Airwalker Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 They've since improved the procedure considerably. The operation took only about two hours, and it was performed laparoscopically - three minor incisions (two if you don't count the bellybutton) rather than one large one. No catheter, just an IV afterwards. You got the new type of surgery? Man, I remember hearing about that not long after my own surgery. Ah well, my step-dad had an appendectomy in the 70's, and his scar is so big and visible today it's almost disfigured. Meanwhile my scar is almost completely faded. I'm even more glad to hear that you were on your feet so soon. It took me several days. So, you're fairing much better than I had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big giant circles Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Hey, haven't really had a spare moment thus far to get on here and send some official get-well-wishes. Andy, it breaks my heart that you had to miss this man. I know it meant a lot to you. I know I speak for everyone that attended when I say that we all thought of you and hope for your speedy recovery. Don't fret too bad, I'm sure there will be another one of these in the future, so just look forward to that rather than regretting things that we can't control. You're a good guy, bro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neo Samus Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 I totally know how Zircon feels. When I was younger (10 years old) I almost had Appendicitis but it turned out to be Mono. I say almost because Appendicitis and Mono have a lot of the same symptoms and the majority of the pain is in the lower stomach reagion (near the appendix). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kutrayn Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 I completely missed this whole thing! Good to hear that you're feeling well, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triad Orion Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Man, I'm really off the ball lately on keeping up. Good to see you're a-okay, Zircon. Way too many people have been ending up in the hospital lately. I'm glad that everything turned out okay. Hope you're back to 100% soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darklink42 Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Man, I'm gald you're feeling better Zircon. I try to avoid hospitals like the plague, only ever been in one maybe three times in my life. Sorry to hear you had to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwordBreaker Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 They've since improved the procedure considerably. The operation took only about two hours, and it was performed laparoscopically - three minor incisions (two if you don't count the bellybutton) rather than one large one. No catheter, just an IV afterwards. The first 24 hours was definitely unpleasant, post-surgery, since even with morphine all the cuts hurt pretty bad. Plus, they had a breathing tube in for the surgery, which made it hard to talk and I was generally weakened and bloated (they have to pump the abdomen full of CO2 for the procedure to work). After that, it got better. I was on my feet by day 2 walking around a bit, IV was out on day 3 and I was released a total of 72 hours after I was first admitted to the hospital. I still have some ongoing pain, and embarrassingly, most of it comes from the CO2 gas that just floats around the body pushing up against nerves. You might guess what the only way to release it is. Oh yeah, and taking off the damn IV bandages hurt like a bitch also, because my arms & hands are very hairy and they just stuck the tape right on them. Anyway, I really appreciate the card. I really was speechless and just grinning as wide as I could. I'll be in this "recovery" phase for about a week (no lifting about 20 lbs, no junk foods, heavy relaxation etc) but I'm really OK now. Moral of the story: If you ever have stomach pain for more than a few hours, SEE A DOCTOR. Get a CT scan even if your blood tests come back normal. I have an ongoing stomach problem that has plagued me my whole life, and I thought this was just another bout, but because it had lasted 4-5 hours I wanted to be absolutely sure. They did a blood test, which normally shows the signs of appendicitis based on white blood cell count, which came back normal. The pain itself was not localized to the area of the appendix, again, indicating it had nothing to do with that. And when the doctor(s) pressed on that area, which is supposed to cause lots of pain, it didn't. Yet there was something slightly off on the CT scan, and another 5 hours later w/ another touch test, it seemed likely that it was an early appendicitis after all. Had I just walked out before getting the scan (which is unpleasant, but not terrible) or simply brushed the whole thing off as the result of too much junk food I might have been in a much worse situation than I actually was. Classic appendicitis presentation is sudden generalized pain throughout the abdomen lasting for a couple of hours accompanied by severe localized tenderness/pain at the right lower quadrant I believe. You didn't have that at all. Additionally, it's a bit strange that your WBC count came back normal instead of being heightened. You're unlucky, man. Your appendicitis presentation was atypical. This perhaps might be related to the atypical position of your appendix. I'm sure that it's not the usual position, which is behind the Ileum (part of the small intestine). I'm guessing (pretty sure) that you had a pelvic appendix, since the surgery was performed laparoscopically. It's highly unusual, perhaps downright not logical, to perform laparoscopy if your appendix were positioned normally. The only way that you can reach an appendix via lapraroscopy is that if it was positioned in the pelvic area. This case is somewhat fresh because I recently