Thread: Lab Results

The nurse called me yesterday and Alana's lab results all came back in the normal range. I want to be happy and relieved, but honestly I have mixed emotions. The symptoms are still present despite what the labs say. Alana absolutely LOVES school, but lately she's been crying and stressing that she doesn't want to go because she is embarrassed of her bathroom issues. I was hopeful the labs would show something and that this doctor could help her. We still have 2 more stool samples to turn in and then wait for those results. I'll have a really hard time looking my sweet girl in the face and tell her I'm sorry but that's the way God made you and it can't be fixed. Ugh.....being a parent is so difficult sometimes!

Honestly when Dakota has these issues (because he has them ALL the time) I don't send him and the school and teachers know. I'm wondering if it's a food thing? Dakota's is. If he gets large amounts of fructose (fruits, juice, some veggies, and yes high fructose corn syrup) he has problems. I've mainly gotten a handle on the situation, but DH doesn't really stress the importance of keeping the ingredients he can't have away.

Poor kid. I hope you can get something figured out. Has she had a lot of antibiotics by any chance? I'm wondering if taking a pro-biotic would help.

I have IBS and after years I've started figuring out what some of my issues are. I kept a food journal and took it to the doctor with no help (although he did tell me his mother has problems when she reheats food).

Anyway, from what I can tell, too much fiber (whole wheat, popcorn, etc) makes me sick. Too many hard things, like cashews, make me sick.

I haven't figured it out entirely and I'm trying to add some fiber back in because only having white starch seems unhealthy, but maybe those will be starting points?

Oh and too much dairy gives me problems.

I'm sorry she's going through this.

Ugh, sorry! Not having an answer is the worst! I hope the samples can show something!

Missing school isn't really an option. Unfortunately she misses too much already due to asthma and doctor appointments. Last school year we got a "warning letter" from the school that she could be kicked out due to excessive absences (only 11!). Her school is awesome and if she were to get kicked out it'd be terrible. Besides, she can be fine one minute and running to the bathroom the next. These "spells" (for lack of a better word) typically come on with very little warning and are so unpredictable. I plan on discussing it with her new teacher so we can work out a plan where she can take care of hew needs discreetly.

She's only had antibiotics a few times in her life so I'm pretty sure that's not the culprit. Honestly, her issues started only days after she was born and they've been around off/on ever since. When I googled Crohn's disease (one thing the doc mentioned) it sounded JUST like her. I'm assuming that isn't it though since the labs came back good, but honestly I have no idea.

Is IBS just a generic term for stomach issues? That's what I've always heard. Kind of like Reactive Airway Disease is a generic term for breathing issues. Is there anything that can be done for it besides finding trigger foods and eliminating them?

Oh, and on an entirely different note Madison is sick. I'm hoping and praying it is just a cold! But she has been off her meds for almost a month and the doc said it'd be 4-6 weeks before the meds would entirely leave her system (or something along those lines). She's coughing and sneezing like crazy with such thick mucous it actually chokes her up at times. No one else is sick (yet) but I'm praying she isn't going back to her old self and that we did the right thing by taking her off the inhaler. Sometimes I have to laugh to keep from crying, lol.

You should be able to get her an IEP at school based on physical disability. If she has an IEP, she cannot be expelled for missing school, and they may even be required to send a tutor to the home. (This is the case in my state, but I'm not sure if it's true in all states.)

I'm not sure her issues would be considered severe enough for the OHI label. Her medical problems don't really affect her learning other than that she misses school occasionally. I don't consider 11 absences "excessive" but being that she goes to a Charter school that has a waiting list a mile long.....

Regardless, the stool samples are turned in so now all we can do is wait. I'm keeping a positive attitude that if they can't find anything that we'll be able to improve her symptoms and help her gain weight through diet adjustments.

Madison's cough is getting worse (and no one else is sick) but I'm hoping we'll see improvements soon. She blows her nose constantly and we use the saline rinse to help flush out her sinuses. She's also used the J&J Vapor Bath before bedtime. I may have to try running a saline solution through the nebulizer to try to kick this thing. I don't want to have to give her any meds!!

Alana starts school on Thursday and Madison will start the following Monday. I hope they are both healthy in time for school!

IBS is "your guts are messed up and we don't know why" from what I can tell Caffeine & red wine are common triggers but I doubt she's having those. Things with seeds (strawberries & raspberries, for example) are often problematic for people with IBS. I think it basically means that your body is more sensitive than other people's. I was tested with a colonoscopy for things like celiac's and that was all fine. So basically I just try to be careful. If I have whole wheat pasta then I need to skip the popcorn.

Originally Posted by NatalieL

IBS is "your guts are messed up and we don't know why" from what I can tell Caffeine & red wine are common triggers but I doubt she's having those. Things with seeds (strawberries & raspberries, for example) are often problematic for people with IBS. I think it basically means that your body is more sensitive than other people's. I was tested with a colonoscopy for things like celiac's and that was all fine. So basically I just try to be careful. If I have whole wheat pasta then I need to skip the popcorn.

This is kind of what I've considered to be wrong with her without the official diagnosis. She seems to have a very sensitive stomach but what causes it seems to be random. Her EGD and colonoscopy were fine too. Still waiting on the results of the stool tests....