# Appendicitis, anyone?



## Freud (Jan 21, 2008)

What are the symptoms really? And how quickly did they come on? How severe was the pain in your abdomen? Yesterday I had some pain in my abdomen, now it's on the right side. I don't think I have any other symptoms right now, other than soft stools. No temperature.

ETA: Temp is now up to 99 from 15 minutes ago.


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## mbravebird (May 9, 2005)

Oh, man, I just went through all this research because I had some really bad abdominal pain this week. It's really hard to tell, although lower right quadrant pain is classic. No fever is necessary. It's also possible to have an attack, but it not burst. The appendix is just a little extension of the intestines, a little "finger" tube that is not intended to hold fecal matter, but instead to harbor all the good bacteria in the gut so that the gut can naturally repopulate with good bacteria after illness or diarrhea, etc. But when fecal matter backs up into it, it gets inflamed. So no matter what your pain is, I would suggest upping your fluid intake and your probiotic intake, and invest in a really, really good probiotic if you haven't already. Drink some kefir. Drink some bone broth with extra gelatin added in (helps the intestinal lining and the good bacteria). And keep researching, and take it seriously if it gets worse.


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## Freud (Jan 21, 2008)

Thank you! I will keep drinking fluids and double up on the probiotics.


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## Lolagirl (Jan 7, 2008)

I had a relatively typical presentation for Appendicitis, mostly right sided pain and nausea/vomiting. Initially there was some concern that I had issues with my right ovary (I had previously experienced rupture of a large ovarian cyst) but the doctors in the ER diagnosed me after a CT scan showed that my appendix was about to burst. Basically, you're looking for abdominal pain (with tenderness to the touch) that migrates to the lower right side and vomiting. Fever is also pretty common, as is pain on the right side while palpating the lower left side (sounds counterintuitive, but it's called the Rovsing Sign.)

I would recommend at this point that you call your doctor to see if she wants you to come in. If the symptoms worsen then you should definitely go straight to the ER.

Good Luck!


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

you will get puking sick and a fever.


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## supermuma (Dec 12, 2005)

Ugh..I had this last November...and the ER missed it the first time (they did a cat scan...and completely missed the already ruptured appendix--free flowing fluid in abdomen etc...all because my white count wasn't sky rocketing). They didn't figure it out until they went in for exploratory surgery.

Mine started out feeling like I had a stomach bug. There was a pain in the middle of my stomach that slowly migrated to my lower right side. I couldn't stop vomiting. I couldn't go to the bathroom. I was in a lot of pain, but it wasn't like I would have ever imagined. It is hard for me to explain. I was wailing in the ER --i think trying to deal with the pain as I would child birth..but this was so much worse.

Mine all came on pretty fast. I had the pain at about 7pm, then vomiting by 10--that continued until about 5 am when I finally went to the ER. It kind of just took over, I didn't even have time to think about it.

I hope that helps and that things are okay!


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

how many of those with appendicitis had c/s?

(I read somewhere that it is really common for c/s moms to get appendicitis within 5 years of their c/s ) I am 4.5 years out from mine, so just curious. I didn't get appendicitis, but something even more fun (pancreatitis)


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## PGTlatte (Mar 7, 2004)

I'm in the hospital at my 2-yo son's bedside as he recovers from a ruptured appendix.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=952296

His presentation was really not typical and nobody thought he had it because he did not seem sick enough. His symptoms were localized abdominal pain near the center of his belly (near belly button) and fever. He was initially diagnosed with a virus that was having GI effects and constipation.

The key here was, he had persistent abdominal pain, even though it was not severe, accompanied by a fever.

The tests that are necessary to dx appendicitis are a CBC (elevated white count) and a CT scan.

What looked on him like abdominal pain that was not severe enough to be considered a possible appendicitis, was in fact a really bad ruptured appendix with abcesses of infection in his abdominal cavity. It could have been life threatening if it had not been diagnosed. And I had to FIGHT for that CT scan. If you are concerned about appendicitis, insist on the right tests to rule it out !!!!!

VOMITING:

I would like to add that our DS never vomited until after his surgery. His appetite was down but not completely gone, and he never vomited. Which were reasons the drs thought this was not possibly appendicitis...but they were wrooooooooonnnnngggg !

