upset stomach

[gman 0]

Okay, first of all, I have searched for this and found nothing.

My son is 11 and has gotten sick to his stomach after each game the past season. We have experimented with larger meals, smaller meals, empty stomach and everything we can think of. Fatty foods, lean foods, meat, no meat, milk, no milk, ect..... If he goes in with an empty stomach he has no energy to finish the game.

We even went so far as to try plain oatmeal. He still got sick. The rink is no hotter than usual, no more stuffy than usual, the ventilation is okay. He has enough energy during the game and feels fine, but then after the game it all starts again. We tried cold water during the game and room temp water during the game. He tried drinking smaller sips more often all to no avail. We tried gatoraid at different times of day along with pre-hydrating the days and day before the game with plain water and gatoraid. I cannot think of anything else to try.

I have never had the problem so I cannot relate. I don't remember having the same trouble as a kid either. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments?

Thanks

[kosydar 0]

Does he throw up after the games or just feel like he is going to? What kind of shape is he in? When I was around 12-14 I wasn't in very good shape and I always had this happen to me. I coudln't eat afterwards for up to three hours.

[pantherfan 0]

Is it just after the game or for a while after?

[johnpace2 0]

I've noticed at one rink that the zamboni is powered by some type of gas product. Its exhaust hangs in the air. At times I've felt the urge to puke after skating hard with that crap in the air.

My main rink uses an electric zamboni, so it's not a problem there.

Just a thought...

[gman 0]

No Zamboni, we are strictly inline at this point. He is actually in very good condition---Six pack, low body fat, good lungs and legs for running. He's not huge, afterall he is only 11. He never actually throws up, just feels like it. His stomach hurts and he is nauseus (spp). He is usually okay after about an hour or 90 minutes. Only once or twice did he go to bed sick.

Honestly I think he just leaves it all out on the floor and needs to get used to being completely spent after a game. The downside is that at some point he is going to have to be able to play/practice for longer than an hour. I am not sure if it is all physical or if some of it is mental. Again, he is only 11. I just want to make sure there is nothing I am missing.

Any other thoughts????

[Edge 0]

Is it pretty intense hockey? Is his coach a good coach?

I got sick to my stomach DURING some practices and games just because I had a big problem with my coach a couple seasons ago. Long story short, I was so pressured to make him happy that the nerves got the best of me and I actually DID puke a few times(ridiculous, I know..) I'm not putting the blame on his coach, but maybe talk to him and maybe one of his teammates or coach is doing something similar. :(

[sonsplayhockey 0]

PowerGel by Power bar?

Honey?

Both are carbs easily digested.

He's gotta eat something after a game to replenish.

Have you taken him to a Dr?

Sounds like you should so they can maybe run some tests.

Hopefully its not Diabetes

[chk hrd 164]

PowerGel by Power bar?

Honey?

Both are carbs easily digested.

He's gotta eat something after a game to replenish.

Have you taken him to a Dr?

Sounds like you should so they can maybe run some tests.

Hopefully its not Diabetes

it could be his sugar/glycemic (sp) levels drop dramaticaly All of the above are great before and after a game as well as gatorade, jelly bean or other items that are easily digested.

A doctor would be a good, safe option.

[gman 0]

Hadn't thought of the jelly beans or honey, great ideas. Power gels might be good too. We have no history of diabetes in the family so I will put that on the back burner for a little while longer.

His coach is awesome. I would pay the guy if he could coach my son all the way through. he keeps the kids rotating very well with short shifts. My son is very intense and is one of the faster/harder skaters out there. That is one reason I think he needs to get used to the feeling of fatigue. He loves going to games and looks foreword to it all week. He is in a great mood the day and evening of games and has a smile on his face the entire time. As I said, he feels fine the whole game. We had one overtime where I though he was going to get sick by looking at him from the sidelines while coach was giving marching orders. but then he sucked it up during overtime and ended up scoring the game winning short handed goal.

Then he was sick again..... What to do???

