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What Causes Upper And Lower Abdominal Pain?
Question: Hello, this is concerning my daughter who is 9 years old. Severe abdominal upper and lower achy pain not stabbing....she was chronically constipated but we have that managed right now and this is not the cause. Pediatric specialist at St Vincents hospital after upper GI's and colonoscopy found erosive gastritis, esophagitis (E&E) and moderate to severe GERD. All biopsies came back normal, lab tests and x-rays...no food intolerances, bacteria or anything. Waiting to perform a pill camera, Last 3 days she started complaining of severe shortness of breath that inhalers or albuterol did not touch, ER last night said its has to be from stress after normal xrays....now today she has all the symptoms Ive already stated and has off and on foggy vision, headache and dizziness and spinning. Could all of these symptoms be stress and anxiety related because she does worry about everything or could there be something bigger underlying here that goes further than a experienced pediatric enterologist? ER's refuse to help because this is a chronic condition and the enterologist can only do so much. Your help is more than appreciated!!! Sincerely desperate Mom!!
Also there are no cold or flu symptoms, no cough, fever, no sore throat or congestion....and she is starting to get shaky
Also there are no cold or flu symptoms, no cough, fever, no sore throat or congestion....and she is starting to get shaky
Brief Answer:
Think differently if the routine tests are normal
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
I can understand the plight a child of 9 and her Mother must be going through due to the symptoms and the tests she must have undergone.
Barium through naso-gastric tube is called Enteroclysis.
Erosive gastritis, esophagitis and GERD can be secondary to the primary problems as these can not cause lower abdominal pain and can be stress induced due to the disease process.
I think rest of all other investigations you mentioned are normal.
This make me think differently if investigations are normal, she must be under medicines and yet not relieved of the symptoms.
I can think of the following and would suggest the investigations along with it:
- Color Doppler or Angiography of the abdomen. This is to rule out any vascular problems.
-MRI of the brain- just to rule out any central problem.
-Abdominal epilespy is a known diagnosis and helped by concerned medicines- worth trying in patients with negative reports.
-Psychological (NOT Psychiatric) evaluation - just to be on safe side.
** May please know the detailed history since beginning of the first attack and chronological symptomatology / any medicines that have helped her to be asymptomatic for a good length of time...? This may help me more.
I hope this answer helps you in part at least to get to the diagnosis and the treatment thereupon.
I also hope she is under treatment for GERD and related things.
Please feel free to discuss in detail with possibility of getting a solution.
Think differently if the routine tests are normal
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
I can understand the plight a child of 9 and her Mother must be going through due to the symptoms and the tests she must have undergone.
Barium through naso-gastric tube is called Enteroclysis.
Erosive gastritis, esophagitis and GERD can be secondary to the primary problems as these can not cause lower abdominal pain and can be stress induced due to the disease process.
I think rest of all other investigations you mentioned are normal.
This make me think differently if investigations are normal, she must be under medicines and yet not relieved of the symptoms.
I can think of the following and would suggest the investigations along with it:
- Color Doppler or Angiography of the abdomen. This is to rule out any vascular problems.
-MRI of the brain- just to rule out any central problem.
-Abdominal epilespy is a known diagnosis and helped by concerned medicines- worth trying in patients with negative reports.
-Psychological (NOT Psychiatric) evaluation - just to be on safe side.
** May please know the detailed history since beginning of the first attack and chronological symptomatology / any medicines that have helped her to be asymptomatic for a good length of time...? This may help me more.
I hope this answer helps you in part at least to get to the diagnosis and the treatment thereupon.
I also hope she is under treatment for GERD and related things.
Please feel free to discuss in detail with possibility of getting a solution.
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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