18 y/o daughter has increasing abdominal pain over three days, we go to urgent care, are directed to ER. No recent change in diet, no nausea, pain limited to upper front of abdomen. Tests rule out kidney liver pancreatitis or gallbladder, ER diagnoses gastritis and sends her home, upon eating a small amount pain quickly increases to "10" level, return to ER, CT scan shows what doctors think is an ulcer or a stomach antritis, admitted, on a PPI pantoprazole and morphine w/ additional pain med as needed. Unknown if any ulcer is perforated, bleeding, etc. No endoscopy done (yet?). Don't know if is any infection.
Pain level is high. This kid has had third degree foot and leg burns w/o complaint, and she says current pain is much worse.
Is it typical for an ulcer to manifest so rapidly? What's typical treatment - PPI drug to suppress stomach acid and pain meds, but otherwise let it heal? Antibiotic?
Some talk of unlikely, but possible, surgery - I thought surgery for ulcers was a thing of the past?
Causes? Apparently early in the summer (June) she was taking a lot of ibuprofen but only for 2 weeks. Been working as cook at a mountain camp all summer. Some alcohol, but not a lot. No drugs since the two weeks of ibuprofen. Had a sudden bout of nausea/diarrhea in mid July, resolved w/ IV for dehydration and a day's rest. Has been working hard in the kitchen but not,
AFAIK, stressed.
Aren't ulcers in teenagers pretty unusual?