Bloods 'normal' but pain not

[Ands]

Joseph had more bloods done locally yesterday which came back normal. However, he is still in so much pain in his tummy area particularly when having a BM. We are hoping to see his GI on Friday, just waiting for confirmation.

What I don't understand is that they are treating the pain as constipation and yet he is going two or three times a day. However, the BM vary between small and hard and soft. It is like someone is turning tap on and changing the pressure between how much comes out!

Is this normal for constipation or could it be that something else is going on inside? We are beginning to wonder but then surely the bloods would show something?

He is being so strong and fighting his way into school each day. He doesn't want to be held back by this but it is heart breaking to see him in so much pain.

He has expressed that he would even go back on exclusive modulen if it would take the pain away.

 

[crohnsinct]

Gee i don't know. With severe constipation it is possible to have small hard stuff come and then later soft stuff that is squeezing its way around the hard stuff.

However, it also wouldn't be the first time around here that a child's bloods came back fine and the child was still sick. Bloods don't always show the whole picture.

I hope it is just constipation and it resolves itself quickly.

 

[jmckinley]

We have battled with constipation too (not lately, but in the past). It used to be a big problem when taking 6mp. I don't know if it was related to the 6mp or to the fact that he was in remission. But the GI ordered miralax daily, probiotics and lots of water. Some of the vitamin supplements cause constipation.

I hope it resolves itself soon!

 

[Devynnsmom]

My daughters bm's sound very similar to your son. She could go from diarrheah, to rock hard, to normal and in any order in one sitting. The pains were awful for her. She ended up in emerg a few times and they gave her morphine for the pain. I hope your son is feeling better soon.

 

[Sascot]

Sorry to hear he is in alot of pain. My son has always had normal results in blood tests - even when he was in pain before diagnosis. Have they done any other tests? If it is maybe an impaction which would show up on a normal x-ray. Hope you manage to see the GI on Friday. If they cannot get to the bottom of it soon, try ask for a referral to a pain clinic. My daughter has constant pain at the moment so she has been referred to the pain clinic (run by anaesthetists) at the kids hospital. Good luck!

 

[nikki]

I have also had "Normal" bloods whilst in a flare... my consultant has told me that in some cases this is possible. If there is a narrowing from inflamed tissue from a previous severe flare this can cause the pain and symptons but the blood counts can still seem normal. I had an MRI which showed a narrowing to which they subsequently started me on biological therapy!
I hope you get some answers soon

 

[my little penguin]

Normal here for DS even with inflammation from one end to the other .

 

[DustyKat]

When did your lad last have a scope or imaging done?

IIRC his disease affected his terminal ileum??
I wonder if he has some stricturing/scarring going on. This would be one explanation for his pain, fluctuating presentation of bowel motions and normal bloods.

Certainly bloods don't always reflect disease activity and since my daughter was one of those in which bloods are unreliable I tend to look at what is in front of me as a gauge to how she travelling.

I hope you are able to see the GI on Friday and if so perhaps push for some imaging/scoping to be done. Good luck!

Dusty. xxx

 

[Ands]

Samantha - we ended up in a&e on Monday not due to immense pain but our GI wanted someone to check him locally and apparently this was the quickest route to see a local consultant!!!!! 4 1/2 hours later they confirmed his tummy was sore but they wouldn't do anything but he needed to see speacialist!

Dusty - we too are wondering if there is some scaring going on. He has only had one scope which was on diagnoses in July this year.

Still waiting to hear about appointment Friday. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for all your support.

 

[Ands]

We saw our consultant yesterday (feel blessed that he is happy to see us as and when needed, didn't even have an official clinic appointment just met us on a day ward) he thinks pain and irratic BM are still down to ibs type symptoms due to such sore upper tummy on diagnoses. We have doubled amount of laxative, and added a antispasmodic medicine to see if this helps. He is also booked in for a barium follow through first week in January. He woke with sore tummy again this morning, so he's off school today as we wait for the result of increased laxative.........!!!!!!!!:shifty-t:

 

[Farmwife]

Sorry to hear Ands. My Grace was up to 3 Miralax a day and Senacot at night. Took her off for EN but now that that has failed for the moment back on she has to go. I hope you get answers soon.

 

[StaceyQ]

sorry to hear he is in alot of pain, worst thing is when your child is in pain and there is nothing you can do to help x hope it subsides soon x
x

 

[Sascot]

Sorry to hear that! That was nice of the GI to see him though. Just wanted to mention that you can get Glycerine suppositories over the counter at the pharmacy. If your son will allow you to put a suppository in, it can be very effective (and very quick) at clearing the stool. They feel just like solid jelly and I don't think they would be too painful. Hope the laxative works soon!