Appendicitis - what do i do now?

[Turkish Delight]

I have started to get sharp shooting pain in my appendix region for the past few days and thought nothing of it. Today, it started to happen a lot more and is now coupled with lower back pain and a dull ache in my right leg.
I went to the GP and she thought i might be getting my period. She felt around my appendix, to which i yelped and the started to feel my ovary region which did not hurt.
She said it was appendicitis and told me to go home and if the pain got worse that i should go to my local hospital straightaway.

Why would she want me to wait til the pain got worse or the appendix burst? Wouldn't it be best to remove it prior to it bursting? When in a sitting position and i cough, it hurts. There is now a dull ache in my appendix region.

I don't know if i should go to the hossie and be in lots of false pain for them to get it out, or wait til the shiat hits the fan??

What were your appendix symptoms like? I had always thought that appendicities is acute and severe in which you had to go to the hossie straightaway. Is there such thing as a slow onset of appendicitis??

[Pandora]

ring the hospital, tell them what the GP sais and how it feels now, or go there

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

My DH has his appendix out in July last year and his symptoms were very much like yours...the pain started over a couple of days and he went to the doc and was told if it gets worse go to hospital - that was on the Tuesday afternoon. By the wednesday morning we were at the hospital and he was in the operating theatre by that same evening (about 8.30pm).

If you're concerned, id go straight to emergency, thats what we did with DH.

[melbel]

Some people can also get a grumbling appendix which is low-moderate level issues that come and go kind of like tonsillitis....this may be why it was suggested to see if it gets worse...believe me if your appendix is gonna go you will know about it in a big way....if you start to get a fever or the pain intensifies or you start vomiting etc get thyself to a ED straight away....it is also possible it may resolve itself overnightish.....my appendix had grumbly episodes for years before it finally needed to come out.....

[Rivlas]

My DD had a rumbling one for a few years which has now settled down. She had blood tests to see if it really was it.
Go to emergency and get it checked out if you are in pain or ring nurse on call.
I hardly had any pain but mine were ready to burst when they took them out.

[Laranna]

TD, I had appendicitis when I was 17 weeks pregnant with DS. I had all the symptoms you had for 3 days before I went to the GP who sent me to the hospital. The ob and the general surgeon were stumped because I had no other classic signs such as fever and vomiting - just pain. They decided to take it out just in case, as a precautionary measure I guess because I was pregnant. It turned out that my appendix was actually starting to rupture, so luckily they got it out when they did.

If you are not happy at all with the pain, or get a fever or feel sick, definitely head straight to the hospital.

[Turkish Delight]

Thanks ladies. I love your avvy Eluned!

i don't have the vomiting or the fever as you said Eluned either. But what i don't is why they make you wait until you are in soooo much pain or it has ruptured to do something about it.

What is putting me off from going to the hospital is the looooooong wait time at our local hossie. The pain is not that severe and i know that i'd be waiting for hours to be seen by the drs there. i do have a letter from GP which states that i have appendicitis, so that might make my wait a little shorter, maybe??

I might go on Oz day. I have too much on before then! Oz day is a quiet day for me.

Is the surgery a day stay thing? Or is it an overnighter? have to check my schedule to see if it fits in I am such a busy lady these days!

[*Beema*]

I have to giggle that you have to see if you can squeeze it into your schedule and that Oz day might work! I hope that it is just a grumbly episode.

My Bosses daughter had to have hers removed when I had DD - we both went into the same hospital same night, she went via ER and I went via Maternity, was hilarious in the end as we all got to visit each other.

She was in for a couple of days, before going home on some pretty nice pain meds

If the pain gets worse definitely go in, I am sure the letter would speed up your trip through triage.

[Rivlas]

TD the letter does make a difference. DD2 had one when she was so ill just after she come home from overseas and she only had to wait a short time before being seen.

