his words.  In addition, he has diarrhea and it doesn't seem to matter so much whether he is relaxed or not, since he does it when he is playing video games with my husband and reading books quietly in his room.  He usually likes school so I would be a little surprised if there were anything really bothering him, but we will naturally look into that side of things as well.  

I have a feeling that his recent penchant for medium rare to rare steaks may have contributed to this, and so we are looking into the bacterial side first, but then he will see a specialist paediatrician next week to see what else may be behind it.  

I am very grateful for your help and advice, though, since I am feeling a bit powerless to help him.  His symptoms abate somewhat when he drinks cranberry juice and has manuka honey, but other than that, there is little that seems to be improving them.  Any other ideas you or anyone else might have would be great, since the more we know about the possible causes, the easier it will be to work out what needs discussing with the paediatrician.

Desperate mother at large!  

And many thanks again!

[selma67]

HI Morecambe

Thanks for your post.  In fact, we are looking into psychological or tic-related retching, but the main problem is he is reporting stomach-related symptoms such as a feeling of gas and swelling in the stomach, like "a partly inflated balloon" were his words.  In addition, he has diarrhea and it doesn't seem to matter so much whether he is relaxed or not, since he does it when he is playing video games with my husband and reading books quietly in his room.  He usually likes school so I would be a little surprised if there were anything really bothering him, but we will naturally look into that side of things as well.  

I have a feeling that his recent penchant for medium rare to rare steaks may have contributed to this, and so we are looking into the bacterial side first, but then he will see a specialist paediatrician next week to see what else may be behind it.  

I am very grateful for your help and advice, though, since I am feeling a bit powerless to help him.  His symptoms abate somewhat when he drinks cranberry juice and has manuka honey, but other than that, there is little that seems to be improving them.  Any other ideas you or anyone else might have would be great, since the more we know about the possible causes, the easier it will be to work out what needs discussing with the paediatrician.

Desperate mother at large!  

And many thanks again!

[selma67]

HI Morecambe

Thanks for your post.  In fact, we are looking into psychological or tic-related retching, but the main problem is he is reporting stomach-related symptoms such as a feeling of gas and swelling in the stomach, like "a partly inflated balloon" were his words.  In addition, he has diarrhea and it doesn't seem to matter so much whether he is relaxed or not, since he does it when he is playing video games with my husband and reading books quietly in his room.  He usually likes school so I would be a little surprised if there were anything really bothering him, but we will naturally look into that side of things as well.  

I have a feeling that his recent penchant for medium rare to rare steaks may have contributed to this, and so we are looking into the bacterial side first, but then he will see a specialist paediatrician next week to see what else may be behind it.  

I am very grateful for your help and advice, though, since I am feeling a bit powerless to help him.  His symptoms abate somewhat when he drinks cranberry juice and has manuka honey, but other than that, there is little that seems to be improving them.  Any other ideas you or anyone else might have would be great, since the more we know about the possible causes, the easier it will be to work out what needs discussing with the paediatrician.

Desperate mother at large!  

And many thanks again!

[Morecambe]

I just logged on to your posting and remember suffering from what I would call "dry retching" when I was younger - and also intermittently during periods of great anxiety all my life.

In my case the cause was purely psychological.  Some people tremble or shudder, some people sweat profusely, some people suffer other physical symptoms such as dry retching during periods of anxiety.

The causes could be varied - for example:- anxiety going into a classroom>>> fear of dry retching and the consequent gazes of unsympathetic classmates/friends - or fear of being unable to swallow at mealtimes/leaving uneaten food leading to anxiety/disproving glances and hence dry retching.etc etc.

It sounds as if your son's dry retching may be associated with a fear of going to school and perhaps the lack of control (i.e. formal lessons, no "escape", teacher's lack of understanding/lack of sympathy, mockery by friends etc etc).  Is your son free of dry retching when he is at home and his mind is on more enjoyable things (watching an interesting TV programme, playing with a trusted friend etc)

You may wish to seek pyschological advice for your son and "drill down" into the fears that occupy his mind however illogical you feel they may be.

However, in my experience, the following suggestions can be noted:-

- it is unlikely that dry retching will result in the expulsion of stomach contents which perhaps your son fears
- after a bout of dry retching (~30 seconds) the urge diminishes - but may recur
- if your son feels like dry retching, then do it and don't hold it back
- find out what triggers the dry retching and try (with help) to create coping strategies
- be sympathetic and understanding.  Reassure your son that this complaint is more common than he may believe.  He must always feel that you will support him if he dry retches.
- share the problem with teachers and (sympathetic) friends rather than suffering the complaint in secret and fearing criticism/mockery etc


Good luck and I'll keep watching this posting in case you have any further points on which I might be able to help.

Morecambe .