Abdominal pain
#251159 - 03/09/06 01:51 PM
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bcmum
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 6
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Just was reading worst attacks. Everyone mentions attacks lasting several hours. My 10 year old has pain which keeps her in bed for weeks! She has missed over a month of school. Last year it was 6 weeks straight. Anyone else with bouts that last longer?
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Yes, quite a few people here suffer from pain in addition to attacks. I've had bad cramping that lasted for months without any relief. My experience with Heather's Eating for IBS guidelines is that the pain took longer to resolve than the D, but it has helped reduce the severity and frequency of that pain. I still get cramps, but now it's only a couple of times a month.
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I'm in pain everyday. Not just a few hours, unfortunately.
Some days it's just more tolerable.
-------------------- ~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Because constant, 24/7 pain that simply never lets up does not fit the diagnostic criteria for IBS. The pain should also be in association with diarrhea and/or constipation.
- H
-------------------- Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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It is a constant pain which comes in waves of intensity. I wouldn't call it constipation but her ped GI keeps saying that even though she has regular BMs she can still be constipated if she isn't eliminating everything? Her xrays don't show a backlog, but they keep saying she is constipated. He has prescribed Zelnorm. She has been on it for almost 30 days. She was starting to feel better and then missed 3 days of school last week again! I have asked them about the IBS diet. They have said that they think it is too exclusionary, especially when she is celiac too. We have eliminated dairy, have reintroduced red meat and avoid the other trigger foods. She drinks as much fennel and peppermint tea as I can get her to, it isn't easy. I am going to get some peppermint oil capsules today. She is going to children's hospital on the 28th to see her ped GI, we are a great distance from there. Everything else has been done through our local ped. and telephone conferences to Vancouver. Will be calling again to today to see if I should be ordering her next 30 days of Zelnorm - if it isn't working I don't really want to spend another $150! Feeling very frustrated!
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I'm so sorry your daughter is in so much pain. I have had some awful pain attacks that have last for a few months before. As you said, the pain can be constant with varying degrees of severity. Luckily, its been over a year since I've had such a terrible attack.
I find heat to be helpful when I'm in a lot of pain. Try giving her hot baths and let her use the heating pad on her tummy. Has she tried any of the anti spams drugs yet, like Bentyl or Levsin or Donnatol? I know they say the Zelnorm is supposed to help the pian but I didn't find it to help much. I use miralax (which is safe for children) to control the constipation. I also use Donnatol as needed for cramps and pain. I think your doing the right thing by taking her to the specialist, please keep us updated on her progress.
-------------------- Taking it one day at a time.....
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My doctor tried me on zelnorm, and since it has some serious side effects, he said if it wasn't working, stop taking it, so I did.
-------------------- IBS C, Spasms
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Have you taken her to another doc for a 2nd opinion? The constant never ending pain sounds like it may be something other than IBS. Also, while Heather's diet does exclude a number of things (which aren't great for the body anyway) it also introduces many alternatives and she recommends using Multivitamins. I am so sorry to hear about her pain. I have found that warm baths help to relieve pain anywhere in my body so maybe that would help her. And also the more water I drink, the better I feel. Please keep us updated.
-------------------- ***********************
If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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there are no health benefits to that and a lot of GI risks. Her diet shouldn't be too exclusionary at all, even if she has celiac. The only things she's totally eliminating for IBS would be red meat, dairy, soda pop, coffee, alcohol, and deep fried foods. None of those are necessary for good health (just the opposite, actually).
It really worries me that there is just constant pain, and it's not even clearly associated with constipation as far as you can tell. Zelnorm is also not approved for use in children.
Please let us know what you find out from the follow up appointments.
I'd also second Michelle on her recommendation for hot packs right on the abdomen, and continue the peppermint especially.
Best, Heather
-------------------- Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Spoke with children's hospital again. We have discontinued zelnorm. Someone asked about second opinions - she has seen numerous doctors(locally, regionally, and several at the provincial children's hospital) as well as our naturopath. Locally and regionally they are stumped. She has had several good days this week though! After a long bout of pain, it takes her several weeks to regain her energy. She will fall asleep in the car driving into town, something she hasn't done since she was very little.
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Sorry you are still in pain, Beth. Have you received my e-mails and the package? My server is very fussy about my e-mail, so I don't know if people receive them. xo Bette
-------------------- (cool)
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