[pantherfan 0]

Yeh sometimes i can feel lightheaded after a game or even a little sick but thats about 1/10 games at the most, see if it goes away when he eats somthing after a game (something light)

[shnuggs 0]

Either an extremely quick metabolism-- causing low energy -- maybe it would be better for him to put on a few pounds.

Is thats not it go see a doctor- have his heart checked out.

[hock20 0]

A kid on my team a couple years ago had the same problem, he would drink some pepto bismal before every game and was fine the whole season, I know this is just avoiding the problem but it worked for him and he doesnt have any problems that the docs can figure out. It may just be nerves, also dont have him eat for at least 3 hours before the game (peter twist in his book says this causes stomach aches for some people.) So I would say have him eat a sandwhich 3 hours before he skates and NO dairy.

[aoes812 0]

try pedialyte. No, I'm not joking. NHLers use it to keep them hydrated. It works better than gatorade or water. Sounds like a dehydration problem to me.. After any sport I played and I didn't keep myself well hydrated I felt like crap and couldn't eat for awhile afterwards

[Hockeyman9621 0]

Tell him to drink water until his pee is clear. I always feel really drained after an intense game of R.Hockey. My legs feel weak but I never feel sick. Re-hydrating after games right away is important.

[domileafs28 0]

try eating earlier like 2 hours before a game. his body needs to digest the food before the game and he should be hungry/ready to eat afterward.

he needs to get used to a sick feeling after a hard shift.

[hockeymom 2]

Hey, I've been there - hope you get it figured out soon. It's either physical, environmental or emotional but it's tough to track down. On an emotional front - kids tend to somatize their feelings which means they come out in a physical way. And just because it originates "in your head" doesn't make the stomach ache less real/painful.

Two years ago - ironically when she was also 11 yrs old - we went through a whole "mystery season" like the one you're describing. After every single game she either felt sick or actually puked in the dressing room. Went through medical and environmental scans - exactly what it sounds like you're doing - and then turned to emotional. Turns out she felt really pressured to perform - and the all out physical effort combined with the performance anxiety had her puking afterwards. She stayed together while in the moment - but once released/relaxed she puked. Spent some time talking about how to process feelings and what happens; either that helped or she simply matured and was able to process it better.

This year - at 13 yrs - she started getting sudden, severe headaches during or after games/practices. Was incredibly debilitating. Again, I went through the medical/environmental/emotional scans - neurological tests (for a scarey period they thought it might be a brain tumor), we did the works. This time? Again, emotional complicated with hormonal. She was getting teased/bullied at school and it was coming out on the ice. Hockey is her life passion - and she was getting flack at school for being a girl hockey player.

She doesn't puke anymore but still needs a good 10 minutes after every game of just "sitting in her skates" to process the game. And I know if she's unhappy with what she's done, it'll be longer!! She also immediately eats a banana and drinks orange juice.

[gman 0]

Hey, I've been there - hope you get it figured out soon. It's either physical, environmental or emotional but it's tough to track down. On an emotional front - kids tend to somatize their feelings which means they come out in a physical way. And just because it originates "in your head" doesn't make the stomach ache less real/painful.

Two years ago - ironically when she was also 11 yrs old - we went through a whole "mystery season" like the one you're describing. After every single game she either felt sick or actually puked in the dressing room. Went through medical and environmental scans - exactly what it sounds like you're doing - and then turned to emotional. Turns out she felt really pressured to perform - and the all out physical effort combined with the performance anxiety had her puking afterwards. She stayed together while in the moment - but once released/relaxed she puked. Spent some time talking about how to process feelings and what happens; either that helped or she simply matured and was able to process it better.

This year - at 13 yrs - she started getting sudden, severe headaches during or after games/practices. Was incredibly debilitating. Again, I went through the medical/environmental/emotional scans - neurological tests (for a scarey period they thought it might be a brain tumor), we did the works. This time? Again, emotional complicated with hormonal. She was getting teased/bullied at school and it was coming out on the ice. Hockey is her life passion - and she was getting flack at school for being a girl hockey player.

