Got my appendix removed, Should I be worried?

Hello again ATS,
So like this I haven't been active for a week now because I underwent an appendectomy and I wanted to ask you a few questions and maybe you can share your experience.
After getting the terrible pain again the night between the last Monday and Tuesday(I had it a few times before) this time the doctors managed to set the diagnose since my symptoms were a bit non-typical, to be specific the place where I was feeling the pain wasn't the usual.

So I underwent the surgery, got a bit okay, started eating again, with the amount of antibiotics they gave me you can cure AIDS , let alone prevent an infection. So the third day(I was still in the hospital) I got this terrible watery diarrhea had it for 2 days(they cured it with a bunch of other medication) so I got released after I spent 5 days in the hospital and now my bowel movements aren't normal. I go to the bathroom 2-3 times per day plus my stool is loose and I urinate frequently.
I had my appendix removed exactly a week ago.

Sorry for the awkward description of my bowel movements, but I'm worried.
I wanted to ask you is this normal, have any of you encountered anything like this before?
Also after how much time you started with your normal activities again? What diet you followed?

I'm worried because I have read about a lot of cases that had these kind of problems for years later on in life after their appendix was removed. And I started taking probiotics(yoghurt) for the problem. I have an appointment with my surgeon in 1 and a half day and until then, should I be worried about something?

Sorry to bother you with my problems and can you help me, my wise friends?

lets see, medical advice on ATS or medical advice from a doctor????

call the doc

Your body screwing up after surgery is pretty normal. Same thing happened to me when I was 21. Atypical symptoms, etc. Lots of time it manifests as back pain. In any case, once your digestive system rights itself from the assault it has taken you should be fine. Just take it easy for a little while.

Sounds normal to me, bring it up to your surgeon when you see him next, but unless you're in pain or notice blood in your stool, you shouldn't need to go to the ER.

Stop being a worry wart
My appendix burst when I was 12 yrs old and im doing fine today ,30 years later.

Anti-biotics really screw your system up for a while when you've got to take a lot. They're pretty indiscriminate what they kill too- so it's possible the flora in your bowel has been fouled (lol) up by the medications. Maybe you should eat some good full fat yoghurt!

reply to post by JohnnyJohn4578


Don't be worried- that is very common after intense antibiotic therapy.

Antibiotics work all over the body and will kill even healthy indigenous microflora. That is why it is common for people to experience intense diarrhea after antibiotics (your healthy gut biota was killed and is being excreted) or why women will get yeast infections after intense antibiotics (the antibiotics kill the natural bacteria that keeps the natural vaginal yeast in check).

Etc., etc.

Now your natural digestive bacteria is messed up. No biggie. Eat yogurt and take probiotics. It will take some time but you will get back to normal.

I don't recall how I felt post-surgery/recovery--I was six when mine ruptured, and was removed.

But I can tell you that happened 44 years ago....and I havn't been in hospital since....so chin up

...I hope you got your share of ice cream...

As others have noted, it takes a little while for your body to feel "normal" again. The only lasting side effect of my appendectomy is heartburn. I don't know that the one caused the other, I just noticed it more frequently and with more intensity afterwards. Anyone else had this experience?

Anyway, I just keep acidic foods to a minimum and I'm all right.

reply to post by JohnnyJohn4578

too much information bud the only stools i think about are the ones that you sit on.


go see a doctor

We are all different, to some healing takes longer and some its goes fast. We even feel pain differently.
I had appendix removed as it was infected.. i managed to drive to ER myself, it was removed in one hour. Was in hospital over night and went home in next day.. after couple of days still having stitches in my belly i went to Paris ( didn´t want to miss my trip ) ate couple days after surgery liquids after that normal food. Belly was couple days swollen though but no big issues.

From the little I learned about the appendix, it stores bacteria. When too much bacteria accumulates that's when you have problems. You really should do some research as to how to maintain good bacteria in the intestines and gut, because now the bad bacteria has nowhere to go.

it suprises me at the amount of young children that need this operation a lot of my friends had this op when in single figures it terrifies me to even think about getting cut open again as i have woken twice under the knife and never again

Im not qualified to give you medical advice. But...as an EMT...nothing you mention appears to be worrisome or not normal. Everyone, everywhere is different.

Talk to your doctor, and never seek advice like this from an Internet Forum. Even a medically oriented one. See your doctor.

I try and avoid hospitals. that's where people tend to die

No the appendix is a left over gland of evolution, from a time when we ate raw meat. From the day we first started cooking meat with the harnessing of fire it has become less and less important, and has ceased to function over time, the problem is... it is an extra spot in the intestines that can collect impurity but can no longer remove the impurity, when that happens you get appendicitis and it has to be removed. If it were a fully functional developed organ, I'd hate to lose it but cooking over flame for millions of years has rendered it non functional, and a risk to health.

Thank you all for the support. Anyway I am seeking medical help from professionals, this was just in between because someone else might have had the same experience again, thank you.