Should I have the surgery tomorrow?

[Kayparr]

Hi all, looking for some advice as currently in hospital very scared. I started with horrific pain in the middle of my belly moving to my right lower side 5 days ago which has got gradually worse. I went to my gp who sent me straight to the surgical assessment unit in the hospital as they were concerned it could be appendicitis. I explained I have endometriosis but it hasn’t ever presented as stabbing pains only on my lower right side before. Bloods were tested and came back normal and obs have been ok too just low bp - usually appendicitis would show on inflammation on your blood tests but mine are fine. I also had a transvaginal ultrasound two days ago to look for any gyne reason such as a burst cyst etc but this came back clear too. I am in awful pain and need codine and morphine every 4 hours to feel ok as the stabbing pain comes in waves and is horrific so I’ve been kept in for 4 days now on a ward. The surgeons have told me today that this will be the fifth day with this pain tomorrow and medically all my tests are showing as fine but with the pain not subsiding they may want to do a laparoscopy tomorrow to take a look inside and they may remove my appendix even if it is healthy but this is up to me to decide if I want surgery as this may be my endometriosis or may be something else entirely but they are not sure.

My problem is I had a laparoscopy to remove my endometriosis in March ( they found endo on my pouch of Douglas, ovarian fossa and sacral ligament and excised this )and the recovery was one of the darkest times in my life with the excruciating pain and long recovery. I am terrified they will open me up tomorrow and not find anything and I will have put my body through another invasive surgery for no reason. I can refuse the surgery and hope I start to feel better in a few days but it’s already been 5 days on morphine constantly so this is a pretty poor option too. Also I will be mortified if I have surgery and everything looks healthy as what if they think I’m over exaggerating or making it all up?

Also I am late for my period on top of this all, my partner and I dtd during my fertile window but they told me they tested my wee days ago and it was negative - if this was an eptopic this would have showed on the ultrasound right?

any advise from anyone who has endometriosis, or appendicitis, or anyone really would be massively appreciated as I’m really scared and alone on this ward right now and feel like this choice could effect my body for the rest of my life. Sorry for being dramatic.

Oh flip that sounds horrendous I’m so sorry op, what a miserable situation. It sounds strange they would be looking at the appendix if it’s lower abdomen and you have a history of endo, but I’m no medical professional. Can you ask for a second surgical opinion and discuss your concerns before agreeing?

Thanks @DontTrustThisPoster yep it’s really scary and my mum is out of town at the moment and I just want my mum - I know how pathetic that sounds! So the pain is actually around my appendix, higher than all of my gyne bits and I’ve had two doctors give the same option now but I am on a surgical gastro ward at the moment so my surgeons are general surgeons not gyne I think.

Oh god you poor thing, the recovery from endo surgery is brutal so I really feel your pain there.

Have they talked about endometriosis on you diaphragm? Have they even considered this maybe causing the issue.

They really need to go easy on you, I think I'd be the same as you and waiting for it to go away

My DH was in hospital for a long time as his appendicitis wasn't presenting normally at all, scans, bloods tests etc all neg. They eventually went in to have a look and found a very angry inflamed appendix adhered to his bowel (hence the symptom's not being quite 'right') luckily for him it hadn't burst and was a quick removal.

OP, with those symptoms it could be a grumbly appendix or any number of other issues. After so much pain, they really need to check it out. They won't think you were exaggerating, don't give that another thought.

I've had 5 laparoscopies so far. I haven't experienced the painful recovery that you refer to so I suspect that was caused by the clearing of the endometriosis which probably won't apply this time.

Get it sorted out so you can recover and look forward to a comfortable autumn. Good luck xx

Thank you @nonstoprenovation they’ve not mentioned that actually but that would make a-lot of sense, I’ll mention it to the surgeons tomorrow and see what they say.

