Help for My 18 Yr Old Daughter

I think she may still be young enough to go to Children's. Take her there . . . NOW!

PPT to you.

Good luck!

My daughter was doing about the same thing. They did what they called a "stomach emptying exam" and her stomach was not emptying the way it should. They put her on Reglan and the medicine makes her a little dopey right now, but she just started it. I am just very glad she is not throwing up anymore. Just a thought...

About 2 years ago I had my gallbladder removed after being sick off and on for over 2 years. To begin with it was just bad pains now and then or an upset tummy after eating. I was put on some stomic meds, they seemed to help... till I found out I was preg. So, I quit taking them - then we laughed saying it was because I was having a boy... which I did, but anyways the pains and sickness went way after I got out of my fist trimester. After I had my 1st boy, I started having the pains again and getting sick when I ate certain foods. After about 3 month, I couldn't eat or drink anything with out ending up sick and in pain (to the point where I would lay in the featal possition crying).

They did a liver count and found out it was my galbladder - it was removed with in a few days and I feel much better now... have them check her liver count - it's just a blood test!

Good luck!!!

My son did that when he was about 12. He had reflux, raise the head ofthe bed 2-4 inches, i put a 4x4 under head of box springs. No food after 7 pm, lots of watr, how is her bowels. If they arent moving to well try benefiber, you can mixd it with cereal, milk, kool-aid, they never know it. Finally he came out of it. Good Luck and I will be praying for your family. B.

For heaven's sake! Find a dr who will be willing to test or
to refer to a specialist immediately! Of course something is
wrong. Do NOT take no for an answer. It's very hard for
specialists to see anything outside their particular expertise
Don't wait too long. Make an appt. at Mayo's. It's not any
more expensive than a reg. dr. The care and consideration is
marvelous. You'll have your answer in a couple of days.
Good Luck.

I don't know what the diagnosis could be, but keep taking her to the doctor until they figure it out. If your doctor gives up, find another doctor. My niece was 14 and had similar problems. The doctors kept asking if she was anorexic (she wasn't). They thought it was allergies (all kinds - food, environmental, etc.) and it wasn't. Finally, she was rushed to the emergency room because she was so sick and they found out that she was in kidney failure. I am not sure of the name of the diagnosis, but her problem was a simple virus (like strep) that stayed in her body and started attacking her immune system. She ended up needing a kidney transplant.

Anyway, I am not saying that this is what is wrong with your daughter, but DO NOT give up until you know.

M.,

Has your doctor tried allergy testing? My son was diagnosed with Celian disease about 2 years ago now. We went thru a long period of vomiting and diarrhea (several months) before we were able to get a diagnoses. Celiac disease is a genetic disease that lies dormant until a dramatic upset to the body (a violent bout of flu, puberty, an extended round of antibiotics) IT's a simple blood test called a celiac panel. Take Care
K. M

My Grandmother just went through the same symptoms and it was her gall bladder. It was inflamed and she had gall stones. They had to do an xray and catscan to find it though. Not sure if something like that would be found through blood tests, etc. without scanning.

Not sure if that is really what is wrong, but my Grandma indicated that she would get up in the middle of the night and also have uncontrollable vomiting during the day.

M.,

I agree with the other moms, you really need to go to a gastroenterologist and have them do a full work up. They should be able to identify the source of problem.

She is young and this is most likely NOT the problem, but pancreatic cancer can also exhibit all the symptoms of a GI problem. This happened to my Grandmother (when she was 80). I don't want to alarm you and I don't think this is the main cause, but just keep it in the back of your mind if the doctors can not figure out what the problem is.

Not sure what kind of doctor she seen but I would highly recommend a gastrenterologist. Symptoms were too vague so it can be as severe as Crohn's or it can be as simple as a Hiatal hernia. Sorry not more help but would say I would get her in.

Good luck.
J.

The first two responders are right on the ball with their suggestions!
My daughter has GERD which is Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disorder. She's on meds tho.
If she misses her meds, or when the meds stop working for her, she wakes up choking on her vomit at night (even hours after she eats), or she'll wake up in the morning running to the bathroom to vomit. Like your daughter it happens several times per day and even when food hasn't been ingested.

