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.

You do know that as a GP it would take me several days to get those blood results back? Not hugely useful for something acute like this.

first rule of medicine is never say ‘never’ (which is why I didn’t say ‘never’ in my comment!). My point was more that whether they don’t just decide to do it laparoscopically/open based on whether it’s burst or not (which you can’t always tell until you’re on the inside). The vast majority of appendices are done laparoscopically, even the really grotty ones, but just occasionally it’s the right thing to do a laparotomy.

They told us they were going to do a laparotomy before the surgery. Apparently the appendix had burst but on the scan it had encapsulated. But they definitely ruled out keyhole before the surgery even happened.

Yes when I had appendicitis I realised I had had pain in that area on and off for a couple of years before it became acute.

Go to hospital. My cousin had pain that her GP suspected was appendicitis, and sent her home with pain killers. She ended up in A&E with peritonitis due to an undiagnosed birth defect connecting her intestine, which got looped around the connecting tissue and ruptured.

Good luck OP

hope you soon find out what is going on

Go to the hospital! It could be a rumbling appendix in which case you’ll need antibiotics. My DH had this and was in agony but it cleared up fast.

What you don’t want is it b
rupturing. My mum has a scar across her abdomen almost the size of a c section scar from hers bursting. She almost died from the infection.

Certainly shouldn't have sent him home after 2 nights! Evil hospital. Average stay time is 10 days, I got out after my laparotomy after 7 and that was good going. Your poor son.

I’ve had appendicitis 3 times now and had antibiotics to treat it 3 times. Still get pains and grumbling from the appendix so I would recommend getting the bloody thing out!!

My friends mum was in hospital for days. The doctors said it couldn’t be appendicitis as she was “too old” to have it. It was appendicitis but they don’t realise until it had already ruptured and she got sepsis. She sadly died. Please push until you get a diagnosis you are happy with.

@SuePer OP saw a GP. It takes around a week to get GP bloods done. I’m not sure where you work (I assume you’re a GP or a nurse, rather than someone claiming to know what they’re talking about while actually knowing nothing), but where I work the next blood test appointment currently is in a week. I know this because I was with a patient trying to book a slot today.

OP I e fit hyper mobility so very high pain threshold, appendicitis started a month before, I assumed heat stroke.
Then when it for want of better word, erupted, at first thought I was in labour, after checking assumed was tummy bug, this all started at 8pm. Spent night in bathroom puking & occasionally the other. By 9am ambulance was called.
By 12 I was in surgery having it removed apparently I was 5 minutes from it going & causing major sepsis.
Trust your body & the medics.Please go to hospital.

The “stay at home and see what happens” option is perfectly reasonable in adults with ?appendicitis. Sometimes the pain subsides. And no one wants to spend 9 hours in A&E, only tomorrow be sent home and told to come back if it gets worse. Pain is very subjective, which is why the GP gave OP the choice.

I had a grumbling appendix for months, had no idea what it was.
Honestly, just get it taken out. I went on "ignoring" it for about 6 months then nearly died 😬

I didn't have pain on the lower right until it was almost too late - the pain had been right up high under my diaphragm for months. Which is why appendicitis didn't even cross my mind.

I’ve just had this exact thing recently. Your GP doesn’t sound good at all tbh. My GP said any pain like this is recommended to be seen in a+e within 24 hours. Mine was suspected appendicitis, I didn’t think it was. Turns out it was diverticulitis, first episode I’ve ever had! I got antibiotics and was much better a week later. Good luck at a+e, keep us posted.

Go straight to the hospital, bypass the doc if he/or she is being so dismissive.
I hsd a burst appendix at 22 went to the doc 4 times in 2 weeks who continually told me I had IBS until I finally collapsed, got blue lighted into hospital then was on the operating table for 11 hours after the fluids from all internal organs began draining and failing, I have hideous scars all over my stomach and it disintegrated my fallopian tubes leaving me infertile (was able to have ivf later on in life though thankfully) it was a long recovery too.
Dont delay OP.

Wow you know the NHS is on its knees when you're offered a paracetamol for appendicitis.

I had a burst appendix. My pain subsided as it burst. The pain moved from one side to the other before hand too.

Please don't delay. My GP told me to wait and see too and it was a mistake.

I did avoid surgery thorough by luck.

Hospital

Hospital. Now.
I had right sided pain which the doctor through 111 thought might appendicitis ot gallstones.

It took an ultrasound and CT scan to find out what it was. It was something called an omentum infarction (I had to Google it!) and surgery was an option but they managed to treat it with intravenous antibiotics. I was in hospital for 5 days and off work for another week.

Doctor sounds like a quack

Hope you get seen soon op

Go to hospital much better than it rupturing and you bleed to death

Yes, me too. I was only 5 and can remember the surgeon telling me I had spoilt his New Year's Eve as he had to operate on me!

I was trying to say it could be something else in another way that wouldn’t worry the op, so the rule out other things! My encouragement was to go to the hospital because gps although knowledgeable can try to pin things on the easiest diagnosis, hence the reason Jess’s Rule (3 visits) came to pass.