Off topic, I think; appendicitis?

[Fluffysmom]

I had trouble sleeping last night because of lower right quadrant pain on the right side. The pain localized to where I've read the appendix is, and I've been having trouble with gas for the last couple days.  I thought at first it might be gas, but passing gas didn't relieve it.  Having a bowel movement didn't, either, though it hurt more when I tried to push at all.

I don't have a fever, but I really don't feel well.

Pushing fairly lightly on the area hurts quite a bit, and hurts more after I've pushed and removed my hand.  My tummy seems tender, too.

Could I have just strained something while doing my new physical therapy exercises two days ago?  They included some transverse abdominal marching and other stuff that worked my lower abdomen.  My lower back hurts, and I've been using ice.  This was the second time I did the exercises; the first time I had to rest a day because I was so sore I could hardly walk; they also really work my quads.

What makes a person decide that it might really be appendicitis and to go to the doctor?  If I throw up, get a fever, what?

Thanks for any ideas, thoughts, input of any kind.

Kathy

[Fluffysmom]

Hmm, I guess the can of beans I was considering having for dinner last night is out of the question...  :o)

I just woke up to the sound of my phone; it was my PCP's advice nurse calling to check up on me.  I told her I was somewhat better; the pain in my side has calmed down quite a bit, but the rest of my stomach and intestines were not happy.

She said that the CBC that they did STAT, showed minor elevations in white counts, but not enough to be concerned. (concerns me only because at the ER they were in the normal range).  She said if I had higher temperatures more consistently, that would be a cause for concern.

She told me that my issue was most likely viral, and to ride it out, eat simple, low-fiber foods and take my Miralax.  She said the BRAT diet; bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.  Ugh.  If it will calm my tummy, I guess I can live through it.  I do have some lovely organic apricot-applesauce; I could put that on toast (I'm not throwing out my high fiber bread; it costs a fortune, and contains good protein, omega 3, etc.).  

Does rice puddding count as rice?  Probably not, the sugar and fat might not be good.

The good news is that I can go back to eating my regular high fiber diet when this virus passes.  I've rarely had issues with bloating and gas in the past.

My PCP said that there is no evidence that I have diverticulitis, thank heavens.  I've been eating nuts and seeds for a long time without this kind of problem.  I have a family member with awful diverticulitis and would hate to go through what she does!

Thank you all for your concern and suggestions.  You've helped me a lot (terry, I'll check out that Colon Health, see if I can use it).  My cat isn't too sympathetic, my roommate is somewhat sympathetic, then tells me that she's sure I feel better than I think I do, that I should try to push through it.

Then she saw me in so much pain that she let up, and has been nice, but she works alot and is totally stressed out and then exhausted by the time she gets home and doesn't want to hear much about my bowels, ha ha ha!

My next best friend is getting ready for an angiogram, her doctor thinks she's developing congestive heart failure.  My extended family is very busy, though the love of my dad's life (though they didn't marry, I simplify things and call her my step mom) has been calling to see how I'm doing every few days.

So, I'm grateful that you've all helped me through this, and hope that it is indeed a virus and that I don't end up back in the ER!  If I do, I'm driving the 15 miles to the next closest one!  :o)  

I guess I need to go buy some bananas and maybe a little low-fat rice pudding.  I'll put on a pot of rice in my rice cooker; I only have brown, but it should be OK.  Hope this works!

Thanks, my friends.

Kathy

[opie74]

The bloating thing is a problem.  I avoid anything with too much fiber.  sounds counterintuative, but OH the GAS!  I love my "Two Scoops", but it does not love me back.  Bran, I am you fan, but all you do is blow me up like a baloon!  Ok, really, after a round with the "green bomb" or "cherry bomb" you usually have gas.

My gastero said that my trouble with the gas in not uncommon for IBS with constipation.  I don't move gas any better than anything else.  He says the first thing that the he recommends is a high fiber diet, but that some people, like myself, just can't tollerate it.  This probably is not your problem (atfer reading your usual diet).  I would give it a few days after the bomb before you eat any big gas producers. :-)

[saveone]

Kathy if you have trouble regulating your bowel movements I would recommend Colon Health to anyone.  It is the only thing that has worked for me.  I was taking 900mg of iron.  That can constipate a person for sure.

The Colon Health puts probiotics (sp) back in your colon.  My honey also has trouble with constipation, has for years, also the bloating and gas.  We had tried everything.  This has made him regular.

