at my wits end - IBD??

It could be IBD, but it is hard to diagnose as they need to catch the inflammation to take a biopsy of it. It took years for them to find out that I had it and when I flare up, the pain can get so bad that I need to go to the hospital. Last night in fact I had a bout of severe pain. The pain is super bad and then I start to throw up. Having IBD is really rough on a person. I hope they figure it out soon, but if an x-ray showed his colon to be inflammed I would think that should be enough to diagnose IBD, but they still like to have a biopsy and even that can't totally be right. I was diagnosed as having Ulcerative colitis, but now I am having issues that point to Crohn's Disease. I am sorry that he has to go through this. I wish you all luck at getting a diagnosis and the proper treatment for what they figure out.

Research Acute Intermittent Porphyria and see if his symptoms are similar. It's a rare condition that's often overlooked

Has he been tested for Addison's disease? It is an incredibly rare disease, which requires a very specific blood test to uncover.

Has your son tried a food diary to see which foods may trigger pain?

If doctors are not able to help, try naturopath from India. I got healed by naturopath I was diagnosed as PI IBS.

He sounds similar to me although he seems worse. I get terrible stomach that comes on and then disappears for months at a time. Does he get it more on one side? With the feeling sick after he eats that's the same as me and the doctors think it's GERD and I am on Omeprazole which you take to line the stomach before you eat. Maybe look into that for the sickness and see if he can be put on acid suppressors?

I have ibd mines never gotten too out of hand but i can tell you the pain is just horrible specially in the morning what i do is smoke weed i know my suggestion may not seem appropriate to you but it helps me when i just cant take the pain anymore and i would definetly recommend to try a harmless plant before you give your son a real drug