She doesn't puke anymore but still needs a good 10 minutes after every game of just "sitting in her skates" to process the game. And I know if she's unhappy with what she's done, it'll be longer!! She also immediately eats a banana and drinks orange juice.

It could certainly be emotional. I am letting him have about amonth off after season just to decompress. It seems like we are reaching the threshold of fun vs sport vs passion vs game. This summer could be pretty interesting.

He won't be going pro, I know that, he may be able to play in college. Overall he is going to have to be satisfied with having fun being the best he can be given his particular gifts. I really hope he keeps playing his whole life.

[chk hrd 164]

pedialyte is good stuff if you can stand the taste. It sounds stupid but you have to be careful of the drink water until you pee clear theory. You can actually drink to much water and give yourself a heart attack from the chemical imbalance. It happens more to marathon runners, but is still something to be careful of if he is severely dehydrated.

Not to many of us are doctors so we speak from personal experience. It could be physical, mental an allergy, growth pains, ect...beter safe than sorry and have a doctor check him out.

[hockeymom 2]

Hey, I've been there - hope you get it figured out soon.  It's either physical, environmental or emotional but it's tough to track down.  On an emotional front - kids tend to somatize their feelings which means they come out in a physical way.  And just because it originates "in your head" doesn't make the stomach ache less real/painful.

Two years ago - ironically when she was also 11 yrs old - we went through a whole "mystery season" like the one you're describing.  After every single game she either felt sick or actually puked in the dressing room.  Went through medical and environmental scans - exactly what it sounds like you're doing - and then turned to emotional.  Turns out she felt really pressured to perform - and the all out physical effort combined with the performance anxiety had her puking afterwards.  She stayed together while in the moment - but once released/relaxed she puked. Spent some time talking about how to process feelings and what happens; either that helped or she simply matured and was able to process it better.

It could certainly be emotional. I am letting him have about amonth off after season just to decompress. It seems like we are reaching the threshold of fun vs sport vs passion vs game. This summer could be pretty interesting.

He won't be going pro, I know that, he may be able to play in college. Overall he is going to have to be satisfied with having fun being the best he can be given his particular gifts. I really hope he keeps playing his whole life.

I discovered that, although she was the strongest player on her team (so you wouldn't think she'd feel pressure) she didn't understand the distinction between DOING your best and BEING the best. And being a pretty competitive kid, she got wound up pretty tightly during the game. Also spent some time on how to breathe - to monitor your body and relax your tension.

[hockeysew 0]

:D "De puke, it is out lets play Hockey!"-The Tournament

The pedialyte is the way to go-tastes like hell but need to keep him hydrated

[Edge 0]

:D "De puke, it is out lets play Hockey!"-The Tournament

LOL :lol: nice i actually liked that show.

gman, if I were to guess, your son probably has the same problem as hockeymom's daughter did. I'm sure it isn't all that uncommon.

[gman 0]

gman, if I were to guess, your son probably has the same problem as hockeymom's daughter did. I'm sure it isn't all that uncommon.

That is what I am hoping. Still open for suggestions though.

[Ti-girl 0]

This is going to sound stupid, but is he on vitamins?

My brother constently had a sore stomach and they figured out it was the iron in the vitamins that he was taking.

[gman 0]

This is going to sound stupid, but is he on vitamins?

My brother constently had a sore stomach and they figured out it was the iron in the vitamins that he was taking.

No vitamins actually. He is at the age between chewables and swallowable one-a-days. I am going to contact his Pedi' to see what he recommends. Great idea though....

[Ti-girl 0]

My brother was on chewables at the time.

They did every test possible until, actually, is High performance coach asked about vitamins.

He was on the chewables as well as on protien drinks (@ 13 he was only 5'2, 91 lbs and he was trying to gain some weight). They took him of the protien drink first. Nothing. Then the vitamins and he was fine.