Anyone awake?? Severe abdominal pain

[Lovemusic33]

I have been in agony for 3 or 4 hours, pain started in lower stomach and now moved to behind belly button and slightly to the right. Have taken paracetamol which has slightly taken the edge off but still very painful, slightly loose stools but nothing too major, not been sick bit feel sick due to the intensity of the pain. Have been wondering around, trying to poop in hope it will help bit not easing.

I'm a single parent and my dc's are asleep, I have no one to call to sit with them as it's stupid o clock. I don't think it's a big as I haven't left the house in 3 days, could be something I ate. Dr Google is saying appendicitis and NHS direct online tell me to call an ambulance. Do I just ride it out until kids are up and off to school? I don't know what else I can do. Also stuck as I have a new dog/puppy who won't leave my side and has not yet been left alone.

The one thing I know about wind pain op (IBS sufferer, wind is a regular pain the ass) is not to bend my legs up in bed. It's a natural instinct to curl up into a ball but lying with legs stretched out helps the bowel 'stretch' out and wind move through.

I hope you feel better soon x

Thank you, feeling better each day, the gas is easing but still painful at times. I managed to poop and now my bladder seems to be working a lot better so things are looking up 😁

@Lovemusic33 that's great that you are feeling better each day.
Can I ask you what helped with the gas pain and to move it?
I had my appendix out Friday morning at 4am and still finding the gas is bad to release it ..

ineed I think the only thing that helps is moving around, it’s hard as it’s so painful. I still have the gas there but not half as bad as it was, I’m sleeping a lot (keep nodding off) then I force myself to wander around the garden which seems to help. I tried a hot water bottle which was soothing but I think it made things worse, didn’t really reduce the gas. It is very frustrating, I’m hungry but have to eat little and often or it’s agony. You have my sympathy, I’m quite a gassy person but have never experienced pain like this, it’s up their with labour pain. I was told it can take a week or more to shift . Hope things improve for you soon.

If you can manage it, downward dog yoga position can help to alleviate the gas.

Glad you’re starting to feel better lovemusic.

@Lovemusic33
I was recommended to stay in hospital for one more night as I have low blood pressure and the pain is some gas and also at the site of where the appendix was and it's worse today..
really want to go home as I have a 6 year old and a 4 week old that I miss terribly but if I'm honest with myself I wouldn't be much good to either of them while I'm feeling this way. I'll get out for a walk on the wards (raining here) when my DP calls in later. My surgeon did remind me that keyhole surgery is still major surgery. I think we need to be kinder to ourselves and take this one day at a time. Take care x

ineed I was kicked out of hospital, they needed my bed, I felt awful and I was dumped in the discharge lounge by a porter, my step dad had to get me to the car in a wheel chair. Luckily my mum stayed over night on my first night back as there’s no way I would have coped with kids on my own. Stay in as long as you can but do try and move around as much as you can as it’s the only way to shift the gas, I know it’s hard as it’s so painful getting in and out of bed. Today I feel much better and as the day has gone on I have been able do a few small things around the hose and garden, though I’m still taking it very easy. I’m ordering take away tonight to save cooking. It’s gets better, it’s just a slow process. It might not look like major surgery on the outside (just 3 holes) but you have been poked and prodded around a lot inside. The gas is the worst bit though, once it improves you will feel much better.

Awful way to be treated by "our" Nhs.. i hope you complained.

Dull I witnessed many things during my stay that I could have complained about but to be honest I’m just pleased to be home. Over all the ward nurses were amazing and they worked so hard due to being under staffed, there was one nurse (possibly trainee) who was a danger to herself, she couldn’t even work out how to take my blood pressure or temperature. I missed several meals as no one brought me a menu to order with so I went without food. We are lucky to have a NHS but there’s defiantly room for improvement and a better level of care but it’s all down to money and staff and their isn’t enough of either.

For trapped gas after a recent abdo keyhole surgery a lovely nurse told me to lie on my left side with my knees tucked up as close to my chest as I could without being in pain. It wasn’t long before things alleviated

I hope you’re feeling better soon. I have had my appendix out as well as a further abdo keyhole surgery I mentioned above, both of the times I have been told off my by consultant and GP for rushing my recovery.

It’s very easy to be lulled into a false sense of security as the external scars look small, but you’re still healing internally for several weeks.

Take it easy!!!!! Sending hugs.

I understand i really do but the reason why the government get away with the cuts to the NHS is because no one speaks up or makes a fuss and so it all gets swept under the carpet and ignored. I honestly hope you make a full recovery soon xx

Does anyone know or recommend a fizzy drink (7up free is all I can stomach) to help with the passing of gas?
Thanks.. I ache so much despite having walked today and sat on a chair for a while..

Oh and sorry for hi jacking your thread @Lovemusic33 ** I won't ask anymore questions I promise !

Ask away. I was told to drink warm drinks, if you can stomach warm water it’s meant to be really good or peppermint tea. I would stay clear of anything that might contain more gas, same with anything with too much fibre in it. I’m feeling much better, I can now lie on my side without being in much pain and have eaten a meal tonight for the first time. It will get better for you in a day or 2. I’m still walking like a old lady but a bit quicker than yesterday 🤣

@Lovemusic33 did you have the pain on your lower right side ? Down near your hip? That's where my biggest pain is.. you're right it's worse than a labour contraction - it's so bloody painful!

I had pain almost everywhere but at one point it was the right side under my ribs, would love to middle and then when I sat up I had the shoulder pain and chest pain (hurt to breathe). At one point it was coming in waves like labour pains. It really was horrible, I'm hoping tonight I can sleep. I have gone most of today without pain killers.

@Lovemusic33 I'm glad you got through today with so little pain relief.
Do you think it's just a case of the pain easing itself each day so? I don't know if this is purely gas or because of its location near where the appendix was or if it's because the appendix was in quite a bad condition by the time it was removed...

I think the pain on the right hand side is the gas pushing against your appendix wound. I think it's a case of it easing a bit each day.

I have over done it this morning and now have a ache across my lower tummy ☹, the gas has gone though and I feel much better over all.

lovemusic33 I hope you slept last night. I'm glad the gas has gone but please take it easy, remember the inside takes longer to recover than the outside.

@Lovemusic33 I'm so glad to hear your gas has eased today. Sounds like you're on the right road to recovery finally. Ease off now on the jobs today and try to rest- easier said than done I know xx

ineed how are you feeling? I was feeling much better yesterday evening, was planning on when I could drive and planning to camp with the kids at the weekend but have woken with tummy ache and gas again. I guess I may have over done it yesterday so I will try and take it easy today. Being stuck at home and not being able to drive is so hard for me, I live in the middle of nowhere so can’t even walk to a shop ☹️.

That's tough @ilove.
You must feel so isolated. Rest up though and prioritise you.
I hope your mum can go to the shop for you and at least get the basics in to tide you over whilst you recover.
Today is the first day I don't feel as sore or sick. In hospital waiting for blood tests to come back and depending on those I hope to go home this eve or tomorrow at the latest.

Fingers crossed you get to go home today, you will feel so much better at home.

I had my discharge letter through the post yesterday conforming my appendix was enlarged, a part of me was worried they had just taken it out for the sake of it as no one really explained what was found whilst I was in hospital.