What to Expect After Appendicitis Surgery: Scars, Energy Levels and the Return of Appetite

The first thing many people notice when they wake up is not the pain. It is the strangeness of the room: a pump ticking beside the bed, a plastic clip on one finger, and a nurse asking whether they can wiggle their toes. A few hours earlier they had a stomachache they blamed on lunch. Now they have three small dressings on their belly and a surgeon telling them the appendix is gone.

That gap between “I thought it was indigestion” and “I have just had an operation” is where most of the questions live. What to expect after appendix removal is rarely explained in the rush before theatre, because there usually is no time. People are told they will be fine, handed a leaflet, and sent home to figure out why they feel so wrung out.

This explainer fills in what the leaflet skips: how the scars settle, why the fatigue lasts longer than the incisions hurt, and how appetite tends to creep back in stages rather than all at once.

What actually happens during an appendectomy

An appendectomy is the operation that removes the appendix, a finger-sized pouch that hangs off the start of the large intestine on the lower right side of the abdomen. When it becomes inflamed, blocked or infected, the condition is called appendicitis. Because an inflamed appendix can burst and spill bacteria into the abdomen, surgeons generally prefer to take it out rather than wait and watch, as the NHS treatment guidance explains.

Most appendectomies in high-income countries are now done laparoscopically, sometimes called keyhole surgery. The surgeon makes two to four small cuts, each usually shorter than a fingernail, inflates the abdomen with carbon dioxide gas to create working space, and guides a thin camera and instruments through the cuts. The appendix is freed from its blood supply, sealed at its base, and lifted out through one of the incisions, typically the one near the belly button.

An open appendectomy uses a single longer cut, usually in the lower right abdomen. Surgeons choose this route when the appendix has already ruptured, when there is a large abscess (a walled-off pocket of pus), when scar tissue from earlier operations makes keyhole access unsafe, or when a keyhole operation has to be converted partway through. According to Mayo Clinic, conversion happens most often when inflammation has spread beyond the appendix itself.

Either way, the procedure is done under general anesthetic, meaning the patient is fully asleep. The operation itself commonly takes under an hour, though the time in the operating department is longer once anesthesia and recovery are counted. The removed appendix is sent to a laboratory for routine examination, and the treating team will mention if that report shows anything unexpected.

Who is usually operated on right away, and who is asked to wait

Not everyone with appendicitis follows the same path to the operating room, and knowing which path you were on helps make sense of your recovery.

People with straightforward, uncomplicated appendicitis are usually offered surgery within hours of diagnosis. Delaying increases the chance of rupture, so this group tends to have the quickest operations and the shortest recoveries.

A second group arrives with a ruptured appendix or an abscess. Surgeons may still operate immediately, but the operation is often longer, the abdomen may need washing out, and a small drain (a soft tube that lets fluid escape) may be left in place for a few days. Antibiotics are typically continued after surgery. Recovery in this group is measured in weeks rather than days, and the treating team will set expectations individually.

A third group is asked to wait. When an abscess is well contained and the person is otherwise stable, some teams treat first with antibiotics and, if needed, a radiologist places a needle-guided drain through the skin. The appendix may then be removed weeks later in a planned procedure sometimes called an interval appendectomy. Mayo Clinic describes this approach as reasonable for selected patients.

Antibiotics alone, without any surgery, have been studied as an alternative for uncomplicated appendicitis. Mayo Clinic notes that this can work for some people, but a meaningful proportion develop appendicitis again and later need the operation. Whether that trade-off is acceptable depends on the person, the scan findings and the surgeon’s judgment, which is why the decision always rests with the treating team rather than with a general article.

What to expect after appendix removal in the first 24 hours

The recovery room is where the body registers what has happened. Grogginess, a dry mouth and a sore throat from the breathing tube are common and short-lived. Nurses check blood pressure, oxygen and the dressings at set intervals, and most people are encouraged to sip water within a few hours.

Pain in the first day is usually described as