14-year-old boy

I’m 14 years old and have abdominal pain. It started four years ago. The pediatrician assumed it was an intestinal infection, but the pain remained.

I have tried to ignore the pain, without much success, that’s why tests were done and my parents took me to hospital in order to have my stomach examined. But everything was fine with my stomach.

Then we let it rest there and I slowly felt better. But after two years it started again and this time there were attacks of dizziness along with it. So I often couldn’t go to school. The teachers were worried. My mother often drove me to school but sometimes I had to drive back with her. In the hospital my heart was tested; after that I had to go to an ear, nose and throat specialist because of the dizziness. But my inner ear was also fine.

We went to the orthopedist for back pain; he prescribed physiotherapy for me. But the abdominal pain remained.

Then my parents sent me to Datteln. It was very nice there and they taught me a few tricks to help control the pain. When I came back home again I had the pain better under control, since I tried to ignore it and to distract myself with 54321. Until just recently I was able to keep the pain to 0.5 to 2 (on a scale of 1 to 10).

Since then I’m actually well again and I try to simply get through the day.

Four weeks ago I again had bad abdominal pain, and several attacks of hyperventilation along with it; this happened in the tram. I was checked by the doctor again (everything fine). The pediatrician referred me immediately to a specialist who is familiar with anxiety disorders.

I am still in treatment and now after several school-free days it’s worse again. Sometimes it helps if my sister or my mother goes with me in the train. They help me to stick it out.

I have learned that I have to keep going and must not give up.

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