so.... the fears back again.

[Sam Winter]

Sorry for a pointless terrified post but I'm currently in bed at 00:32(UK time) and it looks like I won't be sleeping for a while, why? because I've got a side pain and I'm terrified its appendicitis. I've had pains in my right side since about a year now and the doctors did an ultrasound but couldn't find anything, people have suggested that its IBS because it hurts when I haven't been to or need the toilet and it feels like I need to pass wind ect. but I still can't help being terrified everytime the pain changes a little, right now my stomach is making noises and its hurting a bit on the right side + under my belly button on the lower right hand side and granted I haven't been to the toilet for a couple of days but I don't really feel the need to go and I'm panicking that it is my appendix, I do everytime, it doesn't really help with eating because if I feel a side pain come on and its particularly bad for me I sometimes won't eat incase I end up needing surgery, another part of me doesn't allow me to believe it will be fine because its almost like if I don't thoroughly check it once then this off chance when I didn't it probably will be, it's just a hard battle sometimes. :weep:

[Fishmanpa]

Sam... did you just read Lockey's thread about appendicitis? :whistles: I don't believe either of you has it. Try and get some sleep.

Positive thoughts

[randomforeigner]

I've had mine removed, it proved it wasn't the appendix, it was some lymph nodes that are/were sitting right next to it. Back then, you got surgery, and then - when they've opened - they remove the appendix regardless as you'll have the mark (the scar) of someone having had it removed.

In any case, I got the explanation that very much in the way you can have swollen lymph nodes at the neck when you've got a cold and a sore throat, you can have swollen lymph nodes in other places too.

If you plan to go on a yachting trip around the globe and plan to be out at sea for weeks on end, you can have the appendix preventatively removed, but otherwise I really don't think you should worry too much about it. Easier said than done, as I did too worry a bit once, which is why I ended up having it removed as it were. I was 20 at the time.

---------- Post added at 07:33 ---------- Previous post was at 07:27 ----------

You haven't thought about trying out the Ortisan Fruit & Fibre chewable cubes, have you? Says they're sold by Holland & Barrett, for example, though I'm in another country so I just pick them up at the local pharmacy if I need to.