(NECRO) Anyone ever have appendicitis? [UPDATE PIC] Appendix out!

Apr 20, 2008
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Well, have you?

I'm debating on going to the ER. My stomach began to hurt last night (9PM) around my navel, and by 1 am my lower-right side has been hurting really fucking bad. I didn't notice it to be so bad until I coughed. That pain was terrible. My lower back hurts a lot as well.

I'm moderately ok if I'm laying on my left side, but touching my lower right abdomen hurts, walking hurts, I'm somewhat gassy. My head feels very hot, yet my body the chills, but I don't have a thermometer to really check.

Does it look like I'm going to the ER in a few hours?
 
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Mixolydian

Lifer
Nov 7, 2011
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gilramirez.net
It could be bad gas pains. I've had the same symptoms before, thought it was appendicitis, but it eventually went away.

If you have a fever though, definitely go to the hospital.
 

Saint Nick

Lifer
Jan 21, 2005
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Only go if you have a fever. Don't confuse gas pains for appendicitis...I've done it before.
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
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^ Untrue. I never had fever, ended up having acute pendicitis was cut open within 5hrs of getting to the ER

The best check is press down on your abdomen; if you get sharp pain on the rebound (not the pressing down, but your stomach going back up), you better head to the hospital.

Appendectomy = 2 days in the hospital, ruptured appendix = at least a week.
 

SunnyD

Belgian Waffler
Jan 2, 2001
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Appendicitis? Nope...

For me, it felt like a gas bubble that didn't move at all. For ~12 hours. Then I started poking around and went "ouch". Then I decided to go to the hospital. Then they cut holes in me and took out my appendix. Then I went home.

For the most part it was mild/moderate discomfort for me though, basically just felt like something wasn't right - not that I was in pain or anything, just uncomfortable. I guess I caught it early?
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
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Appendicitis? Nope...

For me, it felt like a gas bubble that didn't move at all. For ~12 hours. Then I started poking around and went "ouch". Then I decided to go to the hospital. Then they cut holes in me and took out my appendix. Then I went home.

Oh lucky, I ended up with a fun 6cm scar with actual metal staples in it.
 

SheHateMe

Diamond Member
Jul 21, 2012
7,251
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Yes.


Go to the hospital. Even if its not that, its not like they're going to be mad at you for taking precaution.
 

HumblePie

Lifer
Oct 30, 2000
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I had it exactly 1 year ago.

Basically was sitting at work and my gut started hurting in the morning. Pain just didn't go away and it got slightly worse throughout the day. It was not at my belly button, but about an inch down and 3 inches to the right side of the naval. As that is where the appendix is located.

I could feel the pain getting worse, and when pressed down by the afternoon it was a solid lump. I took off after lunch to a doctor in the box location across the street from where I work. I thought it was the appendix, but wasn't sure at the time. Doctor there told it was my appendix and I needed to go to the ER right then. I just had someone drive me instead of using an ambulance, which was a good thing cause my costs were already ridiculous for it. Also, no need to go to a really expensive and fancy hospital at all. I sort of did and paid the price for it. I hadn't intended to, but went to the place the doc in a box recommended which was St Luke's here. Bill ended up being $44,000 or so. Of which I had to pay out 10% of with my insurance. I found out later I could have gone somewhere else for a fraction of that cost. Literally most places would charge around $12,000 or so for the same operation. Least the doc in a box was cheap. I had to only pay my $50 co-pay for him as that is considered non emergency.

Long story short, if you think it is your appendix, then go to a non emergency room clinic and get a diagnosis. If they think it is, go to the hospital. Unless it is literally ready to rupture (which usually takes a day or two of buildup), then find a cheap hospital to have the work done. It's a routine job that any hospital is capable of.
 
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HumblePie

Lifer
Oct 30, 2000
14,667
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double post fix

As a side note. I never had any fever or other symptoms beyond an acute pain in the location of the appendix. You don't usually get those other symptoms unless the appendix is ruptured and leaking. At which point you NEED to be in the ER right away. Otherwise you have a chance of the appendix rupture turning septic and you have a huge chance of dying at that point.

To reiterate what I said. If the pain is more to the right side of the naval, acute, and doesn't seem to be changing except in stronger intensity then it could be your appendix. Best bet if you aren't experiencing any symptoms of fever, chills, or other flu like symptoms is to go to a non emergency doctor right now. Have them do a diagnosis. Follow their instructions of what is told. Except the hospital to go to if you don't like paying a ridiculous amount of money for the same operation that can be done anywhere.
 
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Apr 20, 2008
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Thanks for the care.

I have been here since 1130amPST. Blood tests were ok, as was urine. This likely means the appendix hasn't broken. Doc said it is likely appendicitis.

