<p>DS thinks he may have appendicitis. He’s had progressively worsening pain in the lower right quadrant of his belly all day. He’s at a class tonight and will be home in about 90 minutes. He called at the break to say things are not improving and we need to consider a trip to the ER when he gets home. He doesn’t really have a primary doctor now as he’s outgrown the pediatrician and just goes to the health center when he’s away at college. I really think the pain is his only symptom. Are you supposed to wait until it’s severe or go by the number of hours?</p>
<p>D had appendicitis/appendectomy at the end of spring semester of her sophomore year. Had pain all day that never got better. She pretty much self-diagnosed the problem, went to the health center, who in turn sent her to the hospital. She ended up having surgery at about 10:00 PM. If the pain isn’t improving, I’d say go to the ER.</p>
<p>number of hours!</p>
<p>I had mine out, they told me 6 hours of pain was time to get to ER!</p>
<p>they will probably do a CAT SCAN to confirm.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Okay, well it’s been six hours plus. CBBBlinker, sounds like the same thing as your daughter. I guess we will have to go to the ER. It will be inconvenient if he has to have surgery as he’s in the middle of an MCAT course for his test next month.</p>
<p>My 15 year old had his out in Oct. last year. He had a feeling of pressure in his lower abdomen the day before but on the wrong side. The next day he went to school and then ran cross country- 8 miles- but when I picked him up that night, he said he had a really bad side ache, but no other symptoms. With in 3 hours, he had self diagnosed himself via the internet- he jumped when I touched him and said it really hurt. The only reason I really doubted him was that 2 weeks prior another boy on his X-C team had his appendix rupture, and then 3 days later, his identical twin had appendicitis. I thought there is no way my son could also have it! We went to the ER and my S had 101 temp- went up to 103 within an hour. No nausea, just pain and fever. They did blood tests and a cat scan to confirm. Two weeks later, X-C coach had appendicitis-weirdest thing! Good luck!</p>
<p>[Appendicitis:</a> Symptoms - MayoClinic.com](<a href=“http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/appendicitis/DS00274/DSECTION=symptoms]Appendicitis:”>Appendicitis - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic)</p>
<p>Also, when he gets home, ask him to jump up and down 3 times - if this causes excruciating pain, head to the ER! You also could have him lie down, and you press down a couple of inches on his abdomen then quickly let go - if this causes sharp pain (rebound tenderness), head to the ER.<br>
from the show “The Doctors”: [Perform</a> an Appendicitis Self Exam Video ? 5min.com](<a href=“http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Perform-an-Appendicitis-Self-Exam-326712451]Perform”>http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Perform-an-Appendicitis-Self-Exam-326712451)</p>
<p>My father didn’t have a lot of pain, but did have a fever. Since we spent a lot of time in African everyone was convinced he had malaria. </p>
<p>Anyway to mimk6, hope they figured out what your son’s problem was and that he is on the mend.</p>
<p>My H’s appendix actually ruptured and he didn’t know it.</p>
<p>According to H’s doctor, some people don’t get the excruciating pain that people generally associate with appendicitis. It depends how your appendix is positioned. Many people’s appendix points forward and is next to the peritoneum, so they feel it acutely if the appendix is inflamed. H’s pointed inward, and was surrounded by his colon and intestines - so he didn’t feel a stabbing pain. What he DID feel was more like intestinal cramps, followed by chills and fever. The chills and fever came and went for nearly 2 weeks, but every time he was about to go to the doctor it seemed to get better. Finally one day I noticed him favoring one side as he walked and asked about his apppendix. He said it couldn’t be appendicitis, because the appendix is on the other side. I looked it up - he was wrong - it was on the side with the ongoing but moderate pain! Finally he went to the doctor, who sent him immediately to the hospital to be tested. After a CT scan he was admitted to the hospital and told that his appendix had already ruptured in the past few weeks, but the infection had formed a fairly self-contained abscess. He was put onto a very powerful antibiotic drip, and a drain was inserted to pull the pus/infection out of the abscess. Within 24 hours he felt much better - but he had to stay in the hospital on the IV antibiotics for 5 days. Meanwhile, his surgeon said it was best not to operate yet. He said everything would be so swollen and irritated, the odds of spilling the infection into the pelvic area or damaging his colon or intestines would be high. Instead, after the antibiotics he came home and resumed his normal life. 3 months later, after all the internal swelling had subsided he returned to the hospital for day surgery, and his appendix was removed laprascopicaly. The surgery was simple, no complications, and he was home the same day.</p>
