Chronic appendicitis

[Natalie3799]

Hello!

I have joined this community in the hope that someone can help me! I am a female, 25 years old and I have been suffering from abdominal pain for years. The pain is usually in the right side, mid-way between my bellybutton and my hip. At times the pain is sharp and stabbing and causes me to double over in pain - I would give it a 7 out of 10 for intensity. Other times the pain on my right side is dull and aching, and sometimes this is replaced with a burning sensation. Occassionally I have pain just to the left of my bellybutton which can be quite sharp (as though someone were prodding me with a needle). There is a very strong history of burst appendix in my family - namely my Grandmother, my Grandmother's sister, my Grandmother's brother and my mother - who developed peritonitis and was actually given 2 hours to love - thank heavens, she survived. I have been to the doctor numerous times in the past 10 years and was diagnosed with IBS. Despite having been diagnosed with IBS, none of the medication has ever relieved any of the symptoms.

Last Sunday I had a bout of the sharp pains on my right side (7 out of 10) and lost my appetite. I thought it'd be best to try and sleep it off. The next day, the stabbing pains had been replaced with a dull, intermittent (from every three minutes to every four hours) pain. I called my doctor and he asked me to come and see him. After seeing him, he referred me to A&E to see the surgeons about possible appendicitis. After many blood tests, a rectal exam and urine test, they decided it wasn't appendicitis as my symptoms were not 'typical' - ie: no tenderness in the abdomin when pressed, no elevated WBC, no elevated CRP - all my bloods were normal. They kept me in overnight for observation and for an ultasound scan. The next morning, I still had the pain but an ultrasound wasn't possible due to a huge backlog. I discharged myself.

From that day on, I experienced nausea, extreme loss of appetite (I didn't eat for four days) - everything I ate tasted horrible and made me feel sick, as did drinking water. By Saturday I had developed a mild fever and had lost 4lbs from not eating due to the pain in my side. I went into hospital again - and once again, all my bloods were normal and again, an ultrasound was not ordered as I was told I was not an 'emergency case.'

Could this be chronic appendicitis? My mum suffered for years with the same reoccurring pain I have described above, and it wasn't until the very last minute, when she was critically ill, that someone listened.

I'm grateful for any views on this,

Natalie

[CSC123]

I had this same issue. I never was given a chance at the emergency room because I never had a fever and my blood work always came back as normal. I had the pain about three times a year from the time I was 8 until my first year of college. I went to the emergency room again and they finally did a scan and discovered that it was chronic appendicitis. If I were you, next time it happens I would refuse to leave until they gave you a scan. Having the surgery changed my life and I finally wasn't in pain anymore  

[CSC123]

I had this same issue. I never was given a chance at the emergency room because I never had a fever and my blood work always came back as normal. I had the pain about three times a year from the time I was 8 until my first year of college. I went to the emergency room again and they finally did a scan and discovered that it was chronic appendicitis. If I were you, next time it happens I would refuse to leave until they gave you a scan. Having the surgery changed my life and I finally wasn't in pain anymore  

[thenielandfamily]

Did they ever find out what was wrong I am going through THE SAME EXACT SYMPTOMS, I couldnt have written it better myself. I have had a normal ct scan though and I am very frustrated. Its been like 7 days since I have had any appetite, only difference is the horrible crushing in my shoulder with it too!
I cant stand that they depend more on the machine than the actual physical exam..I have been through this before with my gallbladder...had every test known to man over a course of 9 years and kept telling me it was fine...until I went to a surgeon for help and he cut it out electively and guess what...diseased to the point of gang grene. We know our own bodies...did not go to medical school but have come to the point of diagnosing ourselves its horrible I am dreading having to wait another nine years for every test known to man fixing to kickstart soon with a new gastro doctor just to get this fricking thing removed!!!

[GroveStreet]

I'm in the same exact position

[Megchi]

I know this post is REALLY old, but it came up in a search. I am having the same problem you did, Natalie. I've had abdominal pain for a week now and thinking I had appendicitis, went into the emergency room earlier this week, only to have them say I was fine and send me home. The doctor did say I had a "fat" appendix. Anyway, the pain on the right subsided slightly and, starting yesterday, I had the same pain but worse on the left side. It has not gone away and I can't seem to pass anything. My question is: what was the outcome in your situation? I'm scared of waiting to see my doctor because of serious complications like peritonitis, yet I'm reluctant to go back to the ER to be told I'm merely constipated! I know my body and something is wrong. It's more than just being a little backed up. Your help would be greatly appreciated!

[Natalie3799]

Hello!

Thank you for your response - I haven't been tested for Crohn's disease as yet - would this show up on an ultrasound? I am due to have one on 18th June (they can't get me in any sooner as I am not considered an emergency) and due to the Great British NHS I doubt they'll give me an MRI or CT scan as they're too expensive! If I lived in the US I'd be happy to pay and get it done, just for peace of mind!

Please let me know how you get on with your results, and hope nothing too serious is going on. Is there anything that can be done for narrowing of the bowels and does that cause the symptoms you and I are experiencing?

t's scary when you know something is wrong but the tests don't back you up.

Good luck!

[rightxhere]

Have you been tested for Crohn's disease?  And have they done MRI/CT scans, to rule problems in your intestines out?

I've had the same pains as you've described, and am still waiting to find out.  My CT scan revealed narrowing of the bowels.  Have they ruled this out?

I hope you're feeling somewhat better real soon!