It has only been 4 days since your surgery - you can expect to feel some pain for a few more days before being concerned. Your stomach muscles were pulled apart to gain access to your appendix - even a laproscopic surgery causes pains.

When is your follow up with your doctor? If you are worried, you could call your doctor.

I went to my doctor surgery today to have my dressing changed. The wound healing fine it wasn't keyhole; scar will be about 3 1/2 inches.

The nurse said if I was still in pain by middle of next week then to book an appointment with the GP, as infection might of spread?

Nesty

I hope you get to feeling better soon. Do you have access to probiotic capsules where you live? I was wondering if they might help you in the healing process and maybe some vit C. You might ask about this. Also, even gas can cause lots of pain, and I've heard that after those operations air gets trapped inside and can cause pain. Some people have claimed the air causes pain that travels up to their shoulders after surgery. Keep an eye on your temperature, make sure you don't have a fever. Definately make an appt if you're not feeling better, like the nurse said.
Best of luck to you. Take good care of yourself.

Hi

Mnay thanks for your reply. Yes the local store does sell probiotic products. I am thinking of starting them, as supposed to promote good gut well-being.

I was too wondering about trapped air, it certainly feels like it trapped inside. I have looked into some tablets that help aid ingestion and the like. Though I don't want to start taking extra stuff on top of the usual stuff been presibed for this week.

nesty

Hi Nesty,

I had my appendix and gallbladder removed last Friday Feb 8th. Like you, I was having pains on the left side of my abdomen, as well as the right. Although I was not diagnosed with appendicitis, I asked my doctor to remove my appendix anyway during the gallbladder surgery as a precaution.

I still get left-sided pain, but I notice that it's usually because it's time to have a BM, or it's gas. Though I do get pain my left ovary often, so it may be a bit of that as well.

The pain has gotten better, I'm taking probiotics and eating Activa yogurt. I'm still having pain on the right side, but mostly around the belly button incision. The right-sided pelvic pain is gone.

I'm going for a post-op appointment Monday, so I will ask my doctor about it, though I suspect this is just the normal progression of healing.

Hi

Sounds very slimair to me. The right side pain almost gone, just the stiches are getting a bit pricky now. Still getting a bit of a dull ache on the left and around the belly button area. However it's not as bad today, as it was on Thursday. I am hoping it will start subsiding now?

Anyway let me know how you get on Monday. I'll be intrested to know, as sounds like you are on the same line of recovery as me.

I'll be sure to let you know what he says. Right now, I'm dealing with swelling on my right side, right below the belly button and above the pelvis.

I have a cut there were the scope was placed in, also I think it may be the area where my appendix was; It was buried deep underneath my colon. I'm hoping the swelling will go down some by next week, but I will bring it to his attention. Hopefully in a month, I will feel nearly back to normal.

ok, a month? I was hoping to go back to work on th 25th as my sick certificate from hospital runs out hen. Though I am sure I can have it extended if I need too.

I didn't think it would be so long to recover from Appendix op?

Intially, it takes about a week to get back on your feet, but can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to feel back to normal. Though, it can take up to a year or more before your body heals up after major surgery; an appendectomy is major surgery.

It's been over a week, and I can walk around without pain now. But if I overdo it, the area were my appendix and gallbladder were removed will swell and become painful, so that's a signal that I need to rest. That will take a few months to totally heal.

How has your pain been lately?

My pain been ok down my right side. Like yourself I can walk around freely now, but where my scar is, it starts hurting if I overdo it.

The main things that causes discomfort is down my left side. Seems like trapped wind or indigustion? Comes on strong after eating and at night laying down in bed. Especially when I lay on my left side due to the op. Apart from that I think I am returning to full fitness by end of the week!

I get that trapped air feeling too; I also have a lot of bloating. I think it's from the surgery, as well as the antibiotics I'm on.

I had my post-op appointment today, and my doctor told me that it will be several more weeks before the swelling goes down, and at least 4 to 6 months before my body returns to normal; regaining energy.

If your side is hurting too much, talk with your doctor. Maybe there's something else going on.

hi
The left side pain starting to go and I managed to sleep really well last night. I am just hoping that I continue to recover. However the scar area is very bruised and if I do any sharp movements then my body lets me kow rather promptly.

Hiya nesty,

Just checking in to see how the left-sided pain is doing. Is it still there? I'm still having some mild left-sided pain, so I'm going to the Gastroenterologist March 11th. Like you, I was having this pain before my surgery, and was hoping that it would go away after the appendix removal.

I also have left-sided ovary pain, and I'd been on a heavy course of anitbiotics over the past few months; that's when I first noticed the pain on the left side. It came along with bloating as well.

I'm taking probiotics and digestive enzymes in an effort to get my intestinal flora back in check. Were you taking antibiotics at any time before your surgery?

Hiya

I am lucky my left side pain has vastly dimished now. I thin that after the op my toilets movements started getting back to normal.

The scar is healing (almost healed now) quite well. I can walk around and do most things now & I return to work on Monday. Hopefully the diagosis was correct. I wasn't on any medication before my operation.

I know when I got diagosed at the hospital they said as a bloke much easier to diagosis then women, due to their Ovaries. I think you doing the right thing with the probiotics stuff. It's important the digestive track is moving along correctly.

If you are still get the pain , there is obvouilsy something wrong, after this time? Maybe you go get another appointment to get it checked out. Are you in USA?

Nesty

Heya nesty,

That's great news about your pain, I'm glad that's all cleared up! My scar is almost healed up too, though there is a small corner of it that still gets tender if I stand or sit around for too long.

I guess it is easier for guys when it comes to diagnosing any sort of lower abdominal pain, because we girls have so much going on in that area.

I'm sure that most of my pain comes from the overuse of antibiotics, my left ovary, and my IBS. If the pain weren't already there before surgery, then I'd be a bit worried, but I was hoping that it would go away somewhat after the surgery because I thought maybe it's connected to my appendix.

I've been dealing with a bit of constipation off and on since surgery, because I have not been as active and haven't been drinking as much water as I usually do. I need to step it up a bit.

I'm in the US! In Irving, Texas(a suburb right outside of Dallas). Where in England are you located?

Hi

Yeah I get the same occasional pain as well. Especially over the scar area. The last of the stiches has scabbed about to go, so hopefully almost there.

The registrar said to me in hospitial, that women and appendix far complicated, cos of your funcitions, lol.

With the constipation I found it get it when my body starts slowing down. I try to remain active to keep my body rate ticking over.


Your in Texas the big state. I am based in a town called Watford, it's about 20 miles north west of London.

Do you do facebook at all?

Nesty

Yes, I do facebook, but I hang out on Myspace more often I'll send you the link.