Do you have experience with appendicitis?

[J-rap]

My dd (late 20's, married) lives a few miles away, and is trying to decide whether to go to the ER.  Yesterday morning she began experiencing a pain in her abdominal area, which localized on her lower right side, right above the bend when you're sitting down.  She experienced waves of nausea off and on throughout the day (no vomiting), with small appetite.   It's quite tender to touch, and if she's moving it hurts too, although it's not a stabbing pain.  So, it's not the excruciating pain that you usually hear about, and when she's perfectly still, she says it doesn't hurt unless she presses on it.   She said it feels closer to the surface rather than deep within.  She doesn't have a thermometer, only a dog thermometer 😄.  She knows it's not reliable for humans, but both she and her dh used it to see if their temp differed, and hers was a few degrees higher.  Anyway, she's trying to get a little sleep now, and I'll check back with her in a couple hours.  For obvious reasons she doesn't want to go to the ER unless it's really necessary.

[math teacher]

I can tell you what happened to Dh. He had tenderness, but slight enough that he thought he had overexercised. I can't remember if he had fever or not, but I think he did. This went on a couple weeks, and finally his doctor ordered a CT scan. They told him his appendix was inflamed and to go to the hospital. The doctor decided to go ahead and take it out, but since it wasn't an emergency, the surgery was scheduled for the next day. As it turned out, the appendix had already ruptured. He had a drainage tube and stayed in the hospital a few days.

I understand not wanting to go to the hospital during this time. However, just because symptoms aren't severe doesn't mean it isn't appendicitis.

Best of luck.

[Ottakee]

I would have her go in.  Appendix or ovarian cysts are two things that come to mind here.  Both would require an ultrasound.  Tell her not to eat....just in case they need to do surgery.

Unless you are in a hot spot the hospital is likely much quieter than normal.

And, as always, pack an overnight bag with change of comfy clothes, small blanket, phone charger, etc.....just in case.   I have always found the better prepared I am to stay the night the less likely that is to occur.

The risks of delaying/not seeking treatment for appendicitis are higher than the death rate for covid.  I would make sure she goes in....preferably to a hospital large enough to have a surgeon in house at all times.

Edited April 30, 2020 by Ottakee

[Carrie12345]

My own experience is over 35 years ago. I most definitely did feel sick and pain, but I don’t remember it being what some people describe as excruciating.  (Then again, I’ve also had a ruptured ectopic and no pain at all.). My mom got me to the doctor in a reasonable amount of time. He sent us straight to the ER.  By the time my surgery was underway, they said I was very near rupturing.  So I’m all about getting it checked out.

One tip I’ve always heard, and the doctor did ask me to do, is to jump.  Nothing major, just, you know, a little bounce to get both feet off the floor.  If that’s very painful, it’s a big sign.

With pressing on it, supposedly it tends to hurt more on release than on the pressure application.

But acute appendicitis isn’t always the same for everyone.

[Junie]

One of my dc (ds19 who was 9 at the time) had to have an emergency appendectomy due to a ruptured appendix.  (I was told later that his ruptured very quickly after symptoms onset.)

This happened during the H1N1 flu outbreak, so my assumption was the flu.  The symptoms did not present exactly as the flu, but since it was a new flu strain I attributed the difference to that.

He was lethargic and lay on the sofa all day.  He didn't want to go to soccer practice.  (This is how I knew he was sick.) He didn't want to eat.  He had some minor pain.  He was not in severe pain -- until he was.  After he spent all day on the sofa, I told him it was time to get up and go to bed.  As he got up from the sofa, he experienced extreme pain and cried out.  I remember telling my husband, "That's not the flu."  I took him immediately to the ER and his appendix was removed at 5 am.

[Junie]

3 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

My own experience is over 35 years ago. I most definitely did feel sick and pain, but I don’t remember it being what some people describe as excruciating.  (Then again, I’ve also had a ruptured ectopic and no pain at all.). My mom got me to the doctor in a reasonable amount of time. He sent us straight to the ER.  By the time my surgery was underway, they said I was very near rupturing.  So I’m all about getting it checked out.

One tip I’ve always heard, and the doctor did ask me to do, is to jump.  Nothing major, just, you know, a little bounce to get both feet off the floor.  If that’s very painful, it’s a big sign.

With pressing on it, supposedly it tends to hurt more on release than on the pressure application.

But acute appendicitis isn’t always the same for everyone.

Yes! I had forgotten about this.

Years later when I thought that one of my other dc might also be having appendix issues (I don't remember her symptoms), I took her to the doctor.  The doctor had the (young) dc stand on the hospital bed.  He told her to grab his thumbs and jump on the bed.  She thought it was great fun and laughed and giggled while she jumped a few times on the hospital bed.  The doctor looked at me and said, "She doesn't have appendicitis."

[Tree Frog]

I'd had pain on my lower right side for a day or two. I'd been in contact with a nurse because I didn't feel enough pain to warrant going to the doctor, but felt the symptoms were lasting long enough and were odd enough to warrant a phone call. When I decided to go to the ER, I had to drive for part of the trip and needed to pull over to vomit. From that point, it became significantly worse very quickly and my appendix was removed within about 5 hours.