You get it over the counter at any dept, groc, or drug store.  Here it is 12.99 for a 30 day supply.  It takes about 2 weeks for it to really work, but I found some relief in just a couple of days.

Oh the things we discuss

terry

[ChunkyMonkeysMommy]

Wow, still sick?! Yikes! Have they considered doing a colonoscopy? Perhaps you have diverticulitis or something? I'd try avoiding nuts or anything with seeds, if I were you. It sounds like that could be making it worse, so maybe they're getting stuck in little polyps?

Get better! :)

[Fluffysmom]

I hadn't felt nauseous or had indigestion for years, once I started taking Prevacid and changed my diet.  I had a lot of stomach pain once after surgery, because I was trying to take and anti-inflammatory to reduce the pain without using so much oxycodone.  

My gastro put me on 60 mg. of Prevacid a day instead of 30, which pretty much took care of that.

Phenegrin; is that the anti-nausea drug I get sometimes when I'm anesthesized?  Sounds familiar.

I ate my favorite granola this morning, and my stomach swelled up.  I had an almond butter sandwich and apple slices for lunch, and a few hours later I had some acute lower abdominal distress.

I had a veggie burger for dinner with sliced tomatoes, and a granola bar for dessert.  My stomach feels like a watermelon.  Well, not that tight, maybe like a big water balloon, lol.

I wonder about a motility issue; my PCP and I discussed it, but decided to wait and see if this is just a virus that will be better in a few more days.  I really don't like this bloating thing.

Thanks for sticking with me, Opie.  

Kathy

[opie74]

You said thatyou have Reflux and you have been nausius lately?  I have GERD also.  About the same time the pain in the abdomen started, I began to feel nausious ALOT.  My Gastero gave me Phenegrin (sp).  I wonder if they are realted.  I had some pancrius broblems 15 years ago.... I have no idea, but it is interresting how your case and mine seem similar.

Keep us all posted,
Opie

[mae1]

I hope they figure out what is going on........
hugs

[Fluffysmom]

I've considered that I might have the ms hug, though I'm not diagnosed.  I also have an old compression fracture of T7, with  some marrow edema, so no one has been able to pin down where the pain originates.

I have pain that wraps around my rib cage every now and then, makes it hurt to take a deep breath.

I've had the pain from the gallbladder area down to my waist for several years; it comes and goes.  My PCP has been great about ordering tests to see if it was my gallbladder, my liver, kidneys, whatever.  

I asked her yesterday if this possible fecal impaction could have been the cause of that pain over the years, and she thought it unlikely, especially since I had very active bowel sounds (meaning the laxative probably cleared most everything out) and the pain was still there.

Kathy

[mae1]

have you ever had the ms hug????
I have had it for about a year now on and off...
when it first started they thought it was my gallbladder and at times it radiates down towards my waste
April.

[Fluffysmom]

Good idea, Mae, thanks for trying to help solve this puzzle.

Oh, yes, they have checked my gallbladder.  I even had a nuclear medicine scan done of it a couple years ago; that and all other imaging shows it to be just fine.  Including this latest CT.

The doctor considered it briefly, but the pain (this time) was much lower.  

[mae1]

have they checked your gallbladder??????

[Fluffysmom]

I found the magnesium citrate at Fred Meyer, which is the closest store to me, and they had both lemon and cherry.  It worked for hours and hours, so I'm not looking forward to doing that again, but will try the cherry if I need to.

In the meantime, I'll stick with Miralax, and hope that works well enough.

My side still hurts some, though not as badly.  I had  whole grain pancakes with bananas, strawberries, and pecans for dinner last night, and tolerated that fairly well.  I'm still not feeling like eating, and it's 9:45 am.  I usually like to eat soon after waking up, but lately I just feel kind of nauseous.

Hoping to feel better soon,

Kathy

[opie74]

While you wait, do anything you can to keep things moving.  If it is your appendix, it will not like to be stopped up.  The Magnesium Citrate comes in Cherry; MUCH more tollerable.  It is difficult to find (CVS, i think).

[fortywhat2]

Good luck...  Feel well!
Debbie
~live as if all your dreams came true~

[Fluffysmom]

Thanks, you sweetheart, you!  I appreciate the prayers and hug.

I did watch the last half of  the movie Billy Elliot, which I've seen before and know it makes me feel good, which it did.

I could take a nap, but I don't want to be half asleep when the hospital calls me back to hear my concerns about my visit to the ER and Dr. B.

