Appendicitis

Home Treatment

If you think you may have appendicitis, do not try to treat it at home. If you have moderate belly pain that does not go away after 4 hours, call your doctor. If you have severe belly pain, call your doctor right away. It may be more likely that you have appendicitis if you have:

• Pain that does not go away. The pain from appendicitis often starts in the center of the abdomen and moves to the lower right quadrant. For more information about different kinds of abdominal pain, see the topics Abdominal Pain, Age 12 and Older, and Abdominal Pain, Age 11 and Younger.
• A feeling that you are going to throw up. You may throw up a few times, and you may not feel like eating.

If you think appendicitis may be causing your abdominal pain:

• Seek medical treatment immediately. If you have appendicitis, it is very important to be treated right away.
• Do not take laxatives.
• Do not eat solid food. Drink small amounts of clear liquids continually to prevent dehydration.

After surgery

Most people leave the hospital 1 to 3 days after having surgery to remove the appendix. But if the appendix has ruptured and there is infection in the abdomen or other problems, it takes longer to get better. People who have laparoscopic surgery usually return to normal activities in 1 to 3 weeks. Those who have a traditional appendectomy generally return to normal activities in 3 to 4 weeks.

While you are at home recovering from an appendectomy, check your incision(s) for infection. Call your doctor if you have a fever or notice other signs of infection such as redness, swelling, pus, or pain in your lower abdomen. You should also call your doctor if you are not able to eat normal foods after 5 days.

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Author:	Douglas Dana Monica Rhodes	Last Updated: May 14, 2007
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Brent Shoji, MD - General Surgery
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