Appendix ruptured last night

[twinturbo11]

greeting all... I'm new to the forum.... nice to find such a supportive and active community. I am writing to you from the hospital (where i feel doctors dont really understand crohns) and wanted to hear your opinion:

I'm a 29 year old female. Got diagnosed with Crohns when I was 18. With some yoga, adoption of a more relaxed lifestyle/positive thinking, avoidance of eating many types of food, and anti-inflammatory meds, I got a lot better by the age of 23. I have essentially been in remission since then (for the past 6 years). I still practice yoga, but eat a wider variety of foods (although i avoid red meats, nuts, and green leafs) and take no meds.

Two nights ago, immediately after a 4 hour flight, I had a huge pain in my lower abdomen, kept vomitting, went to the ER, was given anti-pain and anti-nausea meds, then was sent home since I was feeling somewhat better. Next day, I returned urgently the ER, with even greater pain (more painful than giving birth actually). This time, they did a CT scan and took a blood sample. They said I got "misdiagnosed" the night before, and that i have a burst appendix. They said they can see the puss all over my lower tummy area based on the scan. I got my appendix urgently removed. The surgeon said that he tried to clean as much as possible of the puss, but there still remains some in there. To treat them: there is a tube sticking out of my tummy, where the body discharges the puss/infection. And I'm also being injected with antibiotics.

Questions:

1) as a crohns patient (not sure if it matters I am in remission or not?), is there anything special I should know or look out for about appendicitis in general or the fact that my appendix ruptured?

2) Going forward short- and long-term, does this mean my Crohns/IBD will get better or worse? Any special precautions I should be taking going forward?


Thanks so much all for your help!!!

 

[Pirate]

Hi TT11. Welcome to the forum. I am so sorry to hear of your illness. I hope and pray that things get cleared up okay.
I don't know much about what you are going thru, but there are others here that will be able to give you good advice. Remember, though everyone is differant and what worked for them may not work for you and vise versa.
As far as affecting your Crohns, only time will tell, I think. I know some have had issues after having problems with other health issues and thier CD has flared up big time where others have not had it affect thier Crohns
Good luck with everything and please keep us updated on you progress. Others could learn a lot from your experiance.

 

[Kuwabara]

Hi TT - sorry to hear about you're condition. I was misdiagnosed when I had appendicitus back at school. The doctor thought I was faking it to get off school. My mum nearly sued her, I have never felt pain like that day I was rushed to hospital since. I developed Crohns over a decade later though.

I don't think they'd be any particular problems caused by your appendicitus. The removal of the appendix is a pretty routine operation nowadays. I remember back in the day I was in hospital for two weeks, nowadays people are in and out in 3-4.

I think the vast majority of opinion still prevaills that the appendix is an evolutionary hangover and is not essential to the functioning of the body.Athough I've read there is some evidence to suggest that the appendix has a positive effect in generating enzymes/gut flora to aid digestion. I looked into this when I was diagnosed with Crohn's - obviously I was searching for some kind of cause and effect relationship as to why i had devloped C.'s diesease.But I don't think the evidence is overwhelming. I think(and pray) that if you carry on with that positive mental attitude and carry on the lifestyle that has got you such good results then you should be fine. I think appendicitus is just one of things that happens - a one off that is a temporary setback but was perhaps destined to occur. Hopefully it will only make you stronger.

 

[twinturbo11]

Thanks a lot Pirate and James for your kind words and advice!

Based on some quick research, it seems that there is strong evidence that those who undergo an appendicitis are more likely to develop Crohns later on. Where I am stuck however, is what if you had Crohns for several years before getting an appendicitis... does the appendicitis change anything? Will I have to be more careful or is this going to make my Crohns/IBD a bit better?

Also, as a Crohns patient, 1 day after the appendicitis surgery, is there anything I should look out for while in the hospital? some people talk of fistulas that could develop in such situations?

 

[Kuwabara]

I'm afraid I think you'll have to ask the docs on that one. My personal hunch would be it wouldnt particularly effect it so long as that the appendix was removed safeley. I wasn't told that my lack of appendix would effect or raise the chances of fistulas occuring.

 

[Crohn's 35]

Hi Twin, welcome to the forum, I too had emergency appendix removal, which they said was microscopically leaking... I was in the hospital for 3 days and was told to "get over it" it was just an appendix removal. A week later I was back in the hospital with antibiotics, and nurses were cued to come an appologize for treating me terrible. Since the Ileum is right there besides the appendix, if they moved west of my appendix they would of seen an inflammed Ileum. After that I got worse through time in which I ended up with a laproscopic intestine resection. I was good for 7 years. Having said that, it is by coincidence, and we will never know if it was my appendix or the start of Crohns being in a severe stage. Everyone is different here so you may be just fine. I have never had a fistula...ever knock on wood. Hang in there, keep us updated ok? Hugs!

 

[Mazen]

Hi. I have never had my appendix removed, but I also have a tube sticking out ofmy abdomin inorder for the puss in the abscesses that were forming in my abdomin wall due to a fistula be drained. I started on Remicade on hopes it will close the fistula and then I can remove the drain and avoid surgery. Hope you never get a fistula as it sucks....

 

[themuse]

Hi and welcome.

I too went to the hospital with extreme pain and went in to have my appendix removed, only to wake up with my appendix gone along with my ileum. i developed a fistual. They suck!

After that surgery and a temp. ileostomy I was in remission for 6 years. they discovered a flare up last year, however I am still symptom free. During my remission time I was casual with my meds, and I will never do that again. Even though you feel ok, doesn't mean you are OK.

Why did you stop your meds?

I don't think you have anything to worry about, as long as the surgery went well, your Crohn's should not be a factor. Hopefully you get regular colonoscopies.

 

[imisspopcorn]

With any woman who has a ruptured appendix, it can affect your Fallopian tubes and fertility. Just be aware of this. It is not always the case. Good luck, and hope you heal quickly and continue in remission.

 

[kenny]

I had surgery to remove my Secum and adjoined parts of intestine that were affected. That also required my appendix to come out since it is hanging off the bottom of the Secum. In all honestly I think I am better off for having it out now. It was showing the most evidence of disease of all the material removed. It may have been a source of expanding irritation for the rest of my GI tract.

all I can say is watch out for doorknobs. I had two separate Percutaneous drains in my abdomen over a four month period and you don't want to get the hose caught on stuff.