TIMELINE:
Friday late afternoon he came to me and said "my tummy hurts, will you kiss it" and started running a fever. His fever was easily lowered with OTC meds and he didn't complain about his tummy while his fever was down (the ibuprofen was possibly reducing the inflammation then). Saturday night was the same...when his fever was up he complained about his tummy, and when it was lowered with motrin he said it was better and actually seemed to feel pretty good. Sunday at noon and later in the afternoon in the ER nothing had changed...same pattern. They did the CT scan about 6pm-ish Sunday and it had already ruptured. The surgeon thought it had been ruptured for at least a day, maybe longer. We suspect it ruptured while we were at the urgent care center Saturday night, because he seemed to feel *fabulous* while we were there for a while, and the surgeon said that most people will have pain before rupture, then temporarily feel better for a while right after it ruptures, and then start to get sick again.


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## supermuma (Dec 12, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rainbowmoon* 
how many of those with appendicitis had c/s?

(I read somewhere that it is really common for c/s moms to get appendicitis within 5 years of their c/s ) I am 4.5 years out from mine, so just curious. I didn't get appendicitis, but something even more fun (pancreatitis)


c/s= c-section right? haha...sorry..it took me a minute to figure it out. I have never had one..but it did happen when my little one was only 4 months old.


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## Freud (Jan 21, 2008)

Thanks for responding! I still have sharp pain in my right side about midway between my belly button and my hip. It's been a consistent pain and has not gotten worse or better, so I'm not sure what to do. I don't have a temp right now, but have no appetite and feel all around crappy. I think I'm going to call the doctor in the morning and see what he recommends. I hope the appendix has not burst already! uh oh!


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## PGTlatte (Mar 7, 2004)

Hope you are ok. It can be inflamed for a while. Sometimes they don't even remove it right away but monitor it. If it's not an emergency (high infection and really swelling) they can schedule the surgery and give you time to clear out your system before the operation. If it's highly infected or really inflamed or worse they remove it right away.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Freud* 
Thanks for responding! I still have sharp pain in my right side about midway between my belly button and my hip. It's been a consistent pain and has not gotten worse or better, so I'm not sure what to do. I don't have a temp right now, but have no appetite and feel all around crappy. I think I'm going to call the doctor in the morning and see what he recommends. I hope the appendix has not burst already! uh oh!


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## snuffles (Apr 11, 2002)

I had appendicitis a little over a year ago. It was mostly a really gnawing, annoying stomach ache that got worse with activity. I felt terrible and did nothing but sleep or sit on my bum for a few days. It got worse and worse and I thought to palpate my lower right side and it was sore. Went to dr and had CT scan that afternoon and surgery at 9pm. I never ran a fever. Felt great after the surgery.


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## LittleBirdy (Apr 28, 2008)

I had ongoing stomach issues for nearly 9 months until they finally took my appendix out - and even when they decided to do it, they still weren't 100% sure it was my appendix. I never had any vomiting, just pain, and the night I finally went to the ER I even ate some of my dinner! Everybody's made just a little different, so definitely don't discount what you're feeling just because it doesn't match someone else's presentation.

Hope you feel better and if the old appendix does have to come out, they can usually do it lapriscopically (sp?) and you'll be back on your feet in no time


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## AuntG (Apr 2, 2007)

I had mine removed three nights ago (Monday). I was distended on Saturday and Sunday I realized I had a tender spot in my abdomen. Monday I woke up feeling awful, finally went to doc when I began to have trouble breathing. It was painful to expand my lungs.

I never had a fever, never got nauseaus. (sp?)

It was centralized the entire time. In fact, ER doubted it was anything until the CT scan came back showing a "slghtly enlarged" appendix and it didn't look "rip-roaring angry" (to which I let out a cry and said I couldn't fathom what a rip-roaring angry one would feel like! I felt like they were dismissing my pain because it didn't appear on a CT scan to be "angry" enough)
My doc, by the way, who sent me to the ER, KNEW it was appendicitis because I had rebound pain (when she pressed on my right side, I felt no major discomfort, but when she let go I let out a scream that had the entire office running into the room)

So, they debated whether to take me to surgery then (about 6 pm) or wait until morning.
Finally, one doctor stepped up and decided he had nothing better to do. They planned to do it laparoscopically, which is the preferred way to take out an intact appendix, apparently. But once in, they realized my "slightly enlarged" appendix had actually perforated and had leaked goo all over the inside of my gut.

Well, there's my story. I came here to look for info about healing advice after this surgery.

My advice would be to "go with your gut" (pun intended) and if you think it's an emergency, then it is. Much better to be told it's nothing and get sent home than to suffer needlessly!


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