Abdominal migraines

[katerinoo]

Hi, My daughter is 17 and an athlete training at a high level.

Over the past 9 months she has experienced severe pain in an area below her tummy button that renders her unable to stay at school/eat/train etc. It usually lasts less than 2 hours. She also quite often feels nauseous, particularly in the mornings. We have been unable to identify any pattern to these episodes. She has in the past also had periods of extreme headaches but these have never been investigated and have eased over the past couple of years.

She has eventually had a telephone appointment with a gastroenterologist who is investigating IBS. I am really not certain that this is the correct direction and others have suggested abdominal migraine.

This is interfering with her training, school work and general health now. We would be happy to look at investigation privately but are really unsure where to turn. Her training is intensive and this could be a major factor. We could either go down the route of a sports specialist, migraine specialist or wait for the conclusion of the IBS investigations. Unfortunately she is at a crucial age for her athletics and I feel an urgency for better understanding of what is going on.

If anyone has any experience of this I would be very grateful.

[Cat00]

I have chronic migraines and IBS since childhood. I never had abdominal migraine but I did have IBS as a child. Migraines from 4 years old. I'm not an athelete but I do do intense sport 5 days a week.As you know intense sport does really upset the bowel, I presume it thinks its under attack and wants to shed its contents. Partly why I eat virtually nothing before training.

IBS is really diagnosed by exclusion, once you've ruled out Crones, and Celiac etc etc. If I were you I'd move her onto a low FODMAP diet now and see if she improves while you are waiting for other tests?

They now include gluten and dairy in fodmap but they never used to be there and both those food groups are actually good for my IBS so you'll need to find your own path in regards to that. The thing that is considered the worst offenders are garlic and onions, again they don't give me IBS so you need to look at groups one at a time. Also IBS is often triggered by stress and a particular food, so the same food can be eaten sometimes and not at others.

[Onthemove1971]

Our son has had this since 2nd grade..Good news, if the diagnosis is correct most children grow out of stomach migraines at the end of high school, but they get cranial migraines.

What has worked the best and it will be important to team with Peds GI and Ped's Neurology. Our son takes 500 MG of magnesium glycinate daily and cyprotepadine daily. We have almost gotten to 1 year without vomiting.

It will also be important to limited spicy food and anything deep fried.

By the way our son was recruited his Jr. year to play D1 sports in college.

In addition, I have medication keep on him while in school and during all sports events. He also has a 504 plan to help deal with everything.

Send me a message if you have any more questions.