The Appendix is evil for crohnies lol

[nogutsnoglory]

Sometimes I wish I can just get my appendix removed, I mean its the exact same area and I have pain and swelling, and if its appendicitis it could be life or death, but i dont want to rush for cat scans everytime if its just crohns inflammation and that is not an emergency in the same way that the appendix is. grrr

 

[Nickyj05]

I got that recently taken out. I did end up having appendicitis but either way I can tell a big difference now. It was such a relief getting that and the gallbladder out. Plus I tell everyone I was in a knife fight when they see the scars-jk

 

[imisspopcorn]

That's how I was diagnosed. They were ruling out appendicitis with a CT scan.
I heard they found the real function of the appendix. Its not some left over organ from evolution (I never believed that anyway!). It's a warehouse for our normal bacterial flora. So when you get sick and all your gut flora is wiped out it can be replenished.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

yeah i heard that they are re-thinking whether it might serve some function. if its doing as you say popcorn than it would seem really important for us being that we need probiotics to maintain health.

 

[imisspopcorn]

Mine is gone now. They removed it during the resection.

 

[Theresa]

Hi,

I had my appendix removed in June as I was in severe pain and bent over, I had always suffered with D and my bowels but the doctors felt I had appendicitis. It when I had my appendix removed and a cyst of my bowel that the doctor said he felt I had IBD and has requested further test. (My appendix turned out to be ok but they took it out anyway!) I am currently undiagnosed and seeing my consultant on 8th for my diagnosis following a barral meal follow through! I still have lots of pain in my left and right side!

Theresa

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Just make sure experts always check because regular surgeons will just assume its appendicitis if they don't know specifically that crohns inflammation in that area looks much the same way.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Wow - that is amazing, I haven't heard that. How unfortunate for all you guys who have had it removed as that little piece of the puzzle (the good bacteria) is SOOO important for us Crohnies!

It is horrible but its often the result of misdiagnosis, unless the person is a specialist in CD/UC they see the inflammation, it's the exact same spot, and they just assume the appendix is inflamed. They did it with me but lucky last second they realized it was crohns and didn't perform surgery.

 

[misscris]

I'm minus an appendix too. Maybe I'll go call my surgeon now and ask him to put it back where it belongs. Meany head.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

I'm minus an appendix too. Maybe I'll go call my surgeon now and ask him to put it back where it belongs. Meany head.

Lol its a double edged sword, I never heard about this healthy bacteria in the appendix shantel is talking about. To be honest I kind of just want mine removed to avoid the worry since the crohns pain is always in that area it makes it really confusing.

 

[misscris]

Yeah, I was ok with it being taken. hehe When I was awake and coherent enough, the surgeon said that he took the appendix while he was there, and my only response was (me being my typical smart ass self) "Oh that's alright. Now I don't have to worry about appendicitis anymore." They just laughed at me. Or continued to laugh I suppose. I had already made several funny comments regarding the rest of the surgery at that point.

I agree with you though, it's somewhat easier to not have it. Several years ago, before I even knew I had Crohns, I did end up going to the hospital with severe abdominal pain and they told me it could be appendicitis. So now when I get pains .. I know it isn't my appendix at least.

 

[Peggy]

Thats how my CD started all those years ago, They removed my appendix but they new straight away that was not why I was ill. It was only a week later that they confirmed CD. Peggy

 

[Guestly]

Wow!

I had my appendix removed about 15 years ago, after suffering pain and D for a couple of weeks. It was hideous because a week after the op the line of stitches swelled up, and then burst open leaving a trail of something smelling like poo following me - massive infection - really nasty (and smelly - no one wanted to be near me in the hospital). It had to be completely opened up and then left to heal from the inside out... took months...

I had my gall bladder removed about 5 years ago, after suffering pain and D for a couple of months. During the gall bladder op they said the gall bladder was bleeding heavily and then I started to bleed from all over the place, and massive parts of my bowel had stuck together - adhesions? - apparently it was total carnage and I had heart and lung failure... I was still getting dried blood out of my ears three weeks later...

Interestingly, my appendix was subsequently deemed to be healthy, and I had the tiniest gall stones I have ever seen.

This year the pain and D comes back, colonoscopy and I have a diagnosis of Crohn's... I think I had Crohn's all along...

 

[My Butt Hurts]

I developed IBS after they removed my appendix. There is another thread on here somewhere about this issue. It is all very interesting, the relation. But I am too lazy to look for it.

Jill, where are you? You are good for that stuff!

You rang???

Here are some appendix threads. Maybe one of these is the one you were thinking of??
Click here.

If not, these threads all have appendix in them, but the thread is not tagged with it.
click me!

btw - it took 4.7 seconds to find those, Kimmie =D