Some Worrying Developments

One day, a few weeks ago, Joe and I went to IHOP (that's International House of Pancakes in case you don't live over here) for breakfast and some mother-son time.  Grace had spent the night at a friend's house and Himself wanted to sleep. So it was just the two of us. When I asked Joe what he would like for breakfast, a little gleam came into his eye:
"Actually, I was thinking I'd like to go out for breakfast."
"OK" said I (walking straight into his litle trap), Where would you like to go"
"I was thinking I'd like to go to IHOP" he said, a tad over-casually. 

So we went to IHOP.  I'm a sucker, I know.  But Joe doesn't actually ask for much, so I do like to indulge him every now and again. And I like some of the food at IHOP.

Joe discovered they have crepes with nutella and banana, which he ordered "without the strawberry stuff" (quite right too. strawberry stuff is complete overkill, if you ask me).

We put away rather a large, sugar laden breakfast. On the way home, I wanted to pop into Trader Joe's to pick something up.  I was searching for a parking space when Joe said -out of the blue, in a serious voice:
"Oh. It's starting"
I glanced back at him and he looked uncomfortable. "What's starting?"  I asked him.
"Sometimes, when I eat a big meal, I get very sleepy."

Uh-oh.

That was my first symptom. It progressed into after a big meal, I feel horrible and fall asleep. and then to after a big meal, I feel horrible and have a massive fit and people call 911.

OK: Maybe it is common-or garden food coma, and I am over-reracting. But I resolved to watch him more closely.

Then I noticed another thing a few times: At dinnertime, Joe has been emptying and refilling his cup a LOT. He mentioned it to me in passing one evening: "I get very, very thirsty at night".

So do I. Intermittent polydipsia (excessive thirst and fluid intake) and polyuria (what goes in exessively, must come out excessively) have been ongoing and unexplained problems of mine for the past couple of years.

Of course, all this could be coincidental. It could be an active child forgetting to drink in the heat of summer and then at dinertime, his body strongly reminds him.

But my radar has been tripped and I am going to watch him closely.

And hope that whatever is going on with him: He doesn't have whatever-it-is that I have.

Comments

[Lisa Moon]

Oh, gosh, how very, very distressing. Having been a not-so-long-time reader, but long enough to hear of the extremely long time without answers you've had to endure, this must be just... well, I can only try to imagine if my own boy was having the same thing I was finally diagnosed with. I know I'd be a mess, I'm sure. Funny as parents we're able to endure so much more ourselves than we can or should have to observe in our own offspring.

However, on the positive side, even if Joe should develop some of the same issues as his mum, you at least have the benefit of all the hard work and research you've done while looking into your own concerns.

I'll be keeping Joe (and his mum, of course) in my thoughts, hoping for a post-summer calming of the fluid-intake, etc.

[fridawrites]

Increased nighttime thirst and urination can be a sign of diabetes. He might not have it and may just not drink enough earlier in the day/while he's more active, but it's important to check! Particularly since he's feeling bad after eating certain foods.

I am a bit sensitive to wheat, eggs, milk, and nitrates (bacon, sausage). My sister and I always felt weird after we ate a big traditional breakfast like this. Eggs, bacon/sausage, and syrup have in the past been strong migraine triggers for me (I don't get migraines on beta blockers), as well as waiting too late to eat.

Omitting the syrup seemed to help (sprinkling with cinnamon and a tiny amount of sugar = far less sugar), as does limiting to eating just one of these items. The syrup seemed to bother me more than anything else--it messed with my blood sugar too much, more than other sugary foods (I actually get hypoglycemic). Nuts can also make me feel weird.

I hope his issues are on the milder end, so that he's just one of those who can figure out the particular triggers for him. This can be difficult to do!

[queen-slug]

Oh crap! Odds are he's fine & it's nothing, but as a mom my mind would go right where yours did. I will keep my fingers crossed for him. <3

[Wynda]

I'm sorry you're so worried, but keeping a close eye on Joe seems like a very smart plan.