I agree with Eluned, you don't always have the vomiting and fever so take care and listen to your body.
If Mar... is your local ring before hand and ask how busy they are and tell them why you are asking. We have found that sometimes this helps if they tell you to come in

[beckoes]

A friend of mine had to have her appendix removed a few months ago, she too had pain for a while and eventually went to the docs. In the end it turned out it was a rupture not a burt appendix so it was a slow process rather than sudden pain...IYKWIM?? She was told the pain was slowly bleeding internally pria to it bursting! She was in for three nights but she is quite delicate (read:skinny) so i think that contrbuted to her not recovering as quickly.
I would think you should go to the hospital or at least ring them and see what they say. Hopefully the letter will get you in quicker. Hope it turns out to be not too bad!!! hugs to you

[Pandora]

My friend didnt feel much at all until it had actually ruptured so by the time he got to hospital it was an emergency.
You dont always get all of those symptoms early enough, Id be going to the hospital sooner rather than later.

[Laranna]

Thanks ladies. I love your avvy Eluned!

Is the surgery a day stay thing? Or is it an overnighter?

Thanks TD

It won't be a day stay, you'll probably be in for at least a couple of days. I was in for four days (3 nights) but I was also pregnant so I don't know if I was in longer than "normal".

[Lisa]

I had mine out when I was in Yr 10 at school (so like 16yrs ago! )

I had pain in my belly that was excruciating, but I put up with it as at the time I also had glandular fever so I thought it was to do with that. In the morning I told my mum and she took me straight to our GP. He then called up a surgeon who told me to go straight over. He felt my belly and told my parents to go home, pack a bag for me and take me to the hospital. This was at 12pm. That evening I was operated on and my appendix were close to bursting when they were removed.
I was in hospital for 2 days and should have stayed in for 2 more days but I needed to sit for my half yearly yr 10 exams. So on the 3rd day I was at school doing exams. Because mine was such an urgent thing I have an 'old school' appendix scar, so they didn't do it via keyhole like some people get.

Wishing you all the best. I hope you get to have yours removed soon

[*LittleMissSummer*]

I got appendicitis when i was 19. I woke up in the middle of the night with the worst stomach pain, when i layed down it felt like someone was sitting on me. Then i started vomitting, i couldnt lay down without intense pain. I slept on and off all night in a chair as i had to be up right. By morning the pain was on my right side and i could barely walk. I went to the hospital (by myself mind you) walked up a BIG hill stumbled into emergency could barely talk i think all i said was "pain...tummy" so they put me through triage and they at first kept saying i was pregnant and it was ectopic, i kept saying there was NO WAY i could be. So they fart assed around giving me a blood test which came back negative (hmm YA THINK!!) then some other doctor came and asked what was wrong and what symptoms i had he felt the area and he asked if it hurt more if he pushed down or let go and when he let go i burst straight into tears, and that was when he said "we think you have appendicitis. we will operate and see.." Sure enough it was.

[Visitor7]

I had appendicitis & a ruptured ovarian cyst when I was 15. It was the most excrutiating pain of my life! I was rushed to hospital and the hospital staff practically threw me onto a bed and I was wheeled to theatre straight away. They thought it was only appendicitis at that stage, they didn't know about the ruptured cyst until I was operated on.

[~Raven~]

Appendicitis is like labour. It's bothersome and painful but you know when it's serious enough to get yourself to the hospital

Jokes aside TD, I had a ruptured appendix and it was the most painful thing I have ever been thorough. It turned really bad in a matter of hours so be careful OK!

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

DH had two weeks of appendicitis with people not bothering. Eventually went to hospital and they took it out - it burst during the op. Then we found out DH can't process anasthetic so was in ICU all night having machines breathe for him etc.

Get it out. You don't need it, it causes pain and if it gets worse then there's trouble. Get it out now.

[Rouge]

Some people don't get the excruciating pain. So please be careful! Last thing I want is what happened to Ryn's DH to happen to you