So who is right?

[lou33]

Ds1 has on and off for hte past 6 weeks been suffering from bad tummy pains, generally centrally placed but also off down to the lower right

Initially i took him to the gp who said it was v likely to be a grumbling appendix, and we just had to watch and wait, and he has lost about 5 days of school over the last 6 weeks from it.

Last night it started again, and he came in to my room in the early hours of this morning to tell me, but i sent him to school because i thought he was just angling for a day off as ds2 is off with a throat infection

The school called at 10 ish this morning saying he had been sick, when i picked him up he looked pale and said his stomach was hurting, it got worse and he was sick again so i called my gp, who couldn't see him for quite afew hours, and suggested we go tot he walk in centre at the hospital, which we did

ds was sick on the way there too, when we got there teh walk in centre doesnt see people under 14, so we had to go to a&e, where he was sick again

the doc came and said that she has taken lots of appendices out, and she didnt believe in a grumbling appendix

she said to take him home and keep an eye on him, but had no real reason why it would be the same recurring pain in the same spot each time, or why he was being sick

i agree that he might not be bad enough to operate on, but now i dont know what to think, could it be his appendix or is it just some underlying tummy bug that wont clear up?

so all these people who had a grumbling appendix cant be real according to her, as it doesnt happen

no ultrasound, just examined by hand, made to jump up and down and asked some q's

it's good to trust gp but really they don't have much recent surgical experience. not sure re: grumbling. sounds like something that goes in/out of fashion in surgical world..

gp says its a grumbling appendix, sho said it doesnt exist

sigh i really really would like to have all my kids back at school asap please

think i am goign to catch a nap while i get the chance, ds2 was in my bed last night because he was not well, then ds1 woke me at 5am saying he wasnt feeling good

gtg get dd2 in just over an hour

lou, there's a mention given to grumbling appendix [http://www.fleshandbones.com/readingroom/pdf/292.pdf here]] (p270, with some nice pictures )

thanks bundle

sorry if they're scary, I luv a bit of surgery-porn.

lol not scary at all

lol @ surgery porn

ooer

close up of prolapsed uterus

Both my stepsons have had emergency appendectomies, one at 13 months old, the other at 3.

Both times the boys were ill for days before being diagnosed in the nick of time.

Go back to your GP and make a big fuss to get your son properly diagnosed.

I had a grumbling appendix on and off for over 20years. I then developed non-classic symptoms but my GP was certain it was appendix and it was removed in an emergency op the same evening. When I came round, even though I was sore etc, I felt soooo much better and knew it had been my appendix playing up for all those years.

I was told an appendix can grumble for years because there's an infection which comes and goes but doesn't really come to the boil, as it were. It can sometimes be treated with antibiotics, to see if it will settle down.

Hope your ds is feeling better soon, Lou.

20 yrs?!!!!

thanks everyone, it's still hurting but not worse which is good

ds2 otoh has been sick 3 times in the last couple of hours

Don't mean to confuse the issue - and this may be a total red herring but I thought I should mention it. I was told my son had a grumbling appendix due to lots of tummy aches - then I was told they no longer believed in a grumbling appendix. Finally turned out he was coeliac and he hasn't had the pain since going glutenfree. Does DS1 have any other digestive symptom regularly - either constipation or the opposite? If so it would be worth asking for the coeliac blood test (for which he has to be eating a normal gluten containing diet).

its a good point, but he hasnt got any other probs like that, no constipation or diarrhoea

i hope it settles down and goes away again, but this has been the worst attack of whatever it is, so far

lou, did you see in that link that surgeons have been known to find threadworms (ewwww) irritating the gut when they've opened up, suspecting appendicitis so i spose the symptoms could mean lots of things. but do insist on him being seen again. xx

yes i read that

i will watch him closely tongiht and see how he progresses

think i might have 2 little ones in my bed for a bit

Surely it's not right to be leaving a little one in so much pain without trying to diagnose? (I mean the doctors not you Lou33) I would def be ringing the doctors again/taking back to a & e/calling the emergency doctor tonight, whatever you think is best. Poor little lad. He must feel so poorly.

have not read whole thread but watch for high temperature and diahorrea for appeendicitis.

Could be some other gastro complaint. Appendicitis often starts with stomach pain in the centre - under tummy button and then moves to lower RHS.

You need a second opinion - but any change in temperature and poo - A&E ASAP

Officially the medical world doesn't believe in grumbling appendix; It's a very controversial and outdated, concept dismissed as old-fashioned myth by most of the received powers. They would argue that clinical studies say it doesn't exist. You either have a full blown infected appendicitis or you have an ache from something else.

Removing appendix is still major surgery and not to be rushed into -- it carries its own risks. I don't think you have any option but to remain vigilant and wait.

he seems to be improving a bit this evening