We used to find her blue in the face as an infant and choking on her vomit at night. It was scary. She refuses to eat much of anything, and that is because she knows what her body can tolerate. She eats a lot of bland foods, like oatmeal, rice, etc. Sometimes she'll eat greasy or spicy foods, but its rare. She eats a lot of salads.

Pay attention to what foods your daughter is avoiding. She may be avoiding anything acidy, spicy, greasy, even chocolate! Anything that her stomach will not tolerate. Carbonated drinks will induce the reflux, so my daughter has to drink it sparingly. She also has to sleep in an incline so she doesn't wake up choking.

Talk to your doctor again concerning your daughter's condition. See if he can't get her into a gastroenterologist to perform tests. One might be an Upper GI (she will ingest a cocktail that glows in her stomach so they can see where it travels inside her). They may run further tests and take biopsies (my daughter's had this done, it's a quick out patient procedure where they biopsy the stomach, intestine, etc).

Does your daughter take motrin a lot? My husband was prescribed motrin a lot by his doctors in the past (b/c they thought "Motrin can fix anything!") well he now has an ulcer. The ulcer caused Reflux like symptoms. He takes Prescription Previcid now. My daughter is on Prilosec.

Hope we all have offered good advice, bottom line however is to press the issue with your DR and have him schedule tests.

Good Luck!

My 7 year old daughter was the same way. Hers lasted a year before we found out what she had. Helocobactorpilori (sp?) which is a bacterial infection in the lining of the stomach. The only way we found out was a colonoscopy and a camera/tube down the throat. They were going in from both ends. I am glad she was at Riley and they put her to sleep for it. Anyway, her acid reflux was so bad she has had to have a few back teeth pulled for it. They really need to check from the inside out to find out. Nothing is worse than having a sick child, in pain and you cannot do anything to help. Good Luck!

You don't say. Does she have pain?

It could be her gall bladder if she does.

If I were you and my daughter had the problems that your daughter has I would DEMAND more testing. I would not leave the hospital or doctors office until I get answers. This is what I had to do with my youngest. I know ages are different but she is YOUR daughter you have to do what is right and what feels right. A mother knows when something is not right with her child. You let your doctor know that to! Sometimes they can get a big head and say that it is just stress. Well okay that might be it but make sure there is nothing else that could be causing this issue to go on for so long.

You and Your daughter will be in my prayers!

By getting sick do you mean vomitting??? And is it after she eats? I had gallbladder problems and it was the worst pain/sickness I've ever had. Worse than morning sickness and child birth!
The attacks happen after eating fatty food and they didn't always happen right away so I would sometimes be woke up in the middle of the night. Have her watch what she eats and how certain foods affect her. Then maybe mention something to the doctor about it.

i would look at her nervous system. meaning has there been anything traumatic, or difficult, is she under a lot of stress or perfection-seeking? sometimes, when the energy of the body is stuck in fight o r flight mode, there is not enough enrgy to regulate the digestive system. if you feel that its not a "caught" illness, i would consider her emotional wellbeing as a possible factor..

Does she seem like she is under a lot of stress or anything? I had similar issues awhile ago and I kept going in to the Doctor and ER with dehydration and in my case pain. I finally got them to repeat an upper endoscopy(if you or your daughter don't know what this is please feel free to contact me and I can give you more info.) It turned out that I had Ulcers in my stomach caused by stress. It took me a while to get them to repeat the test and when they did my Ulcers were level 3 and bleeding. Please talk to your daughter's doctor to find out if he thinks this is a test they may do to rule out Ulcers. I hope that things straighten out for her soon as I understand what she is going through.

Hi M.,
A few thoughts on your daughter's health issue. Maybe the docs have already tested this, but if not you may want to ask for her gall bladder to be checked. Another not-so-common issue is called pyloric stenosis, basically there is a narrowing in the valve that drains the stomach (I think).
I do pray that they find something that can be easily corrected soon.
Best wishes,
J.

