GP suspects appendicitis and offered hospital or pain relief only - WWYD?

[Tattooedteacher0621]

I’ve just been to the GP re pain I’ve had.
started yesterday in lower left quadrant - I assumed was ovary linked as I often get ovulation pain. I’d say that pain was around a 6. I took painkillers and was fine.

Today pain is between a 5 (at good points) and 9. Went to doc’s - pain in now lower right quadrant. When it’s around 8-9 I have to walk slowly, all hunched over, but it does come and go in terms of intensity. The doctor felt around and thinks it’s my appendix. I’ve got a pretty high pain threshold but today has challenged me - a lot!

He's given me the choice of stronger painkiller and see how to goes; or go to hospital.

I know that you’re not doctors but what would you do? Because I don’t want to feel like I’m wasting anyone’s time and I also hate hospitals.

My best friend at school nearly died from a ruptured appendix.

Go to hospital.

When I had these symptoms I phoned 111 and they got me an out of hours GP appt at the hospital. I wasn’t in a huge amount of pain (more like period / ovulation cramps) but they took bloods, which showed something was wrong, and a CT scan confirmed appendicitis. It was removed the next day.

Hospital

I went through a&e when I had similar pain. Like you I have a high pain threshold and although I had all the symptoms of appendicitis I wasn't sure as the pain didn't seem to fit what others said. I ended up having exploratory surgery to find what was going on, it was my appendix, it had ruptured, but the reason it didn't present typically was due to it being 'long, an odd shape, and curled down'. Basically bodies are weird and even if not everything fits it's best to get checked out.

Oh, love, you need to get yourself to the hospital toot suite.

You won't be wasting anyone's time.

Go to hospital immediatelly.

Hospital…

I had similar pain In early April, took otc iBD meds and it improved garter a few days. Then, same but even more painful a few weeks later.

after few hours, DH took me to A&e, admitted, surgery next day and the surgeons said it was “mucky” which I took to mean I’d left it long enough..

I had no idea it was appendicitis- I assumed that was a young person thing but apparently not…

mine was resolved with keyhole surgery and a month to recover - don’t leave it as if it ruptures you will face open surgery and much longer recovery as well.

Honestly what are GPs even doing these days! They just seem to leave everything to hospitals to sort. Did they check temp, pulse and BP? Appendicitis can settle without surgery but antibiotics would be necessary, did they give you any?

As they've done absolutely no tests and have left you to decide what to do I'd ring 111 and they'll probably send you to hosp.

Don't be reassured by lower pain levels. When an appendix ruptures there is initial relief before the toxins take hold and pain resumes.

Appendicitis can be treated with antibiotics but that would be a judgement after looking at blood results, scans, symptoms, etc.

This isn't a waste of clinical time. They'd far rather pop out an angry appendix than dig out a furious one.

Suspected appendicitis I would go to hospital. We had it with my daughter over Christmas and they couldn't have been nicer, definitely didn't feel like we were wasting anyone's time. Ended up she didn't have it but I would still do the same again, not something you can mess with.

Please go to hospital.

My DP was sent with low level pain, suspect appendicitis. A&E triage nurse told him it was very unlikely he had appendicitis, his appendix later burst in the waiting room, he got sepsis and nearly died.

Honestly, I know there are some great GPs but who TF advises 'you can either go to hospital or go home (and see if it ruptures)?'
My mum's just had similar advice from her surgery.

Just go OP, you're not wasting anyone's time and you seriously don't need a ruptured appendix.

Edit to add: My DS had it a while ago, they do a blood test before they start operating so you will find out quite quickly.

Nothing - I mean I assumed he’d at least ask for a urine sample to rule out UTI. Will be going to hospital whether it’s appendicitis or not. Don’t think the amount of pain I’ve had today is normal. (Certainly isn’t for me!)

Hospital

If your GP suspects it’s your appendix, go and get checked at hospital. I have an high pain threshold, so I dismissed it as IBS, it ruptured and I ended up in hospital with sepsis for several weeks.

Just shocking. Such a dereliction of duty. As you say do a dipstick, check temp, send off bloods and at least have some kind of picture rather than leaving it to the patient.

Just to encourage you further... If it's an intact appendicitis, they will either use keyhole surgery to cut it out and draw it out of your body, or make a small cut and remove it directly. You'll likely be out of hospital the next day with pain relief.

If your appendix bursts, they will have to open you up, remove the appendix, then flush out all the contents from around your organs. You'll need a strong course of antibiotics and you'll be in hospital for days, if it goes well, or weeks if not.

Doesnt all of that cost the surgery money? If the OP goes to hospital off her own back, will it cost the surgery anything?

Go to hospital now. This happened to my DH back in May. Pain for a couple of days in lower abdomen. 111 told him to go to A&E. After bloods to confirm infection and a scan he was diagnosed with appendicitis. A&E kept him in and the hospital found a bed for him. Appendix out 2 days later. He was in IV antibiotics before though

honestly most of the outrage at the GP is a bit unfair - there’s nothing they can do to either diagnose/exclude/treat appendicitis in the community. Bloods ordered by the GP wouldn’t. E back in a useful timeframe and aren’t that helpful discriminating appendicitis from any of the other stuff that could be going on. A urine dip is also often not that helpful (can be ‘positive’ in appendix as well as a uti). BP/HR may be normal in appendicitis or abnormal in a million things (pain on its own can affect them both). This was probably always an ED problem. The decision re conservative vs surgical management of a confirmed appendix is one for the surgeons not the GP too. (Doi fwiw: have anaesthetised for more appendices than I can remember…and quite a few ‘definite’ appendices that were actually something else too).

Course there is more he could've done. Checking temp and other basic obs for starters. Bloods are turned round very quickly now, not like the old days with a 5 day wait.
To send a patient away with a potentially serious problem and not even check a temp is shit.
GPs nowadays are nothing more than sick note dispensers it seems.

I’m not really sure there would have been any point in the GP doing bloods. When my daughter had suspected appendicitis, GP did a urine sample which was positive but it was still a hospital job for bloods and to see the surgical team. She was in and nil by mouth until the bloods came back. Fortunately it wasn’t but they were quite clear the GP couldn’t diagnose and they re-did all the urine samples anyway as soon as we arrived.

Hospital. Definitely.

Hospital. I had appendicitis and the surgery and recovery were really easy and now I don’t have to worry

I had similar symptoms with an ectopic pregnancy and I didn't know I was pregnant.
The pain got worse when I did certain things but then eased off a bit then came back a bit. I went to the hospital when I kept going dizzy and assumed it might be my appendix. It ruptured whilst I was waiting for emergency surgery and I wasn't actually in that much pain once I'd been scanned.

I also had similar symptoms in the second trimester of my first pregnancy, I was kept in hospital for 3 days having constant blood tests as I had infection markers but they couldn't risk operating. I was diagnosed with a grumbling appendix but it settled and I still have one.