Were tummy aches part of symptoms prior to diagnosis?

[tymaxtess]

We see the endo next week Tuesday (yay! finally!) and I'm trying to organize my info regarding Tessa's symptoms and problems.

She now complains of a tummy ache right after or during EVERY single meal. Was this a symptom any of you saw prior to diagnosis?

She also has little round balls with every bowel movement, so now I am wondering if there are other gastrointestinal issues or could this all be a part of the same problem??

[kel4han]

Tummy problems definetly, especially in the end days before diagnosis, waking them up at night. Poor babies!:(

[caspi]

Cameron had numerous stomach aches prior to being dx. The weekend before he was dx, I actually thought he had the flu because he was so under the weather and had thrown up. However, Monday a.m. it was like nothing was ever wrong with him, his energy was back full force, and he went back to school - it was Tuesday that he started feeling bad again and we took him to the doctor and was when he was dx'd.

We had gone a few weeks with him like this, which made it so hard to believe there was anything really wrong. It was also the start of the fall soccer season and we just thought he was worn out from playing soccer. Yes, I know, STUPID, STUPID, STUPID now that we look back at it. Ugh......

[tymaxtess]

Here is Tessa's list of symptoms. Pretty significant.

Random blood sugar readings over 200 on 11 occasions since October 2006
Fasting blood sugar readings over 100 on 5 occasions since January 2007
Very low bg readings of 71, 69, 60, and 43. Rapid spikes in blood sugar occasionally
Excessive thirstiness—on an intermittent basis
Excessive urination—on an intermittent basis
Blurry vision—intermittent
Dizziness after meals
Fatigue after meals
Mood changes after meals (especially breakfast)
Itchiness
Yeast infection
Blood in urine on dipstick test x 3
Stomach aches after almost every meal
Ketones in urine on two occasions—trace and large
Sugar in urine on one occasion at dr. office
Frequent illness and infections

[munsonklein]

Have you checked her for ketones lately? My daughter's chief complaints during the week that she was developing ketoacidosis prior to dx were fatigue, stomache ache, and constipation, just as you described. She never developed excessive thirst, and only had frequent urination during the last few hours before we took her to the ER. We thought she had a stomach virus, since the stomach aches eventually led to vomiting- at the ER they said that that's a classic presentation prior to dx, but of course I still feel like an idiot for not realizing how serious it was sooner. During the weeks before dx she also started eating very slowly, and avoiding rich, sweet foods since they made her feel sick. But who takes their kid to the dr for avoiding dessert? She did have 1 episode of vomiting the week before, which we thought was car sickness at the time- I'm sure now her BG was very high, but went back down again for a few days before she went over the edge towards DKA.
I'm glad you're seeing an endo soon- it sounds like you've caught this early, but she may have started progressing more quickly recently, since her symptoms are advancing.
Cathy

[tymaxtess]

Haven't checked ketones lately. I did get glucose strips for urine because she is having this thirstiness at daycare and then it subsides later in the day. I thought the urine strips could catch and earlier high bg since there is a delay before the sugar gets in her urine. So far that has been OK. She wouldn't have ketones in her urine, but not sugar, would she? This is all so confusing!

[gsmom]

My daughters only symptoms were a few accidents & she complained nightly of a tummy ache before bed, but she never vomitted. I had no idea this, the tummy I mean, was a symptom before we took her in. She also woke up almost every night & climbed in bed with me for about 1 1/2 weeks before dx. Please keep us updated!!! You'll be in my thoughts!!!

[tymaxtess]

My daughters only symptoms were a few accidents & she complained nightly of a tummy ache before bed, but she never vomitted. I had no idea this, the tummy I mean, was a symptom before we took her in. She also woke up almost every night & climbed in bed with me for about 1 1/2 weeks before dx. Please keep us updated!!! You'll be in my thoughts!!!

I'm sure this is just a coincidence, but Tessa comes in to my bed EVERY single night too! Actually it is mostly in the early morning hours to tell me that her tummy hurts, or that she has to go potty, or that she is itchy! UGGG! :)

[Momof4gr8kids]

Julia did not sleep well, sometimes she wouldn't eat, other times you'd think we hadn't fed her in days by watching her eat. She would get up in the night to use the restroom, sometimes more then once, and sometimes she still wet the bed, too. She complained of tummy aches, and head aches. This all slowly came together over about a month, but became noticable that it wasn't just 5 year old stuff the last week. I was thinking bladder infection though, until the day she was dx'd.

Edited to add: After dx she would have a tender tummy when she had high b/g.

[Mojo's mommy]

Courtney has the exact same tummy issues that Tessa is currently having, she is post diagnosis 2 years and 2 months.

I would definetly check for keytones if possible as they are notorious for causing tummy pain. I knew none of this before Courtney was diagnosed.

She had not been feeling well overall..had vomited while we were out for no apparent reason, it was just an all of a sudden thing, I was getting my hair cut and she was with me..She had been very thirsty and had wet the bed 2x in a row...those were my only red flags..she did a urine at the lab the same day in the morning and at 9:30 pm that evening the lab tech called and asked us to go to emerg immediatly!

I guess my point is...You are well aware of what is possibly going on and I have kept up with your posts , but diabetes is a very sneaky disease..one day were fine and hours later we are not. I hope you get some answers and try to get some ketostix from your drugstore. They are over the counter in Canada but not sure if they are there. Inexpensive $8..but tell an important story..

Best of luck to you and Tessa on Tuesday

[LantusFiend]

My stomach hurt really badly. It got bloated. My CDE says the body can do weird things with water and store it in the wrong places while in acidosis. My stomach ache lasted about a month and a half after diagnosis, had been building up for about five months before diagnosis.

[Carrie]

I was at my family doctor today, and we were discussing my daughter having Type 1. He asked what her symptoms were prior to diagnosis. We had two days within a couple weeks that she had to go potty and drink a lot. Both times in the evening. Her first A1C that she ever had indicated that she had had it for at least three months prior. He said that the number one missed symptom of Type 1 diabetes was belly aches. Looking back, I don't remember her complaining of that. If she did, I probably blew it off as her being hungry. :rolleyes:

[madde]

Yes, Madison complained of having belly aches prior to diagnosis also, and for months after diagnosis. In addition to all of the typical symptoms of diabetes, she also complained alot that her feet hurt. After diagnosis and insulin that complaint has stopped.

I hope you find some answers tomorrow!

[tymaxtess]

Thanks everyone! It sounds like the tummy aches are an important part of all of this. Her bg numbers have actually been pretty OK lately and no ketones, but over the past 4 months it has seemed like we have a couple of good weeks and then a couple of bad weeks.

I talked to the endo's nurse today and she took all of Tessa's history over the phone. Apparently Tessa is scheduled in the pediatric endo clinic, but she is thinking she might be better served in the ped diabetes clinic and is going to talk to the doctor about switching her appt. to the other "team". Same doctor either way. So--we'll see if our appt. stays scheduled for Tuesday--I hope it doesn't get postponed.