Symptoms of Appendicitis??
 

Anyone help with this one?

Especially if any of you have ever had it before.

Thanks.

Sharp pain in the lower abdomen either side. Acute enough that you cannot sleep; a lot like a cramp but much worse, not like a flu or diarrhea induced stomach ache; a fever.

Both of my older brothers and I had our appendix removed in the mission field. Mormon Red Death, my younger brother, became very ill while I was in charge and my parents were out of town. I was at least 16 and he must have been 10. He was in considerable pain, had a fever and I promptly took him to the ER.

My sister also had hers out when we were quite young 6-7. I'd say I know a thing or two about such events.

Wed & Fri...I've had considerable nausea, but no throwing up even though I feel like it. Oddly enough on Thursday I felt fine.

Lots of bad diarrhea. Even dare I say a different kind of diarrhea...don't know to really explain it and if that makes any sense.

Loss of appetite. I haven't eaten a thing today and still don't feel like eating.

I've felt on occasion a quick stinging pain on my left side, but it happens very quickly, maybe for a second. It isn't a long continuous pain.

I don't feel like I have a fever.

Guess I'll just play the waiting game and see if it gets worse or if I'm just being a hypochondriac.

I have all kinds of stomach ailments (irritable bowel, Diverticulitis) so thank goodness I had my appendix out so as to remove it as a possible problem here and now.

I was very sick -sicker in the stomach than normal, almost as though I had the flu –fever etc. I had been to see doctors (in France) and they would not buy my suggestion that it might be my appendix, even though I explained that I was the only child in a family of five children who did not have his appendix removed. Both of my older brothers had theirs removed while serving as missionaries in Europe.

Two doctors did all kinds of tests, found only that I had irritable bowl and left my Mission Pres. with the feeling I was just trying to get out of work.

I got better for a little bit then became quite ill again. One night the pain was so sharp it woke me from a very deep sleep. I knew it was my appendix, called the Mission Pres. and he begrudgingly told me to board a train for the mission home. I promptly returned to my previous doctor. I told him it was my appendix.

The doc instructed me to lie down, he lifted my leg in the air and then pressed firmly down on my lower abdomen … a simple test he could’ve done many weeks earlier, but refused. I screamed in agony. Two hours later I was under the knife!

My Mission Pres apologized :)

Go see your doctor if you are concerned –I would characterize the pain as considerable and very constant!

Very similar thing happed to me, i was sick and in the hospital 5 times in the same year. With all the same symptoms diahrrea, throwing up, sharp stomach pains, basically flu like symptoms times about 10. Every time i went to the doctor they said it was a combination of the flu and irritable bowl. Finally the last time i went the doctor did a ct scan and said my appendix was slightly enlarged but nothing to worry about. He decided to be safe though and take my appendix out, i havent had any problems since.

The description of my appendix the French doc used was: 'twisted in a wad like a soaked hand towel and likely poisoning you for months.'

How come i picture the doctor looking something like this:

http://maxham.com/mark/pics/gay-french-superhero-1.jpg

Sounds like food poisoning to me. When I had food poisoning I thought my guts were going to burst open. I went to the hospital thinking I had appendicitis. They felt around my abodomen and said "Nope, you've got food poisoning". I'm not a doctor (although I play one on CG) but I think that when you have diarrhea it's a stronger indication of food poisoning than appendicitis. That being said, if your appendix bursts you can get pretty screwed up (like, say, dead) so don't bank your life on what I tell you. If you feel really bad then definitely go to the ER.

Having taken out about 40 or 50 of these menaces to society, the "typical" presentation of appendicitis is:

Dull achy abdominal pain around the belly button that over time moves down to the right lower quadrant, the pain is usually very sharp, you don't want to even move. When someone pushes on your belly you want to smack em' in the face. When someone pushes on the left side, it hurts on the right.

Fevers +/- : I took out one this weekend, very inflammed and sick, no fever
White Blood Cell Count Elevation +/-: same guy had a normal WBC
Nausea / vomiting +/- (some people hurt so bad they throw up)

Abdominal pain is the single most common presenting complaint in ER's and at time a very difficult thing to diagnose. Of those who present with abdominal pain 1/3 are diagnoses as "Non-Specific Abdominal Pain" aka. "we don't have a clue as to why you are hurting". Females are the worst, they have a lot of other "stuff" down in the pelvis that can hurt and mimick appendicitis, generally as a rule I CT scan all non-pregnant women with lower abdominal pain. Men are done on a case by case basis.

I will frequently admit a patient to the hospital for close observation, give them 24 hours and if the pain gets worse on as needed morphine, fever or increase in WBC I will stick a laparoscope in them and take out their appendix even if it is normal. If they start feeling better, keep and eye on them for another 24 hours and send them home.

Zulu, as fat as your wife is, and as much as she loves Burger King, it's a miracle if CT rays can even penetrate her breasts, much less her gut.