help with the belly pain please

[anonymous]

Hi everyone, I am pretty new to this forum and to CF. My 2 step daughters were diagnosed 3 weeks ago. The docs said it was mostly the GI problem and we are doing lung therapy as a preventive thing for now. Bethany is 4 years old and has had the CF symptoms for a couple years and was taken to many doctors and ER's. She even had a sweat test done at one time and they said it was neg. The whole time she has been in really really bad belly pain, along with all the other stuff (smelly greasy globs of stool,, etc). Her younger sister Emily at 2 yrs old was the one that got the ball rolling as her rectum prolapsed several times over a few day period. She also has had bad belly pains for about 6 months prior to being diagnosed. Ok, my questions is this...... when we got them taking the enzyimes their belly pain went away for a few days, but now it seems that we have been having them again from time to time. Is this something as a mom and dad we are gonna not be able to fix? Are we doing something not just right to keep the pains away? I do know they call a lot of things belly pains cause they are so use to having them, like before they pass gas they will scream in "my belly hurts". and if the have to go to the bathroom, they are so afraid of letting their stool come out that they cry and cry its gonna hurt its gonna hurt. We know that will take time for them to realize it is ok to go and stuff, but the question is,, What can we do for their pains? any answers or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. thank you and God Bless everyone that uses this site.... Yancey

 

[anonymous]

Most of us have stomach pains. Some are really bad, but mostly its just uncomfortable. Your girls might be exagerating a little, but it's still something to keep track of. Gas, blockage and bloating are all bothersome. Have them eat tums regullarly. Stomach acid deactivates enzymes. There are a bunch of laxatives that they can take a few times a week to keep things moving, ask your CF doc. How are their stools looking? If they're more formed and solid, it can hurt getting them out the rectum. There is aslo a thing called rectal prolaps. Be very open with your girls about their CF. Encourage them to ask the doctors questions themselves. My parents and I used to write a list of questions together before we went to appts. Debbie23 w/ CF

 

[anonymous]

Hi, I have an 11 year old with cf ,with mostly GI problems,she takes creon with her meals, and she takes prilosec, this helps the enzymes absorb better, if she forgets to take this she has alot of bellypains .If your kids aren't on this you may want to ask their doctor, I know other meds that work the same way are zantac and protonix. good luck

 

[anonymous]

I would keep tums or maloxx on hand. If its gass or acid reflux this will help and probably act like a palcebo, make them think these tums help when they are over exhagerating plus they aren't too harmfull. Still ask your doctor about it, there maybe a childrens type of tums thats better for them. I even took over the counter acid reducers and that has helped before. Again ask the doctor. Also they may need a stronger enzyme or to take more of them. Their bellies ahve gotten used to taking them now and it maybe a matter of finding the right kind of enzyme, stregnth and amount to help. When they first started the enzymes did the belly pain completly go away or was there still a little bit. It also maybe that the girls are wanting attetion and are competing with one another about belly pain, so watch and see if one girl complains then there is an echo from the other. I am not saying this maybe it but sometimes with young children that age they want all the attention to themselves, Especially if they really do hurt they may exhagerate the pain to get more attention. Plus exhageration is always a trait of small children because anything that hurts hurts alot to them because they don't know bad pain until it happens. Still call your doctor or nurse practioner and they maybe able to help more.AB