Hi,
i am hoping someone can help me. I have a 13yo daughter who has been suffering chronic stomach and lower abdomen pain for about 2 years now, progressively getting worse. The pain is worse after eating, she often cannot finish a meal, she has lots of cramping. Here's a brief history, we are at the point where we are running out of ideas and our doctors don't know what to do. She is missing tons of school and her sports, normally she is very active and competitive.

She has been tested for multiple food and environmental allergies, all negative. Also tested for celiac disease. She had a gastric emptying study, normal. Ultrasound, normal expect large kidneys (looked normal, she does have blood in urine most of the time, but no other symptoms). She did develop appendicitis and it was removed on 3/5, they found pinworms, she was treated aggressively, more than normal dosage. Rest of family treated along with environment.

Pain and constipation has continued and has gotten much more accute after surgery. We thought she might be developing small bowel obstruction, but x=rays were normal. Blood work fairly normal, not anemic, WBC good. She had a barium swallow with small bowel follow through which was normal expect for the following:

First of all, her bowel sounds are always VERY increased and hyperactive, we could see that on the study, she had the barium pass through in twice the normal time at least. We also saw her pain hit when the barium hit the stomach, then decrease a little until it hit the lower abdomen area, where it became almost unbearable. The barium gave her diarrhea, 6X in 8 hours, which hurt her alot, but actually made her feel better, I think it cleaned her out a bit.

She is now getting some pain meds, which we use sparingly, since it slows things down and could make her constipation worse, plus donnatal and bentyl, and tums, rolaids, as needed, and colace prn, nothing making a difference.

Anyway, she is getting to the point she can't function. She is going to be scoped this week, but the doctor doesn't think we'll find anything. her pain continues to get worse and she is getting depressed because she can really only lay on couch, she can barely move from the pain.

Anyone have any ideas? I am a nurse, which makes it more frustrating for me, to not be able to get any answers. I don't know what to do with her anymore or how to help her. i tried different herbs and teas to help relax the stomach and tried looking on the internet and my nursing books for reasons why she would have such hyperactive bowel sounds and increased peristalsis and pain, but not increased stools, just constipation. The doctors say no crohns or ulcerative colitis, maybe IBS, which i think is a diagnosis we use when we just don't know!

thanks, any help would be appreciated!!!
Frustrated mom!