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The Appendix and Crohns

I had an interesting conversation with my parents last night,
(crohns seems to be the topic of all our discussions these days)
and my mother brought up a pretty valid question.

Many people have discovered they have Crohn's due to their appendix
rupturing. So why don't doctors look into Crohn's (or another
digestive disorder) being the culprit more often when someone's appendix
ruptures? Instead, they just send you home even if you've had stomach
pains your whole life.

I mean, obviously the body is trying to tell you it is in distress if a body part
ruptures! Most likely, it ruptured BECAUSE of something. But they never
seem to investigate a cause, they just remove it as if it is routine.
And perhaps a ruptured appendix is just a freak thing for some people,
but I would say it at least justifies a proper investigation into
something else.

I'm only complaining about this because it took them so long to diagnose me,
and if they had looked better into it after my appendix ruptured, I may not
have had to go through a lot of pain and suffering that I have had to endure.

Anyone else agree?
 

GoJohnnyGo

One Badass Dude
I had probably a half dozen "appendicitis" attacks requiring Emergency Room visits from my early teens through to my mid-20s. Sent home each time.

Never had it removed until I had my big operation (resection and gall bladder removal) when I was 27.

Good point though. It's a fairly routine operation (despite my experience). Not difficult to root around in there once the patient is opened up.

My guess is that appendix removal is considered such meatball surgery that they don't waste a lot of time in OR with it. Cut. Yank. Sew up.
 
I've never had appendicitis, and I still have my appendix...same with my gallbladder, still have it and have never had any issues with it to date either and I'm hoping it stays that way for the rest of my life where both are concerned...infact, I still have my tonsils and adenoids as well...not bad for 41, I still got all my parts, I just have issues with my anus (perianal crohn's skin tags) and my intestines....ah if only it were a perfect world LOL...I think I'd rather have had my appendix or tonsils removed then have crohn's though.

I think many CDers have issues with their gallbladders though, at least from what I've read at support forums, and I know a lot of IBSers have gallbladder issues as well.

:)
 
I know how you feel about the appendix. I have the same issue but with hernia pain. Every time I had pain in my lower right abdomen, doctors told me I had a hernia and seemed to disregard my other symptoms. Each time I was told I had a large hernia. Anyways, I had two hernia surgeries and after each one the surgeons commented about how small the hernia was,they had expected a larger hernia. After the surgeries, I still had the same pain in the same location. Turns out the pain was from my terminal illume and not so much from the tiny hernias. I had complained of these symptoms for years before I was diagnosed with Crohns. Took an obstruction to finally get the proper diagnosis.
 
Yup, mine was 'exploratory' as well, hence my HUGE scar all down my belly.
My crohns is in that area as well, but they just assumed my appendix was the
only problem. It was ruptued, and covered in a gigantic abcess. Doesn't sound
like a typical appendicitis to me, but guess they didn't care enough to look into it.
Just pisses me off....
 
Pen said:
I had my appendix taken out during an "exploratory" surgery, they took it out, my GP was told it was Microscopically leaking. NOT, it was crohns but if you have it in the Illeum it is so close to the appendix, and depending on what kind of surgeon you have working on you, they may only see the appendix inflamed and therfore wont pursue any more, but they should be give the ok whilst under to search beyond. They dont, and if they continue on their own with out permission they could be sued, if it is not the bowels affected. So why put a incision where if you dont have it, create another problem down the road. Scar tissue is sometimes more painful than the narrowing. Just a reason. You US guys have to pay sometimes for the op....why now make more money for the docs? Who knows.
YAY Pen! Good spelling :ycool:

I had my gallbladder removed in 2002 ... no stones just inflammed, I guess I know why now ... :ybatty:
 

GoJohnnyGo

One Badass Dude
My appendectomy was necessary, I was told. Pretty much everything removed was dangerous inflamed at that time (gallbladder, ileum, appendix). I had also turned jaundiced from an inflamed liver and my kidneys were also affected.
 

My Butt Hurts

Squeals-a-lot!
Technically, there is no word "yay". I use it though to alleviate confusion in pronunciation.
If you want to say 'yay' it is spelled yea.
If you want to spell yah, as in yes, it is spelled yeah.
(Though YOU can spell anything any way you want to, as long as you're talkin' to me baby!)
 

butt-eze

Superstar
I had my appendix removed. It wasn't inflammed or infected. When I ordered the report 6 years later I found out that my illeum was inflammed. No one bothered to tell me these facts.

Still not sure if I would have wanted to know.
 
Yeah, my very first colonoscopy showed a badly inflamed illeum, which
kaiser (the ones who removed the appendix) ignored, and Stanford
reprimanded them for ignoring it.
 
Pen said:
I had my appendix taken out during an "exploratory" surgery, they took it out, my GP was told it was Microscopically leaking. NOT, it was crohns but if you have it in the Illeum it is so close to the appendix, and depending on what kind of surgeon you have working on you, they may only see the appendix inflamed and therfore wont pursue any more, but they should be give the ok whilst under to search beyond.
Don't worry Pen, I am not going to comment on your spelling! ;)

My story is almost exactly the same as yours though. I also had my appendix removed during an exploratory laparotomy. It was only slightly inflamed but the docs also discovered endometriosis, so they put my presenting pain down to that at the time. I was too sick prior to surgery to go through a complete history as I went to the ER in incredible pain, so I guess they didn't have all the clues.

I was also told that they would have removed my appendix anyway even though it was only slightly inflamed. They remove the appendix as routine because if you have a scar there most surgeons think you've had your appendix out and appendicitis can be overlooked in an emergency because of this. It is a useless bit of anatomy and can cause probs, so why not whip it out (surgeon thinking!).:yrolleyes:

Lily, it became obvious that it wasn't my appendix when I didn't have one anymore but still had pain! Lol..... They also went through my history and symptoms with me more thoroughly and started to put the jigsaw puzzle together.
 
C

catfud

Guest
My appendix was never removed but when I was really young I was always collapsing in agony. It got to the point where it would have to be removed if it continued to cause me pain. Things seemed to die down after that and the pains stopped. I would get the odd one here and there but nothing as bad as it was. Then years down the line CD striked! :ybatty: hehe
 
Pen said:
Killjoy....:smile:

He he, I'm just saying, if you used to spell it with one "L" then you were correct, but you've spelled it with 2 in your post above which is incorrect...I have a suspicious feeling that you've been teased a lot around here about your spelling???? I wouldn't worry about it too much, you could always:voodoo: those that bug you too much about it.

:)
 
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