Please talk to me about appendices or are they appendixes?

[KatyMac]

As lots of you know, (I certainly go on about it enough), I haven't been feeling very well

The GP & I aren't getting on terribly well & I am keeping a pain diary (still undecided about whether I should take pain killers or live through it so I can record it)

So after an awful week end I am doing a bit of research for which I need your help

What can you tell me about grumbling appendices/appendixes?

My GP doesn't think they exist - which is interesting as my Mum thinks she had one (at 36, I am 40) & her appendix was in the 'wrong' place.

So what does it feel like?What are the symptoms?

BTW Kidney Stones & Gall Stones have been ruled out

[Milliways]

My friends Teenager had what they thought was a "grumbly appendix". He was in & out the GP & A/E for days.

Turned out to be a muscular problem in the end. (I think he had a scan in the end to convince parents appendix was not inflammed?)

DS had inflammed glands in his stomach once as well that caused unbearable pain & I thought his appendix was going to go!

This is cut from this website

"But there is also a more rare form of appendicitis that can keep coming back (the old-fashioned name for it was the grumbling appendix). This is when the appendix keeps getting inflamed. In this case the appendix may form a lump inside your stomach that will be sore and you will have bouts of pain from time to time,"

Hope you get some answers soon.

[KatyMac]

Thanks that was kind of you to reply

The Dr talked about glands in my stomach - but ruled them out in an adult

[Milliways]

Really? I didn't even know you had glands there until DS's flamed up!

It is sooo miserable to have ongoing pain and not know the cause. At least you can treat a diagnosed problem.

Do you get anything like IBS?

[KatyMac]

I have IBS - but apart from whne my pain is at it's worst I am not having any change in my bowel motions (sorry TMI)

Normally any pain is attached to a 'change' ie whatever it's been (d or C) it becomes the other

[KatyMac]

Well I am 1 week into a 2 week pain diary

I have been ill for about 5 or 6 weeks I think - off & on

I just seem to be ill at the weekend - if it happened during the week I'd show the GP what it looked like - such pain, awful diarrhoea, vomiting, cold & sweaty

[stleger]

My dd2 has had the glands - mesenteric adenitis. On the second occasion she had a scan, her appendix wasn't spotted 9they can hide) but glands were swollen. One of the many doctors reckoned that a lot of good appendixes were whipped out 'just in case'.

[KatyMac]

Well tbh stleger I am running out of organs it could be

I hadn't thought of diverticulitus - apparently the pain starts in the morning and increases during the day - my pain come on at random times so I dont know

I can hardly go into the GP with a list of could it be x,y,z....actually maybe I can

[KatyMac]

Actually updating my pain diary - looks a bit crap imo

Monday 23.2
Bowel pain started at 8pm very bad (10)

Tuesday 24.2
Woke to bowel pain 6:30 (8) tapered off by about 10:30
Mild stomach pain about 2-6 (3)getting worse around 6(5)
Bowel pain (4) at about 8:30, Pain lower right tummy (4)
Vomitted at 5:15pm

Wednesday 25.2
Woke to bowel pain 6:45 (7) eased after I wee?d
Pain low right tummy 9:20 - (3)
Shooting pain into groin (more right than left) & pulling about 6pm-bedtime

Thursday 26.2
Woke with pain in groin (both sides ? about a 5)
Pain low right tummy (maybe a 4) most of the day

Friday 27.2
Woke with bowel pain (3) easing after I wee?d
Pain low right tummy (maybe a 4) most of the day

Saturday 28.2
General un-comfortableness, diarrhoea from about 3pm (continuing until about 1 am), pain (7 to 8) (whole stomach)from about 7 pm, vomiting started at the same time. Skin cold & clammy ? Slight Temperature

Sunday 1.3
Pain & vomiting throughout the night. Vomiting stopped at about 3pm. Pain continued into the night (gradually reducing from whole stomach pain to pain on low right side and from about 8 down to about 2) Skin cold & clammy ? Slight Temperature dropped by about 7pm

[stleger]

If it helps - dd2 has had the gland thing confused with winter vomiting virus, she was horribly sick and had the runs. (She had to be admitted to hospital via AandE to go on a drip, despite notices asking for vomiting patients not to come in!) She is now 12 - but she was making the kind of leg movements of a baby with colic to get relief. I hope you get it sorted, her doctors reckoned her pains were very bad (as opposed to discomfort which is the usual word!)

[KatyMac]

Thanks

The pain I feel is on a par with post operative pain - the sort they gave me morphine for

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

Have you had stomach surgery Katy? Could it be adhesions? I've had these several times, sometimes causing acute pain requiring hospital admission and other times a chronic grumbling pain.

[MagNacarta]

I'd been having pain in my side on and off for a while, went to my GP and was sent immediately to be scanned (had private insurance at the time). I was told I had a crooked appendix, which was probably the cause and it was whipped out that day. However, the pain didn't go and came on and off for years until eventually I was diagnosed with kidney stones. They hadn't come up in a urine test, so can be missed.

[KatyMac]

I has a CT scan about 3 weeks ago to rle out kidney stones

Abdomenal surgery hmm

Ectopic PG & Tube burst
Macroplastique bladder neck injection
TVT

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

Hmm indeed Katy.

[Sawyer64]

See here maybe?

[KatyMac]

Saggarmakersbottomknocker - what was the gap between your surgery & your problem?

Sawyer64 - I can't say it but I'm reading it

[KatyMac]

I found this easier to read - don't know if it is as accurate as yours

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

I initially had bowel surgery as a baby. Had further issues with my stomach from about age 10 to 24 prior to my first child. During that time I had several hospital admissions and finally an acute episode that resulted in further surgery to have the adhesions separated and ischaemic bowel attended to. Have only had minor flare ups since. Thank the lord, the pain is imprinted on my brain. My on/off episodes were similar to your diary for 1.3 - with the acute ones starting the same but not settling, escalating to constant vomiting and 9/10 pain.

The right sided stuff does seem to indicate appendix though doesn't it? Can they not see inflammed appendix on ultrasound?

[KatyMac]

They didn't look for that (apparently)

They did see my scoliosis tho' - which means my back pain is real (rather than imagined/normal)

[KatyMac]

I've decided I need to see 'House' - he'd fix me

[Sawyer64]

Its MESS EN TERIC ADEN ITIS.

Thought my link had more in depth symptoms,the Net doc one was a little brief.

Apparently Mesenteric Adenitis comes on in regular intervals when you are at a low ebb,following a virus etc.Some people, especially children are prone to it.

[KatyMac]

I have ME - & I do have some gland problems, my right throat one (you know that gets big with toncilitus) is permanently enlarged

So it is possible

Hence the need to see House

[Sawyer64]

Also maybe Gall Stones have been ruled out,but what about Inflammation of the Gall Bladder (Cholecystitis)

You can get excruciating pain with this,and it flares up now and then.