Kathy

[Sunnytoday]

ooooooo... gracious. That all doesn't sound like fun. I want to fuss over you, come and make something for you to eat that your tummy would handle, yell at the ER doctor for you, fluff your pillows, and rent a funny movie to watch together to make you laugh... but since i'm here and you are there I will have to simple give you a gentle (((((hug)))) and say that I'm praying for you and hoping that you feel better soon. Let me know how you feel tomorrow, ok?
~sunnytoday~

[Fluffysmom]

Oh, my; I just got a call from the hospital to see how I'm doing and what I thought of my experience at the ER.  

I told them.  With details.  I'll be getting a call from a higher-up to hear more about my experience.  Apparently this doc is their medical director of the emergency department.

The Vitals website said that he was board certified in emergency medicine this year, if I understand it correctly.  Before that his specialty was asthma.

Anyway, my visit with my PCP was good; she said the phone message from that doctor was very interesting, and made a face.

She thinks I might have a virus, though we discussed gastric motility and impaction, appendicitis that doesn't present right away with obvious test results.  She tested my abdomen, and was much more sensitive to where my pain was.  She checked to see if it could me muscular (no), from an ovary (no), and so on.  She's great.

We also covered the trigeminal neuralgia; she thinks I have it, possibly from the cold sore-like lesion I get on that side of my face in front of my ear.  She cocked her head with interest when I told her about the lesion on my pons.  Could be either that are the cause of it.

She's all for me seeing a rheumatologist, though she warned me that all the ones she knows diagnose things by checking off the correct number of boxes.  She brought up information (on her computer) about another auto-immune disorder that can have symptoms similar to Sjogren's.

We covered a lot; there were knocks on the door twice (letting her know her next patient was ready, but she stuck with me.  Sent me to the lab for another CBC and Vitamin D level blood draw, had me make a next available appointment, and said that if my symptoms don't resolve in the next few days, we'll consider repeating the CT scan, to see if anything more developed.

Oddly enough, my face flushed bright red while I was there, and when I asked if she could see it, my PCP said "ah, hot flash, huh?"  More fun.

So, I'm home, worn out.  Want to check in with my forum family but my eyes are having a hard time cooperating.  I should rest.

Kathy

[Fluffysmom]

Wow, what a story!  I'm glad you survived to tell the tale.  

I picked up the report from the CT this morning.  It says that " the appendix is not identified.  No inflammation in the right lower quadrant or adenopathy is appreciated which would suggest appendicitis.

When the doctor told me that the CT was normal, I asked him if the appendix was viaualized.  He actually said "I could see about this much (holding his fingers an inch or so apart) and it looked fine, not swollen or anything".

I'll keep following up; my PCP is pretty great about that stuff.  

Oops, better go!

Kathy

[ChunkyMonkeysMommy]

I had my appendix removed 17 years ago. It's not always that obvious. I was sick for 3 days, but just thought that it was something I ate. On the third day, it was so bad that it hurt to breathe and all I could do was keep my knees to my chest, curled up in a ball. When we finally took my temperature (I didn't even say anything to my parents about not feeling well until that third day), it was 102.5 degrees. My mother took me to the ER and I heard a nurse out in the hall say, "It's probably just the stomach flu. Parents don't know how to treat the common flu at home anymore." At this point, the pushing on the tummy and letting off trick didn't work, it was too far advanced. After much bloodwork, and ultrasound, and even a vaginal swab (yes, the poison was coming out EVERYWHERE), they admitted me to the hospital. They had thought that an ovary had burst or something. This was on a Sunday. On WEDNESDAY, they decided to do laparoscopic surgery. Luckily, I was on IV antibiotics all that time, or I wouldn't be typing this now. My appendix was not right up front like most, it was behind all of my other innards, not readily visible. And, it wasn't immediately obvious with any of their other testing because it hadn't burst, it was leaking! It had holes in it and was leaking poison all that time. I was told that I had a 50/50 chance of ever being able to have children because the poison had gotten into my tubes and could have caused too much scarring. We see how that turned out. :)

Also, my dad thought he had the flu a few years ago, let it go for a couple of weeks! He ended up in the hospital with perforated bowels - from gangrene! Yes, from appendicitis!

Anyway, the whole point of this is to encourage you to not let it slide. Keep pushing and I hope you get answers, SOON!

[Fluffysmom]

I actually thought of something more rude to do with his finger...

This guy was "take some laxatives and come pay me some more tomorrow...

I cleaned out my insides over night, and the pain is still there, so I'm glad I have an appointment with my PCP. Of course, the continued pain could be related to the poking I got!

I got a few hours sleep in between trips to the bathroom, so I don't feel too bad, all things considered.  I have a list to discuss with my PCP.  I must have clenched my teeth yesterday, 'cause the pain that might be trigeminal neuralgia is flaring up, upper right jaw.

I think I'll go rate this doctor at the rate md or vitals web sites.  I may rate the ER experience at my insurance company website.  Then again, I may curl up with a good book or watch a good movie until I feel better.  

When I'm feeling better, I will go rate my doctors, the good as well as the bad.  I think its valuable information  to share, for those people that are looking for a new doctor.

Thanks for the hugs, prayers, and smiles!

Hugs,

Kathy

[LLWB]

Didn't you just want to grab his finger and twist!!! Too many incompetent doctors. At least when the old docs told you to take 2 aspirin and call me tomorrow, they didn't charge gigantic fees! I'm gettin so fed up with the whole medical docor incompetance, and insurance companys are just as bad. I really do hope you feel better in am.  The temp rise was probably because you were steaming from your ears! I would have been!

Hugs & Prayers
Maggie

[Fluffysmom]

Thanks for sharing your story; it's good to hear another view, another idea about what could be causing my problems.  I've had trouble with constipation for a long time, and it has gotten worse since my neurological symptoms became front and center in my life last year.

I don't have a diagnosis.  I don't know if my gasteroenterologist would be helpful; he's just done my upper endoscopies because of my GERD and Barrett's Esophagus, which he says I don't have any more.  I hope he's right, as my dad died from it!

I have to say, the Mag. Cit. started working, but I think that I'm so clogged up that it's going to take a while to work it's way through; I hope not too long!  I do need some sleep tonight.

It was hard to keep it down when I drank it; and I'm still nauseous to the point where I put a large plastic bowl on my bed in case I need it.  

Tomorrow has got to be a better day!

Kathy

That ER doc kept poking a finger where it hurt the most on me, and asking if that's where it hurt, even when I yelped yes.  He said, well, that is where the appendix is, but I just don't know.

[opie74]

Kathy,

I had a similar problem.  I do have a gasterinterologist.  He, at leist, took me seriously.  I had the blood work up, an ultrasound, then a CT scan, colonoscopy.  He then sent me to my GYN.  He did laproscopic surgery.  They found out that the right side of my large intestine was not "moving" .  I take meralax EVERYDAY, and now I have Amitiza or something like that.  As for the Mag Cit., I can drink the entire bottle and nothing happens for 12hours or more.  It means business when it decides to work, but only one time, not to worry about missing your appts tomorrow. :-)

The Anitiza or whatever it is is helping.  I am running out os samples, nad the mil-order pharmach that my ins requires has not sent the rest yet.

My pain started last February.  The surgery was not until October.  I am finally doing better.  I was having the familiar pain today.  Actually, I am hurting as i type.  More often than not nowdays, it hurts, but is not severly painful.  

Best wishes, and keep us posted.

The appendix can play around for a while before it becomes removeable.  At leist that is what they told me before they decided that my troubles were something else.  My Gastero also told me to do whatever it takes to keep it moving.  That if you stay backed up too long, that you will develop infection in the bowl and the appendix.

[Fluffysmom]

Its funny that he didn't say definitely that it isn't appendicitis, just that it didn't appear to be acute at this time, and the stuff about the bowels, but that it could still be the appendix, but he really didn't think so.  What a gem!

So, I picked up the magnesium citrate; you drink the whole bottle, and it produces a bowel movement within 1/2 to 6 hours.  This is going to be a fun night!  At least I should weigh less when I see my PCP in the morning!

I actually searched my memory to see if I had eaten any peanuts in the recent past, thinking THAT could be the cause of the pain.  Luckily, peanuts give me indigestion if I eat more than a couple, so I rarely eat them or anything containing them.

I want to talk to my PCP about the possible Trigeminal Neuralgia tomorrow, so I hope this little bottle washes away most of the pain in my side!

I'm still wondering if I should keep my physical therapy appointment tomorrow.  I guess it depends on my pain level and what my PCP says.

I guess I should drink my stuff; the pharmacist says it tastes really bad; oh well, bottoms up!

Kathy