<p>Appendicitis is serious and can be fatal. My husband is unbelievably lucky and blessed that his infection formed an abscess and didn’t spill out into his pelvic cavity. </p>
<p>If you EVER suspect you have appendicitis, go to the emergency room. A tell-tale sign, even if you don’t have stabbing pain - if you can’t lift your right leg, its very possible you have appendicitis.</p>
<p>He’s on his way home. He said it was getting worse all though class but then during the last hour it became more diffuse in terms of area and a little less intense. We’ll do all the above tests when he gets home and I may page my own doctor for advice.</p>
<p>mimk6 - hopefully that doesn’t mean that it has ruptured. That could temporarily relieve the pressure. Kind of like when your eardrum ruptures. It’s excruciating leading up to it, but after the rupture, the pressure subsides dramatically.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t wait - I’d take him in when he gets home. Don’t worry about the timing being inconvenient - if he has appendicitis it needs to be treated ASAP. And if it has ruptured he needs to start antibiotics ASAP. Not to scare you but it wasn’t that many years ago that ruptured appendices were often fatal. It’s definitely worth getting it looked at NOW.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>mimk, get him to the ER ASAP!!! People actually can die from a ruptured appendix. I’m so glad I took DH to the ER the night he had a horrible stomach ache. The ER will do a CT scan (this is actually one of the instances when a CT scan can tell a lot), your son will be given IV antibiotics and taken into surgery. It is not that bad if the thing has not ruptured yet; DH was up and running the next day. The surgery is performed laparoscopically, leaving only 3 small incisions on the stomach, and the recovery is quick, unless the thing ruptures!</p>
<p>Okay, he just got home and is taking his temp and then we will go. I paged the doctor and was hoping to get a call back before we would leave, but I think we will head out right away. He’s insisting on going right now.</p>
<p>Mimk, best wishes. Some primary docs are useless at diagnosing appendicitis. My DH was sent home with samples of atiacid pills :eek: when he went to see his primary doc, and 8 hours later H was on the operating table at the local ER. The ER docs have seen more than their fair share of appendicitis cases and will be able to diagnose it pronto.</p>
<p>At the ER now and it is packed. We made it sound urgent. Doctor did call as we were leavIng and said to go.</p>
<p>mimk6 - glad to hear you followed up with it, even if it is not appendicitis!</p>
<p>Hi mimk6, Glad you are at the hospital with your son. My D had her app. out in Dec. a few days before Christmas. It wasn’t too bad an experience. Her surgeon said it is the most common operation performed at that hospital. The recovery was quick. I don’t think it will interfere with his MCAT studies. My D is in med school and the hospital experience was interesting for her, as a patient.</p>
<p>It IS urgent for them diagnose this. If it is his app. he’ll probably have surgery tonight. My D came home the next day, so was there less than 24 hrs.</p>
<p>yea, by the way, if H can break his clavicle (bad enough that it required surgery), six ribs, have a concussion and bruised lung, and go back to work the day after coming home from the hospital, a little appendicitis shouldn’t refrain your son from any studying!</p>
<p>Mimk6, if your son ends up having rhis surgery, he will be able to go back to his studies in a day or two after the surgery. He will have to make sure that the incisions are clean and dry, and will not be able to lift heavy things. I hope the docs at the ER will be able to make a diagnosis soon.</p>
<p>Well, hopefully the hubby will chime in on this thread. He had an emergency appendectomy for a burst appendix in March of this year. Spent 10 days in the hospital on an antibiotic drip. I wouldn’t mess with it. Glad you’re at the ER.</p>