Appendicitis question..

[Neoma]

Does the pain goes away and comes back after a period of time then go away and come back again and so on?

If so then thats what i have me thinks.

[serryjw]

1. Usually you have a low grade fever?

My only experience is my brother many years ago. The pain was severe and didn't come and go...Did you exercise in the exteme? That's what brought my brothers on.

[Neoma]

19. Whats exercise?

;)

[alittlelark]

2. It starts as a vague stomache pain, and then migrates

and gets MUCH worse over a short period of time. If in doubt, hit the ER - my sis almost died from it.

[Wonk]

6. What she said.

Starts small, gets BIG (over the course of days or weeks),and can be fatal if untreated. If it gets BIG and then goes away that can mean it already burst.

[Neoma]

20. But can't you tell when it bursts?

[alittlelark]

3. Go here

http://www.hipusa.com/eTools/webmd/A-Z_Encyclopedia/appendicitissymptoms.htm

[Neoma]

5. i went here.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objectid=F909CDF2-59D8-4D4C-B9997DCE90855957&dsection=2

[chookie]

4. It can

I had attacks (not knowing what it was) for a year.

Non-specific abdominal pain, particularly after Turkish coffee. I'd go to bed, and wake up better. I had 3, perhaps 4 episodes

One night, it got worse -- I was in horrific pain. Next day, I woke up, and the pain was specifically on my right side, four fingers right down from the belly button, quite intense.

I went to the ER, and was in OR within 3 hours.

Dearest -- it sounds like you have appendicitis. Deal with it now, or later....

It's only a big deal if you ignore it.

The operation is not a big deal. Some fatigue for 2 months, is all.

A big hug -- ang PM me if you want any more deets about what to expect, okay?

:hug:

[politicat]

7. How long have you been having pain?

A week? A month? A year?

There is such a thing as chronic appendicitis (my sister had it) but it's very, very uncommon. The more common cause of upper right quadrant abdominal pain that is NOT accompanied by low fever, nausea or general aches is a sludgy gall bladder. However - and this is a BIG however - if you are having pain, you need to see a professional. Abdominal pain is not normal, no matter what.

Get thee to a doctor, an urgent care center, something. Don't rely on strangers on the internet to diagnose your medical issues.

You can worry about the money later.

[Neoma]

8. Okay heres why i think it is Appendicitis

last time i had it was around January 10th.. and i think the first time it happened was a few weeks before January 10th. The first time i did not have much of anything..thought it was constipation.
today i woke up from it early in the morning and it lasted ...few hours maybe?
it sorta faded away after i took a shower (getting ready to go to clinic)

its in the left lower area and its ...a unique pain lets say (GAWD it hurt like hell) And the location of the pain may vary, depending on age and the position of your appendix. *shrug*

i had (when i have the pain)

Nausea
Loss of appetite ( i did not want to eat because of the nausea)
Low grade fever sounds about right.
An inability to pass gas..cus it hurt so much to do such a thing.
And i once felt like i had constipation with it (the first time i had it)

And what the hell is Abdominal swelling again?

Anyways i still feel weak and sore and like i have a low grade fever.

[alittlelark]

9. PLEASE, get yourself checked ASAP

Sis's appendix burst in the ER and her scar is HORRIFIC. No need for that to happen to you (say goodbye to bikinis forever).

[Neoma]

10. Alright i'll sleep on the couch

then try to go tomorrow (its 3am haha)

[Wonk]

11. are you perhaps pregnant?

:shrug:

/don't know you well at all....

[Neoma]

12. Nope

i'm a virgin.

[alittlelark]

13. If the pain is more localized in the next hour or so

Just do it!!! Go to the ER.

[Neoma]

14. If/when the pain comes back..

then i'll have my first surgery yeah :scared:

[Neoma]

15. Whats surgery like anyways?

[alittlelark]

17. Honestly, I am 40 something and never had major surgery.

I would only be able to recite the experiences of friends.

[huellewig]

21. I had two before I turned six....

They knock you out with this fancy mask and you wake up a few hours later. That is about it. Just remember to take care of the pain before you feel the pain.

[Neoma]

22. okay

[alittlelark]

16. Certainly possible, but not certain.

There are many issues that could cause your symptoms - but one of the worst is appendicitis. Deal with it as an adult. You may not want to look at it, or deal w/ it, but your LIFE may depend on it.

[Neoma]

18. Anything else that could cause those kinds of symptoms?

I'm open to suggestions.

[Historic NY]

23. Gall bladder & diverticulitis

I frequently get diverticulosis...have had it since about 28. Extreme pain from the middle to the left side. It starts out as a dull pain and then becomes so severe I can barely move. I always go to the hospital for treatment. I need IV antibiotics and pain meds to get em through. Been through oodles of tests from a-z but right now none of the Dr. are willing to remove the section of intestine involved.

Gall bladder is kinda mysterious, sometime it mimics the appendix and sometimes both are involved. You need to get tested a sonogram can tell if its the gall bladder usually.

Pain is telling you somethings wrong...

Mine gets so severe I have no choice.

Ask you Dr to check you out......and don't wait cause the next time could be worse.

