When John Fisk, 63, from Haute-Vienne visited his doctor with a dull stomach ache in June 2017, he did not expect to undergo emergency surgery the same day. But that appointment saved his life...
Initial Symptoms
I’d had a dull stomach ache for a couple of weeks, but nothing that caused me great concern. Because it wasn’t clearing up, I made a routine appointment with my GP and went along expecting to be given a course of antibiotics at worst.
At the Doctors
During my appointment, the doctor examined and pressed my lower stomach and could feel inflammation of my appendix.
I was really surprised – I’d always thought that appendicitis came with sharp pain, but even when he pressed my stomach quite hard, it wasn’t terribly painful.
He said I needed to go straight to hospital – and gave me a choice of Limoges, Poitiers and St Junien. I chose St Junien as the other two hospitals are in big cities.
On Arrival
My friend, who had already driven me to the doctors, kindly offered to drive me to St Junien. As the doctor had called ahead and given me a referral letter, as soon as we arrived they admitted me and I was referred to the surgeon.
Diagnosis
The surgeon examined me and sent me for an MRI, which confirmed his suspicions – not only did I have appendicitis, but because I’d left it for such a long time, the problem had become quite serious. Hearing the words: “I will operate in one, maybe two hours. Otherwise tomorrow you will be dead,” was quite a shock!
The Operation
While appendicectomy is often a keyhole procedure, I was told I’d have to have a large incision as my appendix was so inflamed (my surgeon joked it was punishment for leaving it so long before I sought medical help), I wasn’t worried as I was wheeled into theatre. There’s no point having professionals then worrying they won’t do their job. The operation went well, and took about two hours in total.
Hospital Stay
Again, because I’d had a large incision with 30 metal clips binding the wound, I was kept in ICU for four-and-a-half days, then moved to a general ward.
In each location, I had my own room, although I did find out that several of the other patients in ICU were English too!
Pain management was excellent, but then the pain I experienced was minimal – I was given plenty of painkillers, but didn’t always feel that I needed to take them.
Going Home
After a week, I was discharged with a prescription for a nurse. I had to contact the local medical centre to arrange visits for my dressing to be changed.
Ten days after the operation, the visiting nurse took my clips out, which should have been a straightforward procedure. However, as she removed them, the skin began to open up!
I was whizzed back to hospital in an ambulance, but my surgeon concluded that the wound itself was sealed, and that I would heal without further intervention.
A week or so later, I took over the care of my own wound and it has now healed well.
Overall, other than having the condition in the first place, I wouldn’t change a thing about my experience. Everything was managed amazingly well. My only complaint? The food left a lot to be desired.
That said, the medical staff were excellent and the care second-to-none.
FACTS ON AN APPENDECTOMY ‒ Sylvie Guéroult, Digestive Surgeon from clinic Geoffroy St Hilaire in Paris
How does appendicitis usually present itself?
The major symptoms are abdominal pain, typically in the lower right part, although it may start in the middle, around the belly button. It will become more constant and severe over time.
However, for anatomical reasons (if the appendix is situated behind the right colon), the pain may be worse for some patients when walking (known as psoitis), or may be felt in the pelvis.
Patients usually present with a low fever of around 38.5C, sometimes accompanied by chills. The fever may rise in the case of rupture or abscess.
Some patients experience nausea and vomiting, and most will report loss of appetite – it is rare that patients feel hungry. Less common symptoms include constipation or diarrhoea.
Is surgery always necessary?
In some cases, appendicitis can be treated with antibiotics, if the surgeon is confident there are no complications. However, this treatment should only be given after surgical advice.
What does the operation involve?
The operation is usually performed laparoscopically, and the patient is left with three small scars measuring between 5mm and 10mm. Open surgery may be necessary if an infection is more widespread and in some cases, a surgeon may not have been trained in the laparoscopy procedure.
What is the normal recovery time?
The patient is usually discharged on the day of a laparoscopy or the following day and can usually resume activity a few days afterwards. Most patients can participate in sport after a week to 10 days. Open surgery means a hospital stay of up to a week as the surgeon may have had to cut through muscle. After this patients can usually resume normal activities within 2-3 weeks.