M., Have you tried alternative medicine. Health food stores may be able to direct you to an intuitive healer. I was having problems that no doctor could help and now I go to her for everything. One of my issues was parasites and doctors never even addressed it. They are really not quacks and have some remedies that are very natural.
I am a 47 year old mother of an 18 yr old girl. married 25 year to the same guy. Normal house and normal friends!!
Blessings, Jane

When I was little I had "cyclic vomitting sydnrome". You can go on-line to www.mayoclinic.com and enter "cyclic vomitting syndrome" in their search engine and read up on it. I vomitted even without eating. It was awful. My pediatrician believed that it was stress induced. My mom and I could never figure out where it came from. I think I was 5 when I started to get it. The episodes lasted until I was 12 or 13. I ended up in the hospital every time b/c I became too dehydrated. Your daughter is older but really this can happen at any time. I would definitely get a second opinion on this and see another doctor.
Sometimes female problems can disguise themselves as stomach/intestinal problems. I would also take her to her or your OB/GYN just to rule out any female problems. You could even take her to a local urgent care facility and allow them to run tests on her. They might have more or better equipment than your doctor does. Our co-pay on an urgent care facility is the same as if going to a dr.

M., does your daughter have any problems w/anxiety and/or severe stress? Just a thought. I see this sometimes in the mental health field where a person could get themselves so worked up and not even know it and may not necessarily know why. One young boy (approx 8yr old) would vomit as much as your daughter. We finally figured out that when he thought about his dad, anticipated dad calling, anticipated having to see him for the weekend, etc. his body would become so stressed and anxious that he would throw up several times daily.

My daughter went through a similar period, starting her senior yr. in high school (she is a jr. in college now). We thought it was an ulcer and she was put on medication, which helped a little. After her last episode, I had the Dr. test for an ulcer (having an endiscope to check for a certain bacteria in the stomach). That came back negative, but the Dr. gave her an antispasmodic. Sometimes the stomach will spasm causing pain, nausea, vomiting etc. She hasn't had a problem since. By the way, your daughter should be covered by insurance if she is enrolled in college full time.

Has your daughters personality changed? For ex. from extroverted to introverted. Does she seem depressed? Is she noticably different, in her moods? Yes, this could be "being an 18 yr. old going through the changes of life" or their may be something else going on. Not to alarm you in any way, but perhaps something to consider. Has anything tramatic occured in the last couple of mos. that may be eating away at her emotionally? Stress can appear and be displayed in a number of different ways. For ex. the way you deal with an issue may be completely different than how your daughter deals with the same issue of course there is no wrong answer to this way of dealing with an issue but perhaps outside help such as a psychologist could help.

A similar issue happened to a sister of mine and they tested her for everything under the sun. The end result was "well, it may have been a bad virus that had to run it's course or perhaps the fact that she recently had a baby, her boyfriend cheated on her then left her and her son to fend for themselves right after she had her gulbadder (-sp) taken out. She took every medicine the dr. prescribed then she started go to counseling. A few weeks after she started counseling the throwing up and bathroom attacks finally started to subside. It wasn't easy but the benefits were definitely a blessing in disguise.

I pray that god puts all the right people into your lives to help with all the right guidance she needs:)

A. G.

Hi M.. I'm not sure what it could be, but more intense testing needs to be done. Present this idea to your current Dr. and see if he applies, if not, get a new Dr. This problem is just too important to sweep under the rug. It could be a number of serious issues. When she throws up, look to see what color it is, if it has a strong or distinct odor. If it is the color black, or brown, with a stong odor, it may be blood. I hope that this helps.

When my daughter became pregnant(not saying your daughter is), she had more than morning sickness. She too got sick 3 or 4 times a day. I really felt sorry for her because no one could diagnose anything and I was worried for the baby. I read in Reader's digest about H.Pylori bacteria. At the same time she went to the Doctor for something else. The artical said that a simple antibiotic would take care of it, and he prescribed an antibiotic. She got better and no more vomiting. She did take everything imaginable for vomiting. the artical said that this bacteria is in the stomach, and it affects 84% of pregnant women but also non pregnant women. Maybe you should look in to it at WebMD. She also had to have her gallbladder out after she had the baby. Baby was 2 years old. She was having debilitating pain that took her breath away and lasted anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours where she would have to sit perfectly straight and still for the whole time.

