Have You Had Your Appendix Removed?

[tex]

Linda,

NSAIDs can cause MC. PPIs can cause MC. Antibiotics can cause MC, and you were surely given antibiotics during and after your appendectomy. Antibiotics kill the beneficial bacteria, which opens the door to colonization by "bad" bacteria.

Tex

[EastWestGirl]

Hi Tex,

Thank you for the reply. I just now saw your reply to my post.

What are PPIs? I do know that I had a bunch of things going on when my LC first showed up (appendix removed, on NSAIDs, on prilosec, and I'd eaten a batch of sushi the night before that might have introduced some bad bacteria).

I can't recall if I was given antibiotics (orally) but I am nearly certain that there were some in my IV.

Do you think that having my appendix removed may have caused the LC? My surgery was primarily for endometriosis. I asked the surgeon to remove my appendix because of a very strong family history of appendicitis on my father's side. Mine wasn't diseased but I was afraid that one day it would go bad.

Linda

[tex]

Hi Linda,

PPIs are proton pump inhibitors, (such as Prilosec), and doctors love to prescribe them for anyone who complains of indigestion, heartburn, acid reflux, etc. PPIs prevent the stomach from producing normal amounts of acid. The problem is, acid is there not only to initiate proper digestion, but it also kills most bacteria that might be introduced with food, (except for certain species, such as E. coli). Therefore, anyone taking a PPI not only suffers from compromised digestion, but also runs a much higher risk of becoming infected with common food-borne bacteria.

It appears that based on the responses of the members of this board, we are roughly 4 times as likely as someone in the general population, to have appendicitis. That doesn't necessarily mean that removing the appendix causes MC, however, it just suggests that the two issues are somehow related.

NSAIDs are a very common cause of MC, and they cause many cases every year. PPIs are implicated in quite a few cases of MC, and we even have a few members who simply had to stop taking their PPI in order to resolve their MC symptoms. For others, a PPI may have triggered their disease, but they also had to change their diet, in order to achieve remission, (in addition to discontinuing use of the PPI). Many of us can trace our MC to the use of antibiotics, and since you had all of those events going on at approximately the same time, the combination may have triggered the disease, or it could have been any one of them. It's difficult to pinpoint the exact cause.

Welcome back,
Tex

[sarkin]

I have most of my original equipment, including appendix. (I'm short 8 permanent teeth plus 6 wisdom teeth, though - ???) My brother had his appendix out at 8yo, though - during an episode where he had most, but not all, the symptoms... the doctor had waited to operate on a similar kid that same week, and it turned into an emergency appendectomy. So my parents consented and my bro had his out... leaving him with all the symptoms he started out with (some lymph thing?) plus the surgical recovery.

I'm of course blaming gluten - for his tonsilectomy as well. And the adenoids.

[EastWestGirl]

This is so interesting. My father had his appendix burst and barely made to the phone to dial 911. His father had it too. As did his sister and her daughter. I think a few others have had appendicitis but I am not sure. I suspect we just have a faulty gene for it!

@Tex: Thanks for the definition of PPI. Yes, I had a lot going on when I got hit with LC. So many things that it is impossible to know which triggered it.

@Sarkin: I was supposed to have my tonsils and adenoids out as a child but my mother refused to remove them. I know have cyptic tonsils (tonsils with lots of holes or cavities in them). I have read that there are links between tonsils and psoriasis (which I have) and then also a potential link (mentioned on this board I think?) on autoimmune conditions such as psoriasis and LC or CC. It's just intriguing how this all fits together.

[natythingycolbery]

I still have my appendix... its happy atm and hopefully it will stay that way!

[sarkin]

Linda,

I have seen psoriasis mentioned in the celiac/gluten world, for sure. I had no idea it connected to tonsils... do your tonsils ever trouble you?

Hopefully the steps you take to bring your LC under control will be good for psoriasis, too.

Best,
Sara

[humbird753]

I am trying to get around more on this web site. A lot of info here.

Anyway, I had extreme D for 7 months and then ended up in the hospital to have appendix removed - diagnosis "gangrenous appendix with perforation."

Interesting poll....

Paula

[Stanz]

I still have my appendix, but was told quite a few times as a kid - when I had bouts of stomach pain - that I may have appendicitis but we were poor, with no health insurance so they hoped for the best, I guess. After my hysterectomy @ 26 for "Endometriosis" I was dx with Typhlitis. When I had surgery for an intestinal obstruction @ 32 I asked my surgeon to take a look at my appendix, he said that it was completely atrophied.

[Lesley]

I had my appendix removed at the age of 9. That was 54 years ago. Hard to imagine. And my tonsils removed at age 6. ORs were quite different in those days.
When I was 19 I had what they though was an ectopic pregnancy. They operated and found that I had severe adhesions on my bowel, which was totally obstructed and spastic. There were no scopes, Cat scans or MRIs in those days so they couldn't see what was going on without opening me up. And of course the surgery created more adhesions.

Wisdon teeth? Out at 16 because they were impacted.

[Stanz]

I had my appendix removed at the age of 9. That was 54 years ago. Hard to imagine. And my tonsils removed at age 6. ORs were quite different in those days.
When I was 19 I had what they though was an ectopic pregnancy. They operated and found that I had severe adhesions on my bowel, which was totally obstructed and spastic. There were no scopes, Cat scans or MRIs in those days so they couldn't see what was going on without opening me up. And of course the surgery created more adhesions.

Wisdon teeth? Out at 16 because they were impacted.

I was 9 when they probably would have removed my appendix if my parents could have afforded it. I was told that I was lucky to have had 2 of 4 pregnancies come to term. Would love to have a picture of what my surgeon saw when I was 32 and finally had a complete obstruction that lasted more than 2 wks. He said there was a loop of the intestine that was constricted by a leather-like-shoelace adhesion and that the "loop" was so inflamed that he simply snipped it and hoped it would allow the intestine to function and then sewed me up and prayed for the best.

[Lesley]

My folks could afford it, but I would have died had they not removed it. In those days, if it burst you died. I had a horribly high fever, and was throwing up all over the place.
They also left you in bed for a couple of days post surgery before they got you up, so more serious adhesions developed.

I had 3 out of 7 pregnancies come to term.

I would also love to see what the surgeon saw when I was 19!

[Sharaine]

Hi Tex,

I still have my appendix and tonsils. Had all 4 wisdom teeth pulled at 17.

Sharaine

[humbird753]

I started with extreme D on 8/3/2009, and had emergency appendectomy on 3/12/2010 (gangrenous appendix with perforation) which took months to recover from. Of course, I was told there was nothing related to the two.

First experience with surgery - not fun (lol)!




Paula

[humbird753]

Sorry - just re-read older posts and see I already commented on this thread. I guess it was an experience I'll never forget.

Paula