Random Medical: Constant stomach aches

[atarianna]

I know no one is able to diagnose and yada yada yada, but we have been asking doctors for months and just don’t know what to do at the point.

My DD is 11 and is a T1Diabetic but very well controlled. She began having stomach pain in January of this year and has had almost constant pain and/or nausea since. We see her PCP and endo every 3-4 months and have a referral to a GI specialist in December (the wait was 6 months).

I know some stomach issues can be normal with t1d but this is growing to be beyond excessive and she is just often miserable. She has been tested for antibodies for things like celiac (negative) and we are considering testing for adrenal insufficiency but I am otherwise lost. Any other ideas or anecdotes?

[meganew]

My MIL had something similar and it wound up being a bacterial overgrowth. She had to research and ask for the test herself, but it was just blowing into something. She had cramping, bloating, nausea, and felt full very quick into eating and it went on for months and months until she figured it out. Not sure if those symptoms align, but it’s something to consider.

[meanie]

My DD often complains about stomach aches and nausea. She had a lot of poop issues starting at 2 from holding it in and being constipated. When she was super constipated she would start feeling nauseous.

Some of her stomach problems now are related to anxiety, but we were told her digestive system is also just naturally slower. She also eats small meals and feels full quickly - I suspect due to being constipated all the time.

I am assuming your DD has had abdominal X-rays done to rule out some things, was she constipated at all? We have done routine x-lax and miralax to clean her out and the nausea always goes away after.

[atarianna]

We haven’t had any X-rays or scans but I think it might be our next step. I will ask her about her poop, but think that has been normal. Mira lax is a good idea to just see if it can help clear her out.

I’ve actually heard about the bacterial overgrowth but had not considered that could be the culprit; I will add it to the list of things to consider testing.

[tiki]

Does she have other GI symptoms (gas, bloating, loose stools), or just pain and nausea?

[atarianna]

Oct 3, 2024 5:52:51 GMT -5 tiki said:

Does she have other GI symptoms (gas, bloating, loose stools), or just pain and nausea?

Just pain and nausea. She is naturally anxious (perfectionist first born) but I am trying very hard to think beyond the anxiety since so many women’s experiences are dismissed as mental health related, but I certainly don’t think the anxiety helps.

[Patsy Baloney]

My other thought was some kind of food intolerance. It may not be a full-blown allergy yet.

My anecdote is that I developed a food allergy later in life. At first, it exhibited just as pain. It would be persistent and pervasive for a few hours, then fade. Eventually, my reaction rose to the level of an allergy (nausea, vomiting, itching, etc.). At that point, I was able to identify the culprit but prior to that it just seemed like tummy aches.

It might be worthwhile to pay attention to her consumption and see if there’s a common food trigger that may be flying under the radar.

[bittybomb]

I came in here to suggest checking for type 1.

My daughter is type 1 and started to experience heartburn and nausea a bunch. Her pediatrician started her on Prilosec when I brought her in and we follow up with her endo tomorrow. I plan to raise it with her and if I learn anything I will let you know. The Prilosec has been helping my type 1 but not sure yours has the same type of symptoms.

I’m sorry! Type 1 adds a whole new layer to every single thing. I feel like il constantly down the type 1 rabbit hole.

[mrsukyankee]

Oct 3, 2024 5:57:38 GMT -5 atarianna said:

Oct 3, 2024 5:52:51 GMT -5 tiki said:

Does she have other GI symptoms (gas, bloating, loose stools), or just pain and nausea?

Just pain and nausea. She is naturally anxious (perfectionist first born) but I am trying very hard to think beyond the anxiety since so many women’s experiences are dismissed as mental health related, but I certainly don’t think the anxiety helps.

If she's not already working on the anxiety, doing this alongside the medical investigations may help - if anything to deal with any medical anxiety or anxiety around health that may be there (or crop up). Doing things for anxiety is something I wish we all learned from a young age as it's always helpful with life. If you want any resources, let me know.

[lavenderblue]

Where exactly is her pain? A lot of times people think they have a "stomachache" but the pain is actually lower. I had a ton of what I thought was stomach pain when I was a young teenager and was ultimately diagnosed with IBS.

[karinothing]

Have they tested for H. Pylori?

[keyslover]

Food intolerance is a thought- dd was tested for Celiac and was negative. Yet her symptoms went away and she feels better without gluten.

When she does “cheat” and eat some, she notices it. The longer she’s off gluten, the more she feels the difference.

I hope you find answers.

[Susie]

Gastroparesis?

[nancybotwin]

You should also check inflammation levels in her blood. DD1 had many of the symptoms you are describing and was diagnosed with Crohn’s.

[mags]

Oct 3, 2024 8:05:49 GMT -5 Susie said:

Gastroparesis?

Came to say same thing. I believe DB is one of the causes.

[mcsangel2]

Oct 3, 2024 8:05:49 GMT -5 Susie said:

Gastroparesis?

My first thought too, I think diabetes meds can sometimes cause issues.

[Susie]

mags and mcsangel2, yes and yes. Gastroparesis can be diabetic or idiopathic, and it can also be caused by GLP-1s.

Unfortunately there's really limited treatments available for it, but there are some in development. Metoclopramide is approved for gastroparesis, but it has a black box warning so it's not a long term option.

Sometimes though, just knowing you have something diagnosable is better than the wondering and groping in the dark Hopefully it is not it, but it sure sent up those flags between the symptoms and the diabetic connection.

[imchuckbass]

I ended up developing a nut allergy when I turned 40. I had stomach aches and pains every day and legit thought I must have cancer. I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy and they found severe inflammation. I stopped nuts and everything disappeared! Haven’t had any issues since.

[yaga]

I was also thinking gastroparesis. When I was diagnosed with it, I was told that 1/3 of patients who have it are diabetic. A quick google shows that it's more common with type 1 diabetics.

I take a medication (erythromycin*) for it very, very infrequently, but I manage the symptoms with dietary changes and medications for GERD. I had a lot of weird "symptoms" around food and eating that I actually had no idea was a sign that anything was wrong - super slow eater, getting full with a small amount of food, nausea when eating even when I'm still hungry. I thought the nausea thing was normal. 🙃

*it's an antibiotic with a side effect of rapid gastric emptying, so if you've ever felt absolutely ravenous from taking that for an infection, you know how it works!

[picksthemusic]

Agree with PP that gastroparesis might be a problem for her. But scans/a scope will likely be needed to really determine cause (or at least rule stuff out). Has she tried OTC meds like Tums or Pepto (the kids kind since she's young)? Are her stools normal and on a semi-normal schedule? Is the pain right up by her rib cage or more by her belly button? Does a hot pad help? I guess I'm asking if there is anything that relieves it? lol

You could ask the GI if they can give her a 'GI cocktail' while under supervision to see if it helps (usually works best if she's experiencing the pain while she's at the doctor). This can rule out several things all at once, or confirm suspected diagnoses. It's not needed/used in all GI situations, but it can be a tool.

When DD has (what I believe to be) anxiety-related nausea, I give her the Dramamine ginger chews and it usually helps a lot. However, it is usually because she is hungry and has skipped a meal here or there.

Good luck, I know this stuff can be challenging.

[whattheheck]

My dd’s symptoms were similar and she was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia after an endoscopy.