Has anyone experienced abdominal pains after having their appendix removed?
Posted , 52 users are following.
Hi,
I had my appendix removed November 2012, and ever since then I've experienced abdominal pains, more often than not as bad as the pain was before surgery.
I'd never had abdominal pains before and it came in really quickly. I was experiencing pain for about a week before it got so bad I couldn't eat, sleep, and hardly walk. I went to a&e, the doctor seemed as though he was doubting the amount of pain I was in, until he pressed on the right side of my stomach and I burst into tears. I had surgery the next day, and spent 3 days in hospital after (only because I couldn't pass urine/bowel movement, apparently they can't let you out until you do).
After recovering from surgery, I used to only get pain every now and then. But over the past 6 months, the pain has been getting a lot worse and constant.
I've been to see my doctor, who thinks I now have IBS. They haven't done any tests at the moment to rule anything else out, they've just tried me on tables that are to treat IBS, with no effect.
I'm going to demand some tests are done just to make sure there isn't an underlying cause.
The thing that really makes me think if it's something to do with my appendix, is when I'm lead down, the right side of my stomach hurts like someone is pushing down as far as they can go.
I just want to know if anyone else has experienced similar pain after having their appendix removed and if so, have you found the cause?
My friend had the same surgery a few weeks before me, and has been diagnosed with IBS (they have rules everything else out). I don't know if this is a common thing in patients after this surgery.
Thanks for any help!
7 likes, 106 replies
bianca_58118 Becky-Louise
Posted
I removed my appendix last year on South Africa's voting day.. The doctor did a lapraschopic appendix removal. I am also getting pain at my right side. Where they removed my appendix. It feels like a sharp pain and it is some times uneasy to lie down.
bianca_58118 Becky-Louise
Posted
I removed my appendix last year on South Africa's voting day.. The doctor did a lapraschopic appendix removal. I am also getting pain at my right side. Where they removed my appendix. It feels like a sharp pain and it is some times uneasy to lie down.
bianca_58118 Becky-Louise
Posted
marina27803 bianca_58118
Posted
marina27803 Becky-Louise
Posted
lyn26217 Becky-Louise
Posted
I had ever U/S test for the abdomen and everything came back fine. I then had a vaginal one done (yuck!)to check the cervic & ovaries. Found out the right one is very cystic. I use an anti spasmotic pill you can get over the counter at pharmacy called Buscupan (Canada). It helps quit a bit. So had laser treatment with a GYBO doc. Pains still happening. You are right- very painful in every way you described. BTW- I have IBS & also found out I have allergies to milk and am Celiac. (From tests done). Answers to many issues I've had over the years.
My doc and I have come to the conclusion that it is most likely scar tissue (adhesions) pulling tissue around.
Don't give up until you are satisfied. Everyone here has similar stories, but, everyone is different in all the possibilities of results. ; Best of luck Becky
j30542 Becky-Louise
Posted
The liver when it is struggling affects the gallbladder and the bowel. In addition; bad bacteria can affect the gut (ulcers adn suchlike).
When pain medication is given, it is usually without anti-oxidant foodstuffs (or advice) and so the build up of toxins within the liver and the inability to process it affects the liver more, as well as the gallbladder (casuing right sided abdominal pain) and then the bowels( it pulls stuff from the gut). Coupled with the pain meds; your liver is perhaps still struggling or struggling worse! . Or it could be bad bacteria in the gut/ bowel (ulcers etc)
The following assists:-
1. Milk Thistle tablet which assists the liver to repair on a cellular level- which in turn assists the gallbladder
2. Anti-inflammatory - GArLIC (clove a day or tablets) or turmeric
3. Liquorice tablet; also include a probiotic in your diet. The liquorice tablet kills bad bacteria like H pylori (which can cause ulcers etc) and also assists with the acid production.
4. Introduce anti-oxidant foods in your diet to help the liver clear toxins from taking any pain meds (procesess of how the liver clears the system and works in the blood is fairly complex to explain here).Things like red grapes/ beetroot/onions/ tomatoes (with skins where possible)
5. Change your caffeine/ alcohol for things like berries and cherries from co-op or coconut water, green tea.
God and Jesus have provided these items; and this information in order to assist you all to look after your bodies; by eating better, and reducing toxins. I hope you can do something for them one day.
Feedback regarding the pain and the supplement would be very welcome ; as there are a lot of people suffering the same issues and not getting assistance; that is a LOT of people in pain; so the more we can 'highlight' how to assist; adn wehther it works; the better we can all be; and being pain free; is WONDERFUL
jill24662 Becky-Louise
Posted
From reading all the posts it would appear that IBS is potentially a side effect from this type of surgery but why and where can you obtain information on this.
