Whatever happened to...........

My poor niece's appendix perforated. She has such a high pain threshold that at first they didn't think it was that serious as, by the time it gets to that stage, people are usually in agony. Luckily they operated and she was lucky to survive but she had a long recovery time in hospital and then at home. Poor thing was towards the end of the 2nd year of A Levels and had to do the whole second year again.

Ulcers have become less common over the last 50 years because about 50 years ago a doctor discovered that the main cause of the most common type of ulcers are not stress or eating spicy food or any of the other causes suggested, but a bacteria, Helicobacter pylori. It has also been blamed for gastritis.

Once it was known that ulcers were caused by a bacteria, they could quickly be cured by a course of antibiotics so the incidence of chronic ulcers has plummeted.

I think the doctor who discovered this wone a Nobel prize.

I didn't know that there was an 'age limit' for appendicitis. Every day's a school day!

My goodness sunnysideup you’ve really been through it! As you say, thank goodness for appendicitis in the first place.

My grandson had his appendix out at 4 years old, my daughter having been told that he was too young for appendicitis.
His was gangrenous too.

It still happens - my DH had to have his appendix removed 10 years ago when he was 70. Done by keyhole surgery, he hasn't got a scar at all even though it was really serious at the time.

Stomach ulcers would be less known now, because they are caused by a bacteria and can be fixed with antibiotics.

No lack of appendectomies here. I had mine out when I was 40yo - even at that age the surgeon said I was too old to have appendicitis! My Dd had hers out a few years ago, aged 25. My mum had hers out when I was about 8yo and both my brothers later on. My youngest Dd gloomily says it's probably just a matter of time before she has to have hers out.

My 80yo friend had an emergency appendectomy last year, although she was very ill indeed with it, spending three weeks in hospital. She had a lot of visits from interested doctors who wanted to see this 80yo wonder patient!

My dad had a burst appendix when he was nearly 70. My son and 2 nephews had appendicitis all in their 20s. A friends daughter had it in late teens

DH, DD, three nieces and a nephew have had appendectomies, two of which were gangrenous with consequent peritonitis, I’ve certainly heard of them!

My fifty year old grandson has un ulcerated bowel. At first they said he would have to have his bowel removed but is on medication which is giving him severe headaches.
After years of throat problems caused by tonsils my helps nineteen year old daughter has at last had a tonsillectomy.
I had my tonsils and adenoids out when I was seven. A routine operation in those days. 1930.p

I spent 2 weeks in hospital after having my Appendix removed in 1963. The same thing is treated by keyhole surgery and if there are no complications you an be discharged the next day. It's not a big deal nowadays.

I have a stomach ulcer ....in fact a have a clutch of six of them ....diagnosed about five years ago . My doctor keeps me outa the hospital with just one pill a day. Sometimes plays up but I stop eating for 24 hours and I’m fine. Sometimes I just eat tinned rice pudding, as it’s the only food I can stomach. I’ve gone from 11.5 stone to 10 stone. Wouldn’t advise an ulcer for weight loss , but I’m happy. They do run in my family ....my dad was invalided out of WW 2 with ulcers and my brother was diagnosed at 15. Must just be a family of worriers.

I think that these ailments still exist but because of medical advances most cases are a lot less dramatic than they used to be.

Ulcers - many cases can be treated by medication (for example antibiotics or the drugs that reduce acid production and therefore irritation). So these days having emergency ulcer surgery is a lot more rare.

Appendix - used to be a bigger operation with a significant of scar 3-6 inches. These days they tend not to operate in the case of a "grumbling appendix" unless it is causing significant issues. Also most surgery is the key-hole procedure which has a much quicker recovery time - I remember being in hospital a few years ago when a student arrived on the ward around 2am following emergency key-hole appendix surgery, at 7.45am she hopped out of bed and went to the breakfast buffet and before 9am she was discharged.

Appendisectomies are still one of the most common emergency surgeries.

A lot of gastric ulcers in the past were missdiagnosis. Also lot of ulcers are now better prevented. But they do still exist

Ibuprofen prescribed by GP has left me with Gastritis or which I take medication daily.

Tonsils are rarely removed these days as well, 50 years ago most children had theirs removed. DGS has just had Tonsilitis again, unless he gets it about 7 times a year they won't remove his Tonsils just give him antibiotics

I am wondering why we are deemed to be too old at 60 plus to have our appendix removed.
I’ve never heard of that theory. Do they shrivel up and die or something. ?

My daughter had her appendix out eight years ago, my sister lost hers last year. No shortage here!

jaylucy - similar with me 2 years ago. Blood in faeces.
The specialist said it can be treated - healed- with medication.
I also learned that one of the main causes of these ulcers is overuse of Ibuprofen etc. NSAIDs

A friedn had appendicitis just before Christmas, only a few months after having a new baby. It used to be a big thing with a long time in hospital, now with laparoscopies where possible (hers wasn't) you can have a much quicker recovery, so I suppose less newsworthy. Gastric ulcers much less common as mentioned above due to treatment of H pylori.

Daddima it's spooky but I was only thinking about that a few days ago. How my father had his appendix removed when he was 18 and me when I was 14. But my 3 sons are now 31, 29 and 27 and so far, nothing. Reading the posts above it seems it obviously still happens but I haven't heard of anyone having theirs removed in years.

I had peritonitis two years ago. I'm now 69. However, histology revealed a malignant tumour in the appendix. I went on to have a further huge operation to remove two parts of my bowel, full hysterectomy, 18 lymph nodes, gall bladder and greater and lesser omentom, followed by 6 months chemotherapy. Thank goodness I had appendicitis, which they felt was doubtful in the first instance as I was deemed too old.

gagagran I remember the same thing happening to my dad way back in the late 50s. He was being operated on for an ulcer but when he complained of being in terrible pain the next day they said he'd had his op so couldn't be! Emergency operation the next day for burst appendix and paralysed bowel. A wonder he survived. I was ten at the time and when neighbours asked how my dad was I remember telling them 'he's now got a paralysed vowel' !!

7 years ago I had a bleeding stomach ulcer, so it does still happen !
I was collected from my home by ambulance after my son called 111 - the paramedic obviously thought I was scamming , because the main symptoms I had were not happening at that time - only reason he agreed to take me was because my blood pressure was so high.
I was nil by mouth for 4 days, on a saline drip, 2 blood transfusions ( 6 bags) and 3 endoscopys, sent home 2 days after my first meal and a day after I was allowed out of bed. Took 6 weeks (and another endoscopy) before I went back to work

Ulcers and appendicitis are pretty much routine and don't really have much to say about them. So you hear about the more interesting illnesses

My poor husband got appendicitis in the middle of the night and was very ill. Although our GP diagnosed it as appendicitis once he got to hospital he was told by a young doctor, "It cant be appendicitis, you are too old." He was 70. Fortunately he was correctly diagnosed and treated as an emergency and when it was removed it was all black and shrivelled. The consultant said to those doctors around his bed "Never say never. "