I would be INSISTING that my doctor referred my daughter to a gastrointerologist IMMEDIATELY!! I am assuming that he has checked her gall bladder, kidneys and liver?? Also, have you considered an eating disorder?? This doctor should be taking this more seriously! You may want to consider a change of physician. I will keep your daughter in my prayers. Remember, if your doc isn't doing what is needed, then you need to take further steps.

I'd try a specialist instead of the family doc. It doesn't sound like he's listening to your concerns if he did a couple tests and said she was fine when she obviously isn't. Look in to a gastro-enternologist (sp?) and get her stomach and digestive systems checked out.
Good Luck!

You need to take her back to the doctor and tell him you INSIST he get some more testing done; have her checked for gall stones, as that could very well be the issue, and them have them make damn certain she doesn't have a tumor of some kind. Esphogeal or stomach cancer is unlikely but should not be ruled out until you know for sure.

When my son was just a bit smaller, just a few years ago, he kept getting sick and the doc kept assuring me some kids just get sick more than others. I finally got miffed one day and took him to the doctor and said look, you're gonna do some lab work on this kid if for nothing more than my piece of mind, I can't sleep at night thinking he could have cancer or some other serious illness. Don't let the doctor walk on you, he's just a doctor and those come a dime a dozen, he is not God.

She could just have a nervous stomach, gall stones really aren't a huge deal, maybe its just reflux, but you need to find out and you must insist he do what you ask of him because if its something serious and she gets irreprably harmed as a result of you not pushing the issue, you'll never forgive yourself. If he won't do what you want, find someone who will.

Take her to the ER and do not leave until they find out what is wrong.

I would suggest going to a gastrointestinal specialist. Maybe an endoscopy would reveal more. In my experience going to a specialist is always the best course of action.

Is it possible she has an eating disorder? I only ask this because a roommate of mine in college did but she convinced her family that the vomiting was beyond her control and that something must be wrong. She had seen many doctors to try to explain it. I can tell you after living with her for a year it was obvious she had a severe warped body dysmorphia and was obsessed with everything she ate and what was in it. I also had another friend in college with an eating disorder and even after she had admitted to the problem and was seeking help she was unable to stop the vomiting without a lot of work and time. It was something her body learned to do. I could be totally off the mark. If you don't trust your own judgement maybe ask her closest friends what they might know.
I certainly hope you find your Dr. House! Best of luck to you and your daughter.

Hi,

Please take her to have her "scoped". She may have bleeding ulcers,stomach cancer or esophageal cancer. I know it sounds weird for an 18 yr old to get these, but it is not unheard of. My husband had esophageal cancer in his early 20's and his symptoms where almost unnoticeable. He started getting sick (throwing up, pain in his stomach) and the Dr's initially dismissed him and his concerns until he threatened a lawsuit. They finally found the cancer and thankfully, he is now a survivor.
Even if it isn't cancer or ulcers, the scope will be able to see any problems in her stomach and esophagus. I will pray for your daughter and your family. Namaste~ E.

M.,
My youngest sister went through this about the same age.

She got to the point where she was constantly stressing over everything!! Senior year...boyfriend..life in general.

She never could get stuff off her mind.

She too was throwing up all the time (not on purpose) and was losing weight because of it.

My mom took her to a dr and he diagnosed her with "nervous stomach" and gave her a medication (I don't know what) and she took that for awhile and has not had any problems sinc...however she don't take any medication for it anymore so it was kinda a phase thing...something maybe worth looking into perhaps....

Hope it all works out as this sounds like a dangerous situation.

S.

She needs to be thouroughly tested. A friend of mine her daughter got really ill and it took months to find out she had Lyme's disease. She needs to have a complete physical. The fibromyalgia center I think diagnosed her. The Cleveland CLinic was of no help.

