Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 13 Location: , England- UK
Appendix Op stomach pain Posted: 02-15-08 09:50am
Hi All
I had to have my appendix removed on 11th
Feburary. The operation was
straightforward and I was in and out of
hosptial.
I am still in a lot of pain. What I find
worrying is that I seem to be getting a
severe pain down my left side of my
stomach, like where the Simoid Colon is?
The pain come on especailly after eating
food. I have only started going back to
regular toliet movements.
I had this pain before the appendix
operation and though the pain on he right
side of my stomach has subsided. The pain
on the left and middle still there.
Would this pain get better in time, is it
normal to have pain like this after a
Appendix operation? I know the stomach
muscles most proberly recovering?
Nesty
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Ingi
Supporter
Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 8914 Location: Grinning like a Cheshire Cat,
Thanks: 172
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Posted: 02-15-08 09:58am
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.
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nesty
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 13 Location: , England- UK
Posted: 02-15-08 11:55am
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
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Sassykat1
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 35 Location: ,
Posted: 02-15-08 14:34pm
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.
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nesty
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 13 Location: , England- UK
Posted: 02-15-08 14:50pm
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
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MishaTX
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 19
Posted: 02-15-08 20:39pm
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.
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nesty
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 13 Location: , England- UK
Posted: 02-16-08 08:45am
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.
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MishaTX
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 19
Posted: 02-16-08 19:24pm
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.
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nesty
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 13 Location: , England- UK
Posted: 02-16-08 19:34pm
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?
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MishaTX
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 19
Posted: 02-17-08 14:05pm
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?
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nesty
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 13 Location: , England- UK
Posted: 02-17-08 17:08pm
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!
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MishaTX
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 19
Posted: 02-18-08 18:17pm
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.
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nesty
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 13 Location: , England- UK
Posted: 02-18-08 18:26pm
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.
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MishaTX
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 19
Posted: 02-28-08 01:41am
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?
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nesty
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 13 Location: , England- UK
Posted: 02-28-08 06:42am
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
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MishaTX
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 19
Posted: 02-28-08 22:23pm
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?
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nesty
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 13 Location: , England- UK
Posted: 02-29-08 07:33am
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
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MishaTX
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 19
Posted: 02-29-08 07:46am
Yes, I do facebook, but I hang out on
Myspace more often I'll send you the link.