[OldChristine]

For the past several months I've periodically had lower right quadrant pain. Usually sharp and intermittent. I've been to the ER twice for it and they never found anything. My grama had appendicitis earlier this year and she had also had periodic abd pain. Although her full blown appendicitis came on rapidly after she ate one night, she said she thinks those pains in the past were the start of the problem.

Anyone have any experiences to share? I'd appriciate it.

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[dragonsamus]

My cousin had it. He was 16. It busted one morning before school. He said it felt like he was being knifed. I remember visiting him in the hospital. Has a 4 in scar on his belly.

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[JustPlainJef]

When mine went bad, there was nothing before it to foreshadow it going. I just woke up one morning and started puking, then went back to bed. When I woke again, it hurt like heck to sit up.

[Valjean1962]

I've still got all my "original parts" and have never (knock wood) had appendicitis, but as a surgical technologist who has assisted in numerous appendectomies (both laparoscopic and open), I would tell you to see your family doctor.

In my experience, appendicitis is one of those issues that is never the cause of scheduled surgery. The appendix may be removed as a preventative measure in the course of another procedure, but is seldom if ever removed for prophylaxis. If you're having chronic lower right quadrant pain it shouldn't be something that is only addressed in an Emergency Department setting, your family practitioner or internist ought to be seeing you.

Laparoscopic appendectomy surgery is a fairly non-invasive procedure, three or four small incisions (between 5mm and 12mm), and a recovery time of two to three weeks is fairly standard. Open appendectomy on the other hand is much more invasive, involving a four to six inch incision with a recovery period of four to six weeks. Open procedures, today, are normally only done in cases where the appendix has burst, and then only to ensure that all contents of the bowel that may have entered the abdominal cavity are removed, thus preventing peritonitis and sepsis.

Please see your doctor of choice as soon as possible...

[OldChristine]

I have seen my family Dr and have had an abd ultrasound, CT, blood work. All normal. The pains are very sporatic and aren't accompanied by other symptoms.

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[amazinglygraceless]

With your results being normal a couple questions come to mind:

1) When the pain comes on, no matter how sporadic, what makes it better? What
makes it worse?

2) Have you asked your family doctor to refer you to a gastroenterologist?

[OldChristine]

With your results being normal a couple questions come to mind:

1) When the pain comes on, no matter how sporadic, what makes it better? What
makes it worse?

2) Have you asked your family doctor to refer you to a gastroenterologist?

Good questions... really nothing makes it better. Walking, moving at all makes it worse. Palpating the area makes it worse also. I've had a colonoscopy and that was also normal.

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[amazinglygraceless]

Take this caveat to heart, I am a FF/EMT which is by no stretch the top of the
medical food chain but if a patient presented your way my and explained your history
I would be thinking in terms of inflammation of some sort.

What I would be curious about is the onset and the subsequent relief. With that,
prior to the onset of the pains is there anything you are doing that is common to
each episode? Same question regarding the relief.

And again, I cannot stress how much I wish you would see a gastroenterologist.
I honestly hope you get this worked out.

[OldChristine]

Take this caveat to heart, I am a FF/EMT which is by no stretch the top of the
medical food chain but if a patient presented your way my and explained your history
I would be thinking in terms of inflammation of some sort.

What I would be curious about is the onset and the subsequent relief. With that,
prior to the onset of the pains is there anything you are doing that is common to
each episode? Same question regarding the relief.

And again, I cannot stress how much I wish you would see a gastroenterologist.
I honestly hope you get this worked out.

I had the works. My colonoscopy was with a gastro. I'm a nurse, I've seen my Dr for it, the ER, gastro and internist. When my grandma had appendicitis she told her Dr about previous episodes of lower RQ pain. He said it could have been the appendix becoming slightly inflamed and then resolving its self. What I'm wondering is of this has happened with other people or of not, what were their symptoms/experiences?

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