Appendicitis? Any other ideas?

[therealmrsclooney]

DS (nearly 17) woke in early hours of yesterday morning with sharp pain in right side/flank and threw up. I gave him a couple of Nurofen but they came straight back up when he vomited the next time. He looked pretty rough so I took him to A&E. They were wonderful, and despite being told it could be a long wait, they quickly got a canula in and gave him IV paracetamol and anti-sickness stuff. This didn't help much, so they gave him morphine, fluids and a different anti-sickness drug. About an hour later he was able to sit up and ask for a sandwich!

They discharged him soon after that - with no diagnosis, a large amount of co-codamol and instructions to wait and see what happens. That was yesterday lunchtime. He had 3 doses of co-codamol to get him through the afternoon and night and has had a couple of doses of Nurofen today. He's in reasonably good spirits, but has some level of pain most of the time. Says it feels like a really intense stitch in his side.

Appendicitis was discussed and his white blood cell count is up a bit (but it was thought that might be due to a food poisoning bug he had on holiday 3 weeks ago). Does anyone have any ideas or similar experience?

I presume they checked his wee for a UTI?

Yes, sadie9 they did.

In my mid to late teens I was admitted to hospital with suspected appendicitis on numerous occasions. Not once did it turn out to be my appendix. What happens with me is the glands in my stomach swell up so much they cause serious pain, vomiting etc. Basically all the symptoms of appendicitis.
There is a name for it but I can't for the life of me remember what it is.
I ended up having my tonsils out as an adult and I have not had this since, it was actually my tonsils that in the end we're causing the infections which in turn would irritate the glands in my stomach.

However, if symptoms get worse I would ring 111 or take him back to A&E as appendicitis can be misdiagnosed.

Hope he's okay

Thanks, bugslife. I'm sorry to hear you suffered like that - sounds horrible. He's had his tonsils out, but I will bear in mind what you have mentioned.

It's called mesenteric adenitis
And it's very painful!

I was going to suggest Mesenteric Adenitis too. My DD gets it every time she's ill. It can be very, very painful. It is usually self limiting so the pain relief should see him through until it subsides. Obviously, if it ramps up to how it was originally or he starts vomiting again get him back in to be looked at again.

Thanks badders and Imnotaslimjim (nor am I!). I'm off to google it now. Interesting. He's on good form, but the pain is continuing and is up and down.

CAn he hop? Odd question but it is diagnostic criteria for appendicitis!
Also if you press on the area and the pain is worse when you let go then that's also indicative of appendicitis