NFR Talk to me about Appendectomy

[Burt Dagger]

Mine went south on me in 2000 when I was already into my late forties. I had a tummy ache, and figured my standard “sleep and it will get better” program didn’t work. By the time I got to the ER things were getting bad, and I was rushed into surgery.
The following day I developed cellulitis.
The attending doc threatened me with necrotizing fasciitis (don’t do a Google image search) and wanted to open the wound; leaving a Grand Canyon that would heal up- in a few months.
I objected and got a12 hour reprieve. Things started improving, and I spent the next 4 days in the hospital getting IV antibiotics. I didn’t eat and left the hospital 15# lighter (I started out slim), and was weak as a baby.
Before antibiotics, I’d have suffered a nasty death.

Brutal, even without the Grand Canyon treatment.

I was on an IV drip before seeing the surgery team, and the PA had told me that in cases like mine with no rupture, sometimes they see how the appendix responds to antibiotics and then discharge with no surgery.

I called my older brother, who’d had his appendix removed, to get his thoughts. He told me that after his burst, the schmutz dripped down into his ballsack and gave him a testicle infection on top of everything else. That’s the moment I resolved to just get the surgery if they were going to leave it up to me.

 

[Phil K]

Mine went south on me in 2000 when I was already into my late forties. I had a tummy ache, and figured my standard “sleep and it will get better” program didn’t work. By the time I got to the ER things were getting bad, and I was rushed into surgery.
The following day I developed cellulitis.
The attending doc threatened me with necrotizing fasciitis (don’t do a Google image search) and wanted to open the wound; leaving a Grand Canyon that would heal up- in a few months.
I objected and got a12 hour reprieve. Things started improving, and I spent the next 4 days in the hospital getting IV antibiotics. I didn’t eat and left the hospital 15# lighter (I started out slim), and was weak as a baby.
Before antibiotics, I’d have suffered a nasty death.

Did I mention that the pathology report described my specimen as “pustular and necrotic”? That ain’t good

 

[Porter2]

Peritonitis of any kind is not what you want.

 

[krusty]

Had an emergency appendectomy last May at the age of 74, which is quite old for appendicitis and frequently misdiagnosed because old fart degens like myself present different symptoms than the classic appendicitis..

Wasn't in much pain but started feeling weird and checked my BP...it was like 195/155! Time to head to the ER.

A dye contrast CT scan revealed appendicitis and off to surgery I go. Laparoscopic, and the surgeon noted it hadn't burst, and only localized peritonitis.

Relatively easy recovery, although I felt nauseous and my digestive system went full ass-blaster. Got that under control with an anti-nausea prescription and completion of the antibiotic doses. Ate bland foods like bananas, chicken soup, and scrambled eggs.

I felt physically strong in about a week but I followed the doc's very restrictive post-op instructions. In about two weeks I was doing a bit of light rowing and bicycling.

The oddest thing was that for many months before the appendicitis I'd been having pretty severe tailbone pain when sitting. The removal of my nasty old appendix completely solved that issue; apparently I'd been sitting on the damned thing.