". . . it will take too long. . ."

[Fixit]

megs mom-

You should email Dr. K. When I was in chicago we had coffee, and he mentioned working on anxiety in teens (primarily girls) that interestingly enough, often (always) involved stomach issues. We are not talking about pandas - just anxiety - I'm sure he could point you in right direction, he's been investigating the stomach anxiety link in terms of bacterial involvement.

 

 

Wow...facinating....

Maybe doc K is seeing other strong correlations...

 

just about to start a new topic just on this....

[dcmom]

I would just like to add our experience to the thread- although I don't think this is Meg's issue, but maybe others with stomach aches...

 

My older daughter initially presented with pandas as daily stomach aches, which turned into fear of throwing up, refusal to eat out and eventually go out, and very restrictive eating. We did GI testing, up to the scope- we didn't do that. The ped GI kind of gave up and gave her a possible post infectious IBS diagnosis. This wasn't correct- because she didn't actually have stomach problems (no real constipation, loose movements, vomiting etc).

 

During a routine physical a month or so later- I mentioned to an older (and wiser) ped about our dead end on the stomach ache issue. He knew what it was immediately. He demonstrated how she had heightened sensitivity to his examination. We discussed the stomach ache pattern, and found she was over sensitive to any activity in her gut. (he actually corrected me that it wasn't really her stomach ) She had the ache when she was : hungry, digesting, right before, and right after a bowel movement.

 

She had NEVER had heightened sensitivity to anything before (no issues at doctors- no issues with needles).

 

This was my lightbulb moment- I immediately brought her to her pandas doc. After a month on antibiotics the stomach aches were just about gone. After a steroid taper there was almost no memory of the stomach aches.

 

Her next exacerbation included major fear of vomiting- but no stomach aches.

 

So- for those who don't actually see ANY physical symptoms other than the complaint of a stomach ache: try to look for a pattern, consider the possibility that it is heightened sensitivity (especially if you see that in other areas).