They usually do laproscopic surgery to do gall bladder & appendix now..very little pain and a whole lot better than being cut open.

[Neoma]

27. Doesn't really sound like what i have.

"Gall bladder & diverticulitis"...

dunno, its like...can't explain it well but it does feel like a small organ is pumping up to burst or something....

[steve2470]

24. No offense, but why don't you go to the ER now ? nt

[Neoma]

25. Cus it would be the first time....

And i can't drive yet..someone else have that gift.

[steve2470]

26. do you have someone who can drive you ?

Last resort is to call 911 and have the ambulance take you.

[Neoma]

28. yeah i have a driver

thats why i'm going to sleep on the couch, nearest the driver :)

[steve2470]

29. you really should go NOW to the ER

Be safe and go. You don't know how serious this is.

[Neoma]

31. If i even slightly feel the pain again..

i got a deal that the driver will take me.
Or i go to see the doctor tomorrow.

i know i know...serious as all get out :(

well i had my chance to go to the clinic today but the pain was gone and thats why i asked about pain going away and coming back in the first place.

[orleans]

30. my mom had it when she was little

she couldn't stand up straight, the pain had her hunched over

her uncle was a doctor that did the surgery and he told my mom's mom not to let her stretch because then it will burst

i hear it's also not something to mess around with.

call the emergency room and talk to a nurse on duty--or call your doctor--they do take emergency calls from their answering services even in the middle of the night

[Neoma]

32. Now i'm just sleepless

and its 5:30...hmm

[Rhiannon12866]

33. Ask JohnKleeb. He had an appendectomy two weeks ago.

I have no idea, and it may be just digestion, but please consult a doctor. Just be sure, okay? Please look after yourself. I'd take you, if I could.:shrug:

[Scout]

34. here's what happened with mine... LOTS OF ICKY DETAILS!

on Monday evening, I felt vaguely cruddy and lost my appetite, didn't want to eat dinner. Did not feel nautious per se, just not myself and didn't want to eat. I slept OK Monday night, don't remember having any real pain yet.

On Tuesday in the morning sometime, I started having pain, pretty intense and getting worse but it was up high in the abdomen, around my sternum. I still wasn't really nautious, but thought if I made myself throw up it would help. It didn't, although I was throwing up that nasty yellow/green gunk and it felt like my toenails would be next...

I had had surgery on my foot the week before, so could not drive myself anywhere ... I was laying on the bathroom floor with the cordless phone, alternately "suffering" and hoping the pain would go away and trying to make myself vomit. I called my husband at work, he couldn't leave right away to come take me to doctor! I called my GP, and got an appointment for that afternoon. I didn't see my regular doc, who was on vacation, and the substitute doc didn't do much for me ... gave me compazine (even though I told him I wasn't nautious, just forcing myself to vomit in hopes of pain relief) and something for pain and sent me home.

I slept through a good portion of Tuesday night and Wednesday, and wasn't too uncomfortable. The intense pain high up had subsided. Come Thursday morning, the pain was back, but lower and to the right. Not as intense, but did not come and go. I called my doctor office back, they said go to Urgent Care clinic.

My sister took me to urgent care ... they couldn't do all the tests they wanted, and so sent me to the ER with paperwork to "rule out appendicitis." So I spent about 4-5 hours in the ER waiting room ... I wasn't bleeding or screaming from pain so I had to wait.

Finally, after the intern, resident, and doctor all poked in the same spot "does it hurt here?" and ruled out pregnancy, STDs, they called the surgeon. One of the doctors actually said "Well, if you were a man we'd just take you in and take out your appendix, but since you're a woman we have to rule out all these other things." Nothing like making a patient feel bad because they're female. I told them I wasn't pregnant and had no STDs, but you know doctors.

Anyway, the surgeon finally decided that there was an 80% chance it was a ruptured appendix (my white blood cell count was more than twice what it should have been), and even if it wasn't the appy, he thought he'd have to do exploratory surgery to find out what it was.

My scar is about 6 inches long, and I was in the hospital from Thursday through Monday. The surgery itself wasn't that bad (I learned that I really, really like morphine!) and recovery was about 5-6 weeks. My abdomen was of course tender, and moving from laying down to sitting up and vice versa was painful for a while but I had Vicodin when I was at home.

Whew! I didn't mean to go on so long, you've probably tired of reading by now! Oh yeah, they said the pain in the upper/center of abdomen is not unusual with appy problems ... referred pain from where there aren't very many nerve endings (around the appy) to where there are a lot of nerve endings/clusters near the sternum. (I don't remember if I had a fever or not, I don't remember feeling feverish, but if my white cell count was double normal, I probably did have a fever.)

Get thee to the ER, you don't want your appendix to rupture like mine did; the infection can kill you!

edit: surgery prep is not bad ... they started an IV for fluids or antibiotics or pain med, I don't remember. Then they injected something into the existing IV, and rolled me into surgery ... they were surprised I was still awake, but I went out like a light about three seconds after they said "are you still awake?" I don't know what they did after that, I don't remember an anesthesia mask. Worst thing was, they shaved half my pubes off! WTF! There's a good 4 inches between hairline and my scar... can't believe pubes would have gotten in the way.

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