Appendix UPDATE

[Hope38]

I went to the ER on Sunday......the did physical exam, no mass near my right hip, had no rebound pain.  They did a White Blood count-that came back completely normal, they did CBC which was normal, and they checked my liver/kidneys/pancreas all were normal.

I went today for my follow up appt with my Dr.  He did regular physical exam like the ER doctor.  He is sending me for a CT Scan and a colonoscopy.

Hopefully all these test will either confirm or deny appendicitis and tell me what IS going on.

THanks to everyone who cared enough to reply to my other post.

Hope

[LIZZIE LOU]

I'LL JUST SHARE MY SON'S EXPERIENCE.  HE WAS 12 YEARS OLD AND HAD NO FORE WARNING.  BOOM...EXCRUCIATING PAIN...THAT WAS ALL.  I TOOK HIM TO HIS DOCTOR AND HE DID A CBC...WBC WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY ELEVATED.  HE WAS SENT HOME.  PAIN CONTINUED, SO THE NEXT DAY I TOOK HIM TO ANOTHER DOCTOR...SAME RESULTS BUT HE DID REFER US TO A SURGEON.  THE SURGEON DIDN'T THINK IT WAS HIS APPENDIX EITHER...EVEN THOUGH HE HAD BEEN DOUBLED OVER WITH PAIN...HE WAS NOT NAUSEATED AND HIS WBC WAS STILL ONLY SLIGHTLY ELEVATED.  TOOK HIM BACK TO THE SURGEON THE NEXT DAY AND DEMANDED HE DO SOMETHING...I DIDN'T CARE WHAT AT THIS POINT...MY SON WAS SUFFERING AND IT WAS KILLING ME TO WATCH THIS.  THIS MAN LOOKED AT ME AND SAID,  "I'LL TAKE HIM TO SURGERY AND OPEN HIM UP IF IT WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY".  MY RESPONSE TO THAT WAS, "HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE YOU TO SCRUB UP"?  WHEN HE CAME FROM THE OPERATING ROOM, I WAS TOLD HIS APPENDIX HAD RUPTURED AND FROM THE LOOKS OF THINGS IT HAD HAPPENED A FEW DAYS BEFORE.  PERITONITIS HAD SET IN AND THIS IS WHEN THINGS GOT UGLY.  WITHOUT GOING INTO ALL THE DETAILS, I'LL JUST SAY THAT HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL, VERY SICK, FOR ANOTHER MONTH AND CAME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING TO BE BAGGED.

I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS BE VERY CAREFUL AND DEMAND ANSWERS

[Hope38]

THanks for the info.  Ive been having this for 2 weeks and I'm not doubling over in pain.  I can function, walk run and jump.

If I were letting it go I would have stopped after my ER trip.  Hopefully these tests will show something.

I'm soooo glad your son is ok

Hope

[Ms_Makita]

Hello! I had my appendix out oct'06.Dr said it was "chronic",I had mild lower right abdominal pain for awhile..had catscans,ultraounds,laparscopy,everything looked ok.For two nights I was in unbearable pain finally went to er and it showed up on catscan,surgeon told me I had a "fecal stone" (hard stool) size of quarter lodged behind appendix prob been stuck for months and it just took time for it to go,almost ruptured,had emergency surgery,the appendix was gangrene.I didnt have the "typical" symptoms,fever,vomiting,just pain and nausea.I was not in  doubled over screaming pain,but just enough to know something isnt right.Dont want to scare you but be firm and get to bottom of it,I dont know how many times I was told it was not my appendix when it was.Good luck to you,
               Stephanie

[Hope38]

Hi

I'm scheduled for a colonoscopy also, wouldn't this show if something is stuck like yours?

Im not counting anything out yet, but I cannot be "fixed" on just my appendix when there can be many other reasons for my pain.  

For as many stories that I hear like yours, I also hear stories that turn out not to be appendix.

I am trying to be open to all possibilities.  

Hope

[Hope38]

Should I just go in and ask my Dr to open me up????

I have an anxiety disorder and I ALWAYS think of the worst possible scenerio......I don't think I have stomach pain, maybe its a problem with my bowels....I jump right to appendix.

Maybe just having them open me up will save me alot of anxiety and grief.

[nseslc]

Don't do anything crazy. i also had a daughter who needed an emergency appy when she was 12. It took 4-5 days to diagnose her. She ended up rupturing and needed a lengthy hospital stay. She was a mess for almost an entire summer. She stareted out flu like but got acutely ill. The pain was generalized in the beginning but became Right sided later on. A trip to the ER & a sonogram confired the rupture.

I just had a friend who had a ruptured appendex. She was very, very sick with pain and felt like sosmething was really wrong. They didn't diagnose her immediately in the ER but a sonogram made the diagnosis.

Ask for a sonogram. You would probably have an elivated White count too.

[Hope38]

I've had this for over 2 weeks.  My blood was fine.  I'm scheduled for the CT scan, whenever my insurance approves it.  Also a colonoscopy which has been scheduled for March 13th.  Long way off.

Prior to all of this I had some bowel issues that were so NOT normal for me.  This is why they are doing the colonoscopy.  They feel its more bowel related due to my history I gave them leading up to this.

Hope

[Ms_Makita]

Hi! I'm not sure if a colonscopy would show a fecal stone,seems like x-ray's or catscan would,have you had a catscan yet?
   I also have anxiety issue's,struggled with ibs for years but now dr is thinking "possible" endometriosis,which mimics ibs.I'm still having pain and issues.
    Usually with the appendix it is acute,and let me tell you..you will know! hope you get an answer soon
                             Stephanie

[Hope38]

Im awaiting approval from my Insurance co to have a CT scan.  I went to the Drs Wednesday so hopefully by Monday they will call me.  They said 24 to 48 hrs to get approval.

My pain has calmed down, I'm feeling somewhat better....the pain isn't just in my right side, it moves to my upper ab and left stomach.

A girl on the other board had the exact symptoms as mine and had it just as long, last night she had her CT scan and it showed she has a cyst on her ovary and a bladder infection.

I guess we will see.

Hope

[Ms_Makita]

Hi, Glad to hear your feeling better! I have ovarian cyst(right side,for 5 months) and pain seems to radiate all over like your describing( referred pain)Those can be really painful! right sided ovarian cyst can mimic appendicitis as well,I happened to have appendicitis and golf ball size cyst at same time so it confused the issue,double whammy! ovarian cyst will cause episodic pain,usually with appendicitis it is constant and dont ease up.Keep us posted,
               Stephanie
                  
    

[Hope38]

My pain isn't constant, and like I said it starts where the appendix is but then I get sharp pain up near my ribcage and on the left side.

The pains come and go all day long, I can go hours without feeling anything then ok there it is again.

Nausea is doing much better today.

Just have to wait for the CT scan to see if they see ANYTHING.

Thanks for being here for me

Hope

[JanetT517]

My son just had an appendectomy last week.  The cat scan showed a negative response and WBC count was fine.  No fever, was a little nauseated, but had continual pain just a little to the right and down from his belly button.  He had intermittent pain at times the past few years (he is 18 years old).  Surgeon said he was not convinced it was a negative diagnosis so he admitted him for observation.  The pain didn't go away and they took the appendix out to discover that it was abnormally long and that it had a small cancerous tumor on the end of it (about .7 mm long).  It was on the opposite side of the colon area so it looks like he will be just fine.  However, if our surgeon had gone along with radiology, he would have had this tumor growing for who knows how long, adding many problems!  I'm thanking God for the wisdom of this surgeon!
JanetT