Grumbling Appendix or Constipation?

[sandblond]

My 5 year old son was sent home from school on Friday with a stomach ache. The stomach ache worsened and on Friday afternoon we went to see our GP who (quite rudely) dismissed it as a tummy bug after he vomited a little in the surgery. By Friday evening we found ourselves in A and E as he was complaining of pain centralised around his belly button which hurt to touch. A and E doctors were fab- we were told to go home and wait as in their words it could go one way or another... Into Saturday and although the pain hadn't significantly worsened, my son was still writhing around on the floor in agony, begging me to take him back and to make it go away. Once again, the doctor said that he couldn't rule out appendicitis, and there was one more thing left to try before they started blood tests- laxatives. He has vomited twice in three days, is unable to sleep for more than a few hours at a time and has a slightly raised temperature. His tummy is soft, and so far the pain hasn't spread to the side. But the laxatives haven't worked yet :-( and he has never had a problem with constipation in the past. He hasn't eaten, so could this be that there is nothing for the laxative to work on...has anyone else experienced similar problems?

This sounds like a grumbling appendix to me. Get a second opinion .

Back to A and E, definitely, especially if he has a temperature. You don't get that from being constipated. The lack of willingness of A and E doctors to intervene or refer on unless the patient is in a full crisis is unbelievable (in my very recent opinion). I can't believe they didn't rule out a dangerous condition such as appendicitis in a 5yr old. Please take him back ASAP.

From patient.co.uk (my GP really rates this website), symptoms of appendicitis:

Feeling sick and being off food is typical. You may vomit.
Fever and generally feeling unwell.
Constipation may occur. Sometimes diarrhoea.
Frequent passing of urine may develop. This is thought to be due to the inflammation irritating the nearby ureter (the tube between the kidney and bladder).

Thank you so much for your comments and links. I think so too. The reluctance to act, however kind the doctors were at A and E, seems to be a huge problem across the board- we live offshore and pay for our healthcare. Our hospital and the care is good, I just think a simple scan or x-ray might have got to the root of the problem sooner, especially in a small child. He is sleeping peacefully at the moment, thankfully...

That's good, poor little chap must be exhausted from the pain and temp. Do let me know how he gets on.

There isn't any scan or X ray that can be done to rule out appendicitis. It is a diagnosis made on how the person is and to some extent on the blood results. As he isn't getting better, he needs to see a surgeon to decide if he needs an operation to look inside and see if it is appendicitis or not.

They can ultrasound for appendicitis, but its so dangerous they usually just whip out the appendix quickly to be on the safe side.

My DS was taken to hospital with suspected appencitus after Christmas. He also was in really bad pain and was throwing up.

When the doctors examined him though, he had a swollen testicle. He also admitted that he hadn't been to the toilet for a long tome, so constipation was diagnosed and treated. Apparently, he was so cosipated that it was pressing on a tube into his testicle, and he had a scan to make sure it wasn't a twiste pipe.

He was off school for two weeks as he couldn't sit or walk without looking like a cowboy, (poor baby he's 13)

Take him back and get it sorted. Hope he's better soon x

I had appendicitis which wasn't diagnosed for several days as I had pain across the whole of my abdomen not just on one side.

It was honestly the worst pain I have ever experienced (I've had two massive babies without pain relief, honestly it was a walk in the park by comparison).

When they FINALLY agreed to open me up and have a look inside they found my appendix was on the point f rupturing and the reason that I hadn't presented with typical pain down one side was that i am basically a mutant and my appendix was about fifteen cm long instead of the more normal 3-4cm!

The surgeon came to see me afterwards and was doing the whole "big fish" hand gestures and everything he was so excited. Bet he's still got it in a jar on his desk.

Anyway, there are odd cases like mine and if my parents hadn't been so adamant that it wasn't an ectopic pregnancy (stupid fucking consultant told them this was most likely explanation, despite the fact I was a very young virgin teen at the time and I was in so much pain I thought I was about to die) I probably would have got a lot worse before they finally sorted me out and gave me the lovely lovely morphine so I really think you need to get a second opinion.

THis sounds so familiar.....www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/1412631-Tummy-ache-going-on-and-on-and-on-reassure-me-please

However we had bloods, urine, xray and also echo to eliminate the possibilities. After the pain went on for a few days getting worse . We also did glycerine supositories for constipation which improved things for about 12 hrs.
YOu know your child best and if you are not happy go back for more tests. Thankfully my dd had nothing serious and I hope it is the same with your ds

How is your DS doing sandblond?