Appendicitis or Anxiety?

[Hazer89]

Hi, so recently found this forum with the help of Google and it seems the perfect place to ask for advise.

So recently I have been suffering with anxiety started about 6 -7 weeks ago where I was getting panic attacks and thinking I was having a heart attack, even had to call an ambulance out it was that bad, they done an ECG and everything and I was fine. Turns out I think it was heart burn as if I ever had that feeling again gaviscon would help it.

I also smoked a lot of weed which since that happened I have gave it up completely (I never thought I would be able to). Currently on Propolol and sertraline for my anxiety as well.

Everything was going great till over a week ago when I got a sport of numbness / pain in my right side (which I then made the mistake of looking up on google) to which I self diagnosed myself with appendicitis, booked a Drs appointment after the next couple of days, he cleared me and said it wasn't my appendix and could be cause of my weight or was my IBS.

Fast forward to last Saturday I still wasn't convinced so I went to the urgent care centre and saw another dr there, who also confirmed it wasn't my appendix, and again could be my IBS (also since this has been happening I've either been constipated or diarrhoea).

I sort of was more relieved at this stage, 2 different Drs saying it's not my appendix so I try and think nothing more of it, the pain still comes and goes or its numb but even with the pain it's not more then a 2/10 pain scale.

But then today, I got a really bad pain in my upper right pelvic / lower right abdomin (was after I drove a long period which I haven't done in awhile as was having panic attacks while driving) instantly felt worried called 111 who just gave me the same advise and to try some paracetamol, pain did go away.

But as u can see its 6:04am in the morning and I've had the worse night ever, been in and out of sleep the whole night, I had diarrhoea in the morning was a little red but I had a whole watermelon yesterday so I think it was that, but in the evening I had really pain constipation, like I could feel I needed to go but nothing was coming.

And then the pain returned in my right side but worse then normal and could not stay asleep, I did ring 999 as I thought my appendix had burst, they said to ring 111 as it weren't an emergency and then they advised an out of hours gp would give me a call back.

So I'm just waiting for the moment, stumbled on this forum and thought I would express my problems, sorry for the long post but has kept my mind of the pain which as I finish writing this seems to not be as painful..

[Hazer89]

Sorry for the bump, just after any advice.

[Lifelonganxiety!]

Hi Hazer,

I presume your appendix didn't burst last night then, you'd know for sure if it had!

I did have to have my appendix out, it was a constant gnawing pain that wouldn't go away. They did the checks and yep, that was it. You've been checked multiple times so no, you don't have appendicitis.

You do suffer from anxiety, thats proven, and you probably also suffer from IBS which is very common and more of an annoyance than anything serious. Thinking about it just amplifies any sensations (been there, trust me). You need to accept that you've been checked and nobody found anything. Try to eat healthier, more fibre etc... and try to relax. I read that stress is a huge part of IBS flare ups.

[Hazer89]

Thanks for your reply, I know I should stop worrying about it being my appendix, I just seem to instantly think the pain is the worse and appendicitis scares the life out of me.

Doctor is getting fed up with me aswell after seeing him today, says again it is purely down to my IBS and my anxiety and that I just need to nip it in the bud.

Seriously anxiety can just do one, would not wish it on my worst enemy, never been like this before in my life until recently! Again thank you for taking the time to reply!

[Lifelonganxiety!]

Yep no worries.

Appendicitis isn't the end of the world. It's very common, if you ever even did get it you'd be in and out of hospital, day on your back watching movies then back to normal.

Treat the stress and anxiety, the pain should be a lot better/.

[Hazer89]

Again I'm sorry for digging this post back up, it's just the last two days I've again been experiencing pain/numbness in my lower right side.

I want to get it into my head that it's not my appendix but I just can't shake the worry, just driving me more and more insane.

It's like I crave reassurance, I partly know it's more then likely just my IBS as have been either having trouble going toilet or dairrhoea. It's sort of either a numbness about 15 cm from my belly button (I'm overweight so I got a big belly)

Feel like I got no one to talk to about this, my family is getting sick of reassuring me and the same with my other half. They all think I'm attention seeking which I ain't, I can't help but feel this way as much as I try.

