Hey everybody I eneded having to have an emergency appenctomy last night as my appendix had burst. Im doing ok I had pain since 11/10. Just wondered if anyone else had had one so i knew a little about what to expect? How long were you guys off work etc. Dr said he had been doing surgeries for 30 yrs and it was the biggest he ever took out. Said it supposed to be size of No. 2 pencil. It also had a puss filled sack on it the size of a golfball he said. I have a picture of it Ill share if you guys want to see. Lol if not Thats ok.
A lot will depend on if it actually burst or not. From the way he described it, sounds as if it didn't. An indicator that there was rupture of the appendix would be worsening pain that all of a sudden gets better (this would be when the rupture occurred relieving the pressure that was causing the pain) then the pain gets really severe.
If there was no rupture I would estimate about 5 days, if it did rupture then 10-14 sometimes longer. Of course everyone is a little different and it depends on what your job is. Being an accountant with a desk job is very different than working in construction.
Am I perfect? No Am I trying to be a better person? Also no
Mine was taken out 13 years ago. I was in the hospital for 3 days, and was kept home from school 3 weeks. Think it was another 2 or 3 weeks before I was allowed to resume normal activities, which cost me alot of hunting that year.
My appendix burst in 1980. I was out of commission for over a month due to the surgery technique back then. Now that they can do most of these procedures with a scope, the recovery time should be minimal (a week or so). It all depends on the extent of infection from the burst appendix and how much muscle they had to cut through.
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. - John Muir
Jester yea he said it burst. That's why I felt better trough last weekend, then it finally was bout killing me this past Thursday night friday daytime. Plus they left me open with a drainage tube. Because it burst they had to go the older style one cut that way and it was so big they wouldn't have got it out with three small cuts. I drive city/work dock for fedex freight. So the Dr. Is saying 6wks off.
I had the open incision. Huge scar to prove it. Mine was close to bursting, thanks to the Doctor saying it was a stomach virus. Emergency surgery at 2am. 6 weeks sounds about what I had. Rest up, and hope you have a quick recovery.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Sounds like it got pretty bad. So yea it will take a while for you to get back up to speed. If you can do your job with modification so that you don't have to do much (any) lifting then I think you would be able to get back before 6 wks if you need to. If you can afford 6 weeks off, well then enjoy yourself
Am I perfect? No Am I trying to be a better person? Also no
Thanks y-town. Yea it put me down to my knees and brought tears to my eyes a few time friday before I decided to go to the e.r. glad I did. It was also first time I ever had sx or an I.v scare the crap out of me. No my job can't be modified so ill be out on sick leave and either 60 66.7% pay. While sitting at home bored out of my mind. Lol.
Yeah, sitting at home with nothing to do sucks in a big, big, big way.
IVs aren't that bad ..... I seem to get one about once a month anymore.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Its not bad now that it is in. But im a big ol baby when it comes to needles etc. From what I was told and can remember I was a wild man when they woke me up from surgery. I was in more pain then, than before from what I can remember and I kept fighting the drowsiness from pain meds trying to be awake.
They tried laproscopy first and upon making the third incision, pus (sp?) rolled out of the cut. The pus is very sticky and was everywhere in my abdomen.
They cut me open vertically from 2" below the "belly button" to 5" above...the wound was an inch to inch and a half wide and about 3/4" deep. They also discovered and repaired an umbilical hernia upon slicing through my "belly button" - I no longer have a "belly button"...looks very bizarre.
When they were finished with me, the wound was left "open" to heal from the inside out as the infection was too severe to close the wound. I was in the hospital from Friday night to Thursday morning.
Afterwards, a nurse came to my home everyday for six weeks to clean the wound, check for any problems, and change the dressing.
It took six weeks for the wound to close. I went back to work after five weeks...and I am a self-employed Accountant. It was another two weeks before I could work a full day.
Being an Accountant was probably better than any other job I could imagine...HOWEVER...one of the most difficult things for me was sitting straight up...like you do in a chair. That was obviously a problem. Riding in a car absolutely sucked.
It was very painful and the wound is still rather sensitive and itches like crazy when it gets cold outside. I have since developed another small hernia at the surgical scar as the surgical cut weakend my stomach muscles significantly...I have also developed diathesis rectus...looks like a hernia but it's not. Any kind of abdominal exercises are very uncomfortable - not that they were comfortable BEFORE the surgery.
The physical part was very painful for the first two weeks after surgery...then it really sucked for two weeks...then it was simply a painful maintenance issue for two weeks. But that was all endured while primarily lounging in a chair most of the time.
The worst part for me - after the first two weeks - was the mental gymnastics I put myself thru from the second week forward. I now understand why people get a little nuts after a major surgery...try not to let the mental side of being down make you crazy...it's not easy...believe me.
Do exactly what the doctors and nurses say to do and do not get back at it until they say you can.
Lastly, my home health-care nurse - who I think saved me from going crazy - constantly encouraged me to eat lots of protein and to continue taking a multi-vitamin. I, of course, did whatever she told me to do. You should too.
I got home yesterday. I think my mood and health improved just getting out of the hospital bed. Home health measured my incision today its 8in long and 5in wide. I get to carry a wound vac machine around for the next couple weeks until they decide to stitch it up. Feeling pretty good so far. Except my back which is taking a beating from sleeping on it now. Killing my shoulders/upper back. I usually sleep on my stomach.
I actually had mine out about a month ago. I felt like a sissy going to the ER with a tummy ache but it was the worst pain I've ever experienced. I couldn't even sit up. Mine luckily didn't burst and I was in the hospital 2.5 days and back to work by Friday (surgery on Sunday, when we played the Colts.) Thanks to the Browns app I was able to listen to the game while I recovered. Took another week or so before I felt good enough to work out/ride my bike.
"The medium for the bad news was ESPN, which figured. The network represents much of what is loud, obnoxious and empty in sports today."
I had my gal bladder out a couple months ago after waiting like a year dealing with the pain. It was so swollen that had to rush me through and get it done asap.
Do what the nurses say and try not to let the glue residue from the tape over your incision make you crazy. Keep that wound and your house clean. I'd stick around home while that wound is open.
I used to sleep on my stomach too...but haven't since the surgery.
You WILL get better...but may have days where you wonder.
I have been hearing that a lot. It's weird though sleeping like this makes my back ache. Still havnt slept more than 3 hrs straight without waking up yet. Thanks for all the info and stuff also.
When I had my hernia surgery I had to sleep in a recliner for a couple of nights because I couldn't stomach (haha ) sleeping any other way.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