M.,
Has anyone mentioned her gallbladder??Is her abdomen tender under her right ribs?Is she having pain? I would look up "cholecystitis" on WebMD and see if her symptoms are similar.
Good Luck
R.

I would take her back in and have them run and ultra sound or exrays of her stomach. It sounds like she might have a bowel blockage or something in the intestine. I was about your daughters age when I had been sick for a couple of months before my appendix ruptured. So that could also be it but I would take her in today. It sounds like it is going on for a while and you definately need to get this taken care of before she gets worse. I definately would be concerned as well. Be her advicate. She is not well and sometimes dr. will over look things. I hope she gets better.

I would encourage you to seek out a physician who specializes in alternative health practice. They can test your daughter for a wealth of conditions and will treat with natural remedies. I have a son who 7 years ago became extremely ill and missed over 6 weeks of school. After dealing with numerous medical doctors and him being on a variety of meds, we finally turned to the natural health field and found relief!! Do not accept that there is nothing wrong with your child...you know your child best so follow your instincts on seeking answers to her health problem.

M.,
Do you know if the test was for H-Pylori? It's a bacteria we test for when doing a procedure called an EGD(esophagastroduodenoscopy)WOW! The procedure is done by a gastroenterologist or a general surgeon. We look into the stomach with a scope, and take a biopsy of tissue (a little bigger than a pinhead), and send it to lab to check for the bacteria. My aunt had it and was very ill. She was diagnosed and treated, and has been doing fine since. Please check into it, never hurts to ask. I do these procedures daily. This is not uncommon.
Good Luck, hope she's feeling better soon.
C.-47 soon! Widowed,son-27, "Grammie" to a 4 year old grand-daughter.

You might ask if they could check her gall bladder. I have had gall bladder issues since I was about 18 and they just kept saying that wasn't it until I just kept getting sick and lost 30 pounds. They couldn't find anything until they checked how my gall bladder was functioning. Does she complain of her stomach hurting? It took 2 visits on 2 consecutive days to the er and then they took my gall bladder out the day I went to the surgeon. Just a thought if they haven't done that. good luck.

Get a second opinion. Maybe a third or fourth.

By getting sick, do you mean vomiting? You may want to ask your family doctor for a referral to a gastroenterologist. You don't want this to lead to dehydration and malnutrition, so please get it checked out as soon as possible.

Was the test for lactose intolerance? You should find out exactly what your daughter was tested for. Request paper copies of the results, if necessary.

Hello, I'm a 46yr old Mom of 4,3 boys and 1 girl.To your question, when i was 24 and had 2 of the 4 kids i had similar symptoms, try to have doc check for sugar, if not that try and see if it's not her gallbladder. Thats what it was for me, sometimes they just go bad when you least expect it.If you're doc is thourough he or she has probably already orderd test for these things already. hope i'v helped good luck Laurielynne

Sorry to hear about your daughter, try not to worry, pray, and get some answers. You should pay attention to exactly what her symtoms are, when it happens, how long its going on, and what she is eating so you can report to doctor. It could have been food poison, stomach alcer... You should follow up with doctor and let them no the medication didn't work so more test could be done. Get a second opinion, and I would have and altrasound done. Maybe she should go to the emergency room when she is in pain, they usaully do a series of testing then.

I could be way off because I don't even pretend to know...but I had this same issue with my little 4 week old baby and it turned out he had pyloric stenosis. Look it up online and see if symptoms are the same. It took a 30 minute surgery to correct.

this could be stress induced or caused by an ulcer or even something like reflux disease. It could also be part of a pattern, if she isn't eating because she gets sick or not keeping things down then i becomes much harder for her to keep things down later and the cycle continues, take her to a specialist or talk to her, you said she isnt pregnant but could it be drugs? could she have an eating disorder? if it's jsut stress she's got to be under an awful lot of it, you'll be in our prayers, good luck.

keep getting her to the dr. and insist that they do something!

she will be off of your insurance in may when she graduates high school right? so use that as leverage with the dr. to get her all checked out!

mel