I appreciate that the medical profession have a very hard job and one I know I certainly couldn't do but my GP is worse than a chocolate teapot where do you go for help and advice?
We we know the pain is real and that there is something not quite right but why do we need to be made to feel if we are neurotic.
tess70101 Becky-Louise
Posted
I had a burst appendix in Sept 2013, suffered alot of pain, and felt really bad after the op and couldn't hardly walk for weeks, very gradually got better, nearly better last week then suddenly this week had bad pain in the same area again, affecting my walking again, went to doctor today who said i had adhesions, gave me some buscovan to relax the muscle so they could untwist or something, waiting to see if it will work. Apparently a very high percentage of people who have burst appendix out have adhesions, which are part of healing process but grow too much and join up parts of the peritoneum or organs and cause alot of pain.
sarah-jane13365 Becky-Louise
Posted
I have left message for docs to call when he's back to refer her to specialist as I am concerned and she's always coming down with viruses etc
shelley_68789 sarah-jane13365
Posted
Is your daughter able to show you if the stinging pain is where her appendix should be? I now suffer from nerve damage at the sight of my appedectomy and it can be horrible ;(
Have you noticed if your daughter complains of the stinging after eating? Since having my appendix out I have been put on a low fodmap diet as every time I ate I became very sore (could possibly be described as stingy by a child) and now have a lot of bowel and digestive issues following my surgery. I have pretty much been ill since having my appendix removed in June last year and only just managed back to work in January. From the research I've done to try and work out what's going on with my body, it seems that a lot of people experience ongoing issues following appendectomies ;(
I hope you get some answers-definitely worth asking your daughters gp if a referral to gastroenterology would be possible.
shelley
sarah-jane13365 Becky-Louise
Posted
as a typical 6 year old she says all over tummy and before and after she's eaten
I will ask doctor for sure for referral as not nice eh 😞
shelley_68789 sarah-jane13365
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Good luck x
gavin74 Becky-Louise
Posted
End of Aug 2014 i noticed i seemed to have put on weight over night around my belly, 2 weeks later i got a painfull belly ache while at work that got worse later that night. Next morning i went to the doctors who sent me to hospital where i had my appendix removed the next day.
It was apparently gangreenous as i found out at my 6 week check up but this only the start...
A day after surgury i could barely walk as i was so tender ..4 weeks later i was able to go back to work but i quickly found out i couldnt lift anything as my abdominal muscles would hurt like hell for hours.. at 6 week check up i mention to the doctor that i was still tender and got muscle pain when lifting things ... i was told it was just taking time to heal.
End of Dec 14 i saw my gp after i had a ct scan, ultrasound and 4 blood tests which revealed nothing apart that i was healthy even tho something wasnt not right.. so 5 months after apendicitus i was put back in hospital as they thought i had adhesions .. after lapriscopic surgury the surgeon said he couldnt find any adhesions or anything else that would cause the swelling tenderness and pain from doing normal daily things .. i am now off work and cant go back and being refered to cronic pain clinic.. my lower abdominal muscles i physically cant use, they get tender and very sore .. my six pack muscles feel tight and like their being stretched, the pain i can get from these muscles is like having a severe belly ache ..the type that will make you double over with pain only this will last anywhere from hours to days for me ... my side muscles will feel like their being torn ...
this now constant and im on pain killers having to be carefull how i move avoiding lifting altogeather unable to work .. its been 7 months since the operation and looks like its permanent.
starting to think i have nerve damage thats unable to be repaired ...anyone esle have this problem
louise43578 Becky-Louise
Posted
11 years ago I had my appendix removed or so I thought!
I spent 3 years in pain and was told the same, it was IBS. I changed my diet, took all sorts of medicines and still nothing helped. Then one day I seen a different Gp. He was on my side and agreed something wasn't right and sent me for a barium enema. An xray of the bowel. So I'm sat in his room a week later and he's as shocked as me to learn I still have my appendix. A few week later and I had a laparatomy to remove the appendix and check my bowels due to the length of time since my last op.
When I looked further and got my medical records, my lab report had stated No APPENDIX FOUND! following the first op! The hospital wouldn't accept the mistake though.
Anyhow if you're still suffering get back to your drs asap. Mistakes can be made.
The reason I'm back on here is because my last op was 8 year ago and I've been getting pain again, it's the same type of pain as it's pain you don't forget. Its happened before and they've said it's scar tissue. We shall see!
Good luck x