I keep constantly touching / mildly scratching it, been in bed the whole day trying keep my mind off it playing video games but still can't shake it from my head.

Driving me insane, if it was my left side I wouldn't bate an eye, but because it feels right where I'm guessing the appendix is I put it to that rather then my IBS.

Again sorry for digging this up, just this seems to be the only place to vent my feelings without upsetting my family and loved ones.

[Aimee1875]

Sometimes when you focus on one particular thing,it makes the symptoms worse. I know it's 100% hard to not think about it but if it was appendicitis or a burst appendix I've heard it's excruciating and your keeled over and unable to stand,walk or jump. Different doctors have confirmed you're okay and please take their word because especially in things like urgent care,they aren't going to send you home with serious health problems that would need to be treated immediately. Take it easy and lay off the worrying! Take care :)

[Lifelonganxiety!]

It's not your appendix, you've had it checked many times.

Seriously, sounds like IBS.

[Kuatir]

OK, so you've got some work to do. What are you already doing to aid your IBS and anxiety and do you know if there is anything else you could do to to help yourself?

[Hazer89]

I know I should just forget the thought of it being my appendix, I just think the worse when ever I get a pain or numbness, I wish I could just brush it off and carry on but I find it so hard to do even with multiple people telling me so, it's like I crave reassurance.

And in regards to the what I'm doing to aid myself, on tablets for the anxiety (propolol and sertraline) and have some buscapan for the IBS (although I only started take those yesterday and I was sick so it's put me off them, could be unreleted)

Also got a telephone call from Bromley wellbeing on Monday (like a centre for anxiety etc) so hoping they can offer some help with getting over this.

Thanks for the replies though guys, I know I should just forget about it being my appendix, I am trying

[Fishmanpa]

You original post was the 22nd. It's now the 26th. If indeed this were appendicitis, even chronic, you would definitely be down and out.

Positive thoughts

[Lifelonganxiety!]

Honestly though, even if it were your appendix it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world

[Hazer89]

Honestly though, even if it were your appendix it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world

Yeh but to me it would be, I dislike hospitals as it is and I've been lucky enough to never had to stay in one or had surgery for anything, where as I know if it was my appendix it's a no brainer that I'm gunna have to go there.

Pain/numbness seems to have gone or has moved towards my left more, which to me is a good sign

[Kuatir]

Good luck with the anxiety centre. I went to a stress management course at one and it did me the world of good.

[Galebyu]

Hello Hazer,

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. I just can't shake the thought, despite doctors and blood tests proving otherwise. Every time I'm reassured, some bit of information (like a story about misdiagnosed appendicitis in the newspaper) comes along and throws me back in a downwards spiral.

Even though the pain is quite real and I often feel sick, Im pretty sure it's all just in my head. Why? Because I've had it on and off for 2 years now. And I know of at least two occasions where the pain went away through distraction. Not the playing video game type of distraction though: one time the neighbours house got broken into and I was preparing for the robbers to come to my place like you see in Zombie apocalypse films, the other time I fell off my bike and twisted my shoulder. 30 secs before the crash I was actually thinking "ah shit, I shouldn't ride, if it's grumbling appendix it'll get worse". As soon as i was lying on the floor in agony the pain in the stomach was forgotten for weeks... I actually still remember lying on the couch "enjoying" my shoulder pain because it seemed like a much better option...

Anyways... all that is not much use to me and my paranoid brain right now...

What might be use to you though could be the lecture of a certain book by David Butler and Lorimer Moseley. It's called "Explain Pain" and neatly and quite entertainingly shows you, how pain is made in the brain.

The most important bits - in a nutshell - are
a) pain is not always a good measurement for tissue damage
b) pain is made in the brain alone
b) pain becomes worse when the mind considers it as a threat

These three points quite neatly summarize, why health anxiety exists.

As soon as you consider any pain a threat, the brain will amplify it.... All just to protect you.

This also explains why people with health anxiety mostly suffer from "popular" illlnesses like brain tumor, heart attack, appendicits.

Knowing this won't heal you, but it will help you cope...

I would love to post a Youtube video of the same David Butler who wrote the aforementioned book but can't post a link just yet.

Just go there and search "Treating Pain Using the Brain". It will be an eye-opener, I guarantee it!