read an atypical appendicitis case similar to yours in my textbook. Yes, I'm a medical student. On going stomach problems, you say? Did you ever go see a doctor about that? I can take a history if you'd like, but it'll take awhile. Anyway, glad to see that you're on the road to recovery, man. Godspeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiggles Mcpuff Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Aw man that sucks. Wierdest thing... I was in the hospital for appendicitis a week ago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmony Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Hey man, I guess I'll have to wait a little while longer to meet you but it's great to hear that you're on the fast track to recovery. Take care Andy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckles Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Medical Stuff I had a Thoracoscopy a few years ago because of some serious fluid builup in my right lung. I was losing mobility of my torso and couldn't run. Thank God for laprascopic procedures though. I got outta the hospital in a couple days (after lying there with a tube in my lung sucking out the residual fluid for the first two days) and, even though I missed my baseball season that year, was pretty much fully recovered within a month. All that to say, your recovery time will hopefully be short as well, and surgeons are cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwordBreaker Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Whoops...disregard my comments about laparoscopy being impossible in this situation, zircon and everyone...got confused between that and something else... I still think that you had a pelvic appendix though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 AFAIK it was a normal appendix. The one attached to the small intestine that has no purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Effector Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I still think that you had a pelvic appendix though. What is the difference, exactly? I understand the intestine one, how is this one similar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Lime Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 If you will, zircon, please go into intense detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Err about what? And are you serious? I can't tell, I'm exhausted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Lime Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Tell us (well me more specifically) what happened before, during, and after surgery in excruciating detail. Describe blood and gore and whatnot. Please. For the children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Glad to hear the operation went well, Zircon. Recover quickly, guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moogle! Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Congratulations on your successful recovery. May you go on to make many triumphant mixes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audity Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 After thinking about possible other methods...laparoscopy is the best. I had an inguinal (groin) hernia surgery on my right side in December, but I was in and out the same day. Appendicitis sounds worse in ways, considering it took multiple days. The pain right when I woke up from surgery was completely unbearable. I never hear people say that it's like that, but it was in my situation, for whatever reason (maybe the stitches). Eyes were shut and all I remember was lying down, actually lifting my whole lower body up with my upper back and feet and turning myself from side to side; maybe the lifting up part is exaggerated, but that is what I remember it as. I think the pain "subsided" to a more bearable state soon enough, either before or after they gave me painkiller to drink. I couldn't lift stuff and all that jazz as well. Couldn't even pee for awhile, due to PUS or something, even though I was supposed to. Painful processes. Recovery in a week sounds alright. It took me that long before I could really do much. I got 3 cuts for the surgery, and only the bellybutton one is really "noticable", if you count a small red and white line as being such. The others are really small and covered by MAN HAIR. Also, if you don't take showers you'll end up getting really sweaty in certain places and that is not comfortable later on due to rashes. Experiences. Then again I couldn't stand up at all without feeling the pain of a thousand worlds, for several days. (I had the hernia since childhood, so I wonder if the procedure would have been suckier if I didn't put it off for so long, though I did put myself at greater risk by doing so since inguinal hernias can be fatal if left alone and a constriction problem arises. Mine was "minor" enough to not matter as much, I think. I can't believe I went most of my life like that. They have to bring up this lower part of the abdominal wall that rips during the initial occurrance of the hernia and stitch it up with the upper part.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesPip Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Kay, STICKY seems a bit much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlastikBag Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Shame to hear you went to the hospital, but great to hear you got out of it quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Effector Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 I lawled at new title. But good to hear he's up and about and feeling better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole Adams Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Glad you're doing well. I had my appendix taken out when I was eight, which was horrible. At least the recovery isn't that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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