Worried how long it's taking 15 year old to recover after operation

[sunnydelight]

DS1 had his appendix out 19 days ago now. He's generally healthy and pretty fit so I thought he would recover in no time. The scar is healing nicely but he's been feeling really crap. Nothing obvious - no temperature or vomiting or anything - just feels totally exhausted all the time and a bit sick and dizzy. He had to see the surgeon again last week as we thought a stitch hadn't been removed properly and I mentioned it to him but he seemed to think it wasn't a problem. I'm going to take him to the GP in the morning but has anyone got any advice/thoughts/reassurance? I'm getting a bit worried now.

That's entirely normal with an appendectomy sorry! Also remember he's a teenager, they are prone to ennui anyway so no doubt there is a touch of enjoying the attention and chance for lie ins.

He needs extra vit c in bigger doses to aid healing. If he is eating cook him some chicken and noodles soup with plenty of garlic. Get vit c in ascorbic acid form, you can get it from most supermarkets but better quality from holland a barrett. Also if he is feeling sick give him lots of well diluted apple juice like one cup in a jug of spring water to drink all day. Apples have massive healing properties and help sick tummies. Also if he is on anti biotics get him pro biotic tablets to give him back the good flora in his tummy.

Thanks. I took him to the GP today who has taken bloods so hopefully that will put my mind at rest. I don't think he is angling for more time off school tbh (though he can be a bit of a man flu boy )as he's just about caught up from his time off after the op and it's not a school where you can blag it. I'm giving him florodix (sp?) that is supposed to have all kind of good stuff in it so hopefully that will help.

Just wanted to wish you luck wiht this - I had my appendix removed at the same age althogh the scar was stitched under the old way of loads of little stitches - i felt awful for ages and later discovered scar ahd to be re-opened and stitched as infection set in but no temp or redness etc so not always obvvious if there is an infectoin. doctors tried to fob my mum off too crying "no temp, no redness - all is ok" when it wasn't . Only after a while did temp and rednes develop and then with throbbing headahce and by then i was i na pretty bad way so trust your instincts and if in any doubt I would ask to see junior member of surgical team ...

That's work knowing lisalisa - I assumed that no temperature meant there couldn't be infection so I'll keep an eye out. The bloods all came back ok so I'm hoping he's just succumbed to one of the many bugs going around here at the moment (Aussie Winter).

It could be that he has reacted badly to the anaesthetic.

I had to have a D&C after a missed miscarriage. The operation itself is very quick and you are under anaesthetic for a very short time (probably a lot less than if it's an appendectomy). However, it took me over 10 days to feel really well again.