Looking for advice after surgery

Thanks for replying to me! That is good news about the pain - very encouraging 

I cannot wait to start eating more normal foods again. Pleased to hear you made a good recovery. 

Hi, thanks for your response! Trying to be patient and take things easy 

I suffered with a lot of discomfort on right side of bowel area for a long time. I always put it down to something I had eaten or IBS! One doctor actually diagnosed me with grumbling appendix as it tended to be around that area where I would get a lot of discomfort. Does that sound familiar? 

Hope you get some answers soon xx

Hi Claire37208,

?thank you so much for your response to my question - I'm only just picking it up now and it's been a few days so first off, how are you feeling?!

I really hope the answer to that is that you are getting there and feeling a lot better.

?Hope you are managing to eat a bit more. My Aunt told me she was eating normally within a fortnight from removal (!) but everyone is different.

?Your answer has really cheered me up - sorry! I don't mean reading that you were in pain and thought it was IBS or your Appendix....but just reading that someone has felt the same as me. I'm relieved to hear we are so similar in where our pain is/was.

?I met the surgeon who is outing my Gallbladder last week. Looks about 15 and seems very keen. Doesn't have much conversation and don't think he likes questions. When I asked about my pain presenting lower down he just said "Not gallbladder, I'll order a colonoscopy before surgery so we know what we're dealing with".

?You can imagine I have felt v low as a result - worrying myself when I should just wait and see and be grateful he's willing to investigate. He didn't have the radiologists report of my CT scan either (! groan) but said he thought it looked ok re appendix as one GP questioned whether I may have a rumbling appendix.

I have had to do a major job on calming myself down - one of the reasons I haven't checked back on here actually because I was afraid it may make me worry again!

?Anyway, it's been a huge relief to see your post and I really can't thank you enough for taking the time. Given me a bit more positivity!!

?Keep on getting well,

Best

?J xx     

Hi there,

Glad to hear that you are making progress and it's good that they are thoroughly checking everything. I hope you get a date for your surgery soon. The worst part is the gas pains afterwards - you need to get up and walk around the house a bit to help it go. Are you having keyhole or open?

Being ill and all the waiting around for appointments is so tiring and worrying. I was beginning to feel quite down with it all. Only good side has been weight loss!!

That's good news about your aunt - thanks for sharing that with me - I did manage a small bar of dark chocolate this week which was delish

Not having pain anymore and stopped all painkillers now. Just waiting for belly button to heal -apparently it can a while.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

Xx

Apologies first!!! I am obviously word blinded by my v good friend being called Claire and have addressed you as this twice! Jeeez. Can we put it down to pain and wishful thinking she was here & not 700 miles away?!

Great to hear you've managed some chocolate...and dark chocolate is my fave too. Can't wait for a little bit of that.

Like you said, since finding out my gbladder is at fault & adopting a no to v low fat diet I'm managing pain a lot better. I think it could be 3 months til surgery though so it's a good job I'm getting a handle on it.

I've lost about 10 lbs now ( which hasn't harmed as I'd managed to put on nearly 2 stone in the last 2 years ). This all seemed to start when I took myself in hand, started a diet & going on long walks pre thinking about getting my fitness sorted & joining a gym.

I got acid reflux first then after 2 months of that I started with pain in my side. Escalated , as you'll know, to the point of visiting GP in January & here we are.

Waiting on appt for colonoscopy and endoscopy then see the surgeon again & hopefully get a date for removal. He said keyhole in 97% of his patients so that's what he's expecting.

My other half thinks all the pain is definitely linked. The fact I'm getting pain appendix/ bowel area didn't really surprise him nor my Aunt - she used to roll around her bathroom floor with crippling pain, diarrhoea & vomiting when she had a gbladder attack. They didn't know what was wrong with her the first time she had one & thought it was bowel related.

Anyway, feeling ok today & lots to do.

Hope you eat a bit more & feel stronger by the day. I'll let you know what happens when I have a clue. Xx

The last six months it was mainly painful attacks once to twice a week. They could last any thing from 20 minutes to 12 hours. They started off as a tight band that radiated from stomach area to the shoulder blades. Dull, severe and constant pain. Also had a lot of nausea and fatigue with the attacks.

Prior to diagnosis, I always had a lot of problems with mild gas pains and bloating as well as discomfort in lower right tum.

Hi there, thanks for your reply. I totally understand what you're going through. It seems that the road to diagnosis is a long and frustrating one. Hope that you get some answers soon and can make progress.

In the last six weeks prior to surgery I was able to control attacks and pain on a low-fat diet. I drank cloudy Apple juice religiously every morning and took some Apple Cider Vinegar if I felt an attack coming on. It really seemed to help with the pain.