[Beth S]

Sadly, we've BTDT twice. 

5yo DD (in 1996)= She laid in bed for a day (we thot indigestion from hot dogs), until she said, "It's like a shark is biting me." 
      Dh drove her to the ER, but it ruptured en route.  
      Rupture requires longer surgery, to flush out the abominal cavity, then IV antibiotics. 
      She was in the hospital 5 days or so.  Her 2 incisions are about 3/4" long (+1 in belly button).

17yo DS (in 2014) = He had the sharp pain AND had a high pain tolerance, so I was alerted.
      His appendix was sitting right behind his belly button, so the "rebound tenderness" tests didn't work.
      I knew there were very few things that cause that sharp pain.
      Our pediatrician said, "See, you got here before it burst this time."  😉
      They diagnosed via ultrasound, got him to surgery & he was home in less than 24 hours of entering the ER.
       His 2 incisions are less than 1/2" long (+ 1 in belly button).

P.S.  Could your dd have an ectopic pregnancy, or some other ovarian issue?
Maybe do a home pregnancy test?
Honestly, even with Covid, avoiding a rupture makes it all a ROUTINE 24-hour-hospital stay.

You all are in my prayers.  Appendix trouble is notorious for being difficult to diagnose.  Don't feel embarrassed, etc.
 

Edited April 30, 2020 by Beth S

[Jaybee]

I would have her go in. If it is appendicitis, you want to catch it before it ruptures. It would be worth the risk to check it out for me.

ETA: Agree with the PP who said it doesn't always act the same way. 

Edited April 30, 2020 by Jaybee

[Bootsie]

I have had pain like that several times--each time the doctors first suspected appendicitis, but it turned out to be swollen lymph nodes due to viral infections.  The first time I was in late elementary school and ended up breaking out in chicken pox.  I would definitely want to have it checked out.  I would call and see in my area what is the best place to be seen--an urgent care or some other type of facility.

[Beth S]

Please update us, when you get a chance, @J-rap   👍

[Tap]

I have had an appendix rupture. Yes, go in. Mine ruptured after getting to the hospital, while waiting for surgery. It required a regular surgery and I was there for 5 days post surgery. If it hadn't ruptured, I could have had laparoscopic surgery and been out in 2 days. 

[EmilyGF]

I hope she already went in, but my sister, I, and my hubby all had ours out around 30. I had the whole shebang of symptoms, but with DH he just had a weird pain in the right place. He was scheduled to leave for a business trip that evening so I asked him to get it looked at, and sure enough, it was quite inflamed.

So the symptoms really vary.

Emily

[LMD]

The hurting when moving is pretty textbook. That's the symptom that got my dh to agree to go to the hospital.

Dh had it in his early 30s. He thought it was gastro. But the pain, which was mild at first, grew steadily worse over 24 hours and by the time I could get him to the hospital and they took him into surgery, the appendix was gangrenous. It hadn't ruptured yet, but he was in a lot of pain.

Edited May 1, 2020 by LMD

[Plateau Mama]

Please, please do not wait.  My son went from totally fine to sick overnight.  We waited a day to go in.  They said we caught it early and he would be in and out.  The dr came out after surgery and said he was very, very sick and we would be there 1-2 weeks.  Long story short he was in the hospital for 7 days. 

Edited May 1, 2020 by Plateau Mama

[KrissiK]

My 16 year old son had his appendix out last fall. All Friday evening he complained about a stomach ache. I kept telling him it was just gas. Gave him some Pepto Bismol. DH finally took him to the ER at 10:00 pm, they ran some tests, took him to Children’s Hospital and he had his appendix out the next day. I would suggest going in,

[school17777]

How is your dd doing now?

[J-rap]

20 hours ago, school17777 said:

How is your dd doing now?

I'm so sorry for not responding...  Something must be wrong with the notification feature here, because I was not being notified that I received any responses, and even though I check unread content regularly, this wasn't coming up.  ANYWAY, thank you all for responding!  She did end up going in to the doctor that same day...  It was quite a process (due to Covid) to get in, but after explaining her symptoms, they agreed she needed to come in.   In the end, because her symptoms didn't quite fit and she was not acute and due to Covid, they wanted her to wait it out a bit...  They were leaning more toward an ovarian cyst in their diagnosis (which would make sense, because I believe both she and I have PCOS and I had a few cysts around her age).  Also, because she was at a hospital where there was a Covid wing, and because her symptoms seemed questionable regarding appendix, they didn't want her to do a CT scan there yet (which they otherwise would have recommended).  If her symptoms persist, they will send her to another clinic this coming week for a CT scan.   (Or of course if they escalate at all, they would do it immediately.)  So far her symptoms remain pretty much the same -- not much better, but not any worse.  So whatever it is, it isn't escalating.

We are in an area where Covid is on the upswing, so everyone is being extremely cautious, while at the same time, hospitals are still bringing everyone in who they feel need urgent care.  

[school17777]

Glad to hear she’s doing ok.