I'm sorry you are in so much pain, I've been there and understand how vulnerable and anxious you must feel.
I hope you find it reassuring if I tell you I've had 3 laparoscopies for endometriosis and the pain did linger for a few days but no longer. It sounds like you had it in lots more places so it would figure that recovery was much harder.
I've had an ectopic pregnancy too, and it was hard to detect as hcg levels did not rise quick enough and it was hiding on an ovary. Not a great experience at all, but once it was detected it was dealt with and physically I made a full recovery. I was like you, frightened before these surgeries, but with benefit of hindsight I was lucky to have them, so please take courage from someone who's been there, and you might have a difficult few days/weeks ahead, but in the long run you'll be better off and proud of yourself for getting the help you need. Best of luck, and I wish you a swift recovery

Thanks @notapizzaeater This makes me think it’s worth getting the surgery as I didn’t know I could still have an issue with my appendix and have bloods that are fine, this might be why they are offering me the surgery actually

Oh gosh if it's an appendix possibility please just have the operation. A burst appendix could cost you your life, as it did a friend of mine. You are in pain for a reason, let them operate to try to find out why.

I'd have the surgery. I really struggled with recovery after a laparoscopy too so I understand how scared you are but I'd be worried about not having the surgery and whatever it is getting worse!

Don't worry about them not finding anything wrong, it's better than something being wrong!

I had a laparoscopy for a suspected ectopic pregnancy because I had positive tests and stabbing pains and they couldn't see a pregnancy on the scan, they also found nothing during the surgery and sent me home again and but I'd rather that than a untreated ectopic!

My husband had his appendix removed a couple if years ago, but at the very big london teaching hospital where he was treated he was ct scanned first to categorically determine if it was an appendix problem as bloods etc showed negative but he was symptomaticslly positive. Appatenyly it is standard procedure there. If you are pregnant this would be unwise possibly, but mire unwise than a possibly unnecessary op, I don't know. Do insist on a pregnancy test first thing (when was ovulation?) If this is positive it might change a surgeons and anaesthetists opinion.
Personally I have had laprocopic surgery for gynae issues, and the adhesions which were present and grew after the first procedure, partly due to damage from the surgery, and secondly from small amounts if endometriosis (which I never knew I had) became extremely painful. I had a second thunder of laproscopic surgery to remove them. It's worth discussing these issues with the surgeon when turn come to consent you.
Possibly pregnancy
Ct to confirm appendicitis
Possibility of adhesions based on previous surgery and how experienced is the particular surgeon in successfully removing them if the might be a cause (some are much better than others)

It's "considered" rare, but I do know it's something with your history that should be considered along with the appendix.

I know at least 3 people who's had it, and it's generally misunderstood much like endometriosis itself.

Actually as another poster mentioned a look around won't be the same recovery as the excision of endometriosis so maybe best to let them look around.

I would definitely have the surgery. My appendix burst and I had emergency surgery on New Year's Eve when I was a child. My parents were told I may not come through the operation, it can be really serious.

Hi everyone, thank you for all your help and advice. Just an update for you, I’ve been nill by mouth all day today awaiting my operation at 3pm. At 4pm my surgeon came to see me and said he is happy to go ahead with the surgery and he will be booking an theatre for this evening. I then asked my surgeon if you go in and find a mass of endometriosis near my appendix will you burn this away? He got flustered and said he needed to make a call to gyne. He came back half an hour later after speaking with gyne and completely changed his mind. Said as my bloods were good if he went in and my appendix was healthy he would be removing a healthy organ and my bloods don’t show inflammation. He said to me “let’s look at treating this as new endometriosis, so can we look at giving you some contraceptives? ”. I blew up in a crying fit and explained I’ve been through this the past ten years and cannot take contraception and after he pushed and pushed for me to get the marina coil again and again and I refused and was just told ok we will give you more morphine and more codine and see how you are in a few days time. So I’m devastated currently that I’m not being listened too and offered contraception for a condition that I’ve explained feels nothing like endometriosis numerous times 😞

Sorry did he seriously say that?

He wants you to take the pill or the coil? For suspected endometriosis which could also be grumbling appendix?

That's it the operators cancelled and I guess you'll be sent home?

This is crazy?