appendicitis and bulimia

[spiritdancer]

This past Sunday, I was sent home from the ER with a diagnosis of early appendicitis. I'd been suffering from a fever, lower/midline abdominal pain on my right side, and severe diarrhea for several days, and was told by my doctor to go to the ER to rule out appendicitis. Besides my signs/symptoms, the only abnormal finding was a slightly enlarged appendix in the ultrasound and CT. I was told to keep an eye out for things, and to go back asap if things got worse- which they likely would within a reasonably short amount of time.

Well the pain has been getting worse and more frequent, but there was one thing I left out when I went to the ER: I am bulimic. Now before anyone gives me any lectures, believe me, I know how how horribly distructive this disease is, and I've been dealing with it for 10 years (I'm 24 now). I know I've got to stop it, but that is a discussion for another topic. What I want to know is if it's possible that I could have caused the appendicitis some how, and did I somehow aggervate it by binging and purging? I haven't done much of either since I've gotten sick- I've lost pretty much all interest in food since this set on, and it has nothing to do with the eating disorder.

But could my previous behavior have caused this, and is it possible that NOT doing it will make it go away? Is it even possible for an appendix to heal itself once it's become inflamed or infected? Thus far my symptoms have basically stayed the same, but the pain is starting to become more frequent and severe. Only the pain is more midline (right side, oobviously) than lower at the moment- I remember my mother mentioning that I had a retrograde appendix at one point. Could that have anything to do with it?



Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong place- where exactly is one suppposed to ask a question about an organ that has no use anyway? Thank you in advance.

[Naish628]

I have been bulimic for just over 10 years and have just come out of the hospital from having my appendix removed.  I wonder the same thing.  My feeling is that they are related as bulimia puts a lot of stress on the gastro-intestinal system.  The next day after a night caught in bulimia I often do feel as though internally the tissue in my lower abdomen has become swollen from the abuse.
What is your opinion Spiritdancer?

[mammo]

Your bulemia has nothng to do with your appendix going bad, and it will worsen and have to be removed, which is not a big deal.  It cannot heal itself.  I hope I don't see a later posting of something that will be caused by your purging and binging, which will be much more serious.  Not lecturing you, my daughter was anorexic, so I do understand.