Ct scan soon, surgery if anything is found. How long is the recovery time? They described it as simple and small little cuts for what this is.
 

Puppies04

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2011
5,909
17
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^ Untrue. I never had fever, ended up having acute pendicitis was cut open within 5hrs of getting to the ER

The best check is press down on your abdomen; if you get sharp pain on the rebound (not the pressing down, but your stomach going back up), you better head to the hospital.

Appendectomy = 2 days in the hospital, ruptured appendix = at least a week.

Exactly the same here, no fever until the day I went to hospital.

I had convinced myself that I had torn a muscle playing rugby. I passed out while waiting for a family member to come take me to the doctors 7 days later because the pain had finally got that bad, I was home alone at the time and it took me over an hour to get down the stairs to get to a phone. I have never been so scared in my life.

I was playing the "if it isn't better tomorrow I will go see a doctor" game for days until it was almost too late. I was in the theatre within an hour of arriving at the hospital (so I am told as I was out cold) and spent nearly 3 weeks there unable to walk or even sit up without help due to the size of the incision they had to make to remove my intestines and wash them by hand because of how septic it had become in there.

The doctor told me there was a 40% chance they would have to open me back up again because they don't always catch all the infection and it can flare up again, thank god that didn't happen.

If you catch it early enough you can be in and out in a couple of days as Halik said, leave it too long and it will make your life a misery for the next 6 months+. before the pain started I was 14 stone played rugby twice a week + training, football once a week + training and was trying out for the county 1500m running team. When I came out of hospital I weighed 9 stone and spent 3 more weeks in bed before I could do much more than hobble to the bathroom. It took me 2 years to put the weight back on :S.
 
Apr 20, 2008
10,161
984
126
Appendicitis? Nope...

For me, it felt like a gas bubble that didn't move at all. For ~12 hours. Then I started poking around and went "ouch". Then I decided to go to the hospital. Then they cut holes in me and took out my appendix. Then I went home.

For the most part it was mild/moderate discomfort for me though, basically just felt like something wasn't right - not that I was in pain or anything, just uncomfortable. I guess I caught it early?

Guess so.

Did you go home that night?
 

Puppies04

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2011
5,909
17
76
How long is the recovery time? They described it as simple and small little cuts for what this is.

Literally a couple of days if they do the keyhole and a week or 2 of minor discomfort (no sports) while it heals up. You wont even see the scar in a year or 2.

Edit. If you do a physical job they might tell you to take a week or so off, if you sit at a desk you could conceivably be back at work in 2-3 days.
 
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Apr 20, 2008
10,161
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Will I be in the hospital for a couple days? That really sucks if so. The doctor told me I caught it early, but its likely what's going on.
 

TwiceOver

Lifer
Dec 20, 2002
13,544
44
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Mine was bad. Hospital for 2 days out of work for 10 total. I waited until I couldn't stand the pain any longer before going. But now I know why people are addicted to morphine, that shit was awesome!
 

crashtestdummy

Platinum Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,893
0
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Reminds me of the story of my friend, who was studying abroad in Budapest when he began to suffer bad abdominal pain. Was taken to the ER. No one there spoke English, and he didn't speak Hungarian (WTF), so they put him under with him having no idea what was happening.

He wakes up with stitches, still no idea what happened. Soon after, a translator came by and explained that they thought he had appendicitis and removed the appendix, but it turned out to be just a GI infection. To top it off, he got a staph infection from the surgery.

The lesson: learn at least a bit of the language of the places you go to for 4 months.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,145
10
81
It could be bad gas pains. I've had the same symptoms before, thought it was appendicitis, but it eventually went away.

If you have a fever though, definitely go to the hospital.

i thought my appendicitis was gas. until it got far far worse.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
62,681
11,024
136
Me? Nope. My son did. He had stomach pains...kept passing it off as "I think I got food poisoning."
Finally, he was feverish and the pain was pretty bad...I convinced him to go to the urgent care. He was in surgery within a couple of hours. BADLY ruptured appendix. He was in the hospital for over a week.
 

SunnyD

Belgian Waffler
Jan 2, 2001
32,674
145
106
www.neftastic.com
Guess so.

Did you go home that night?

I had surgery at about 10:30pm, was out in a room at about 11:30pm and was told I could leave as soon as I could "eat, stand and pee" in that order. They told me there was no rush though, I could stay as long as I needed to and they weren't pushing me out the door - they weren't expecting me going anywhere until morning or whatnot.

I left the hospital at about 4:30am.
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
0
Will I be in the hospital for a couple days? That really sucks if so. The doctor told me I caught it early, but its likely what's going on.

They released me that afternoon (6am surgery), was out of work for about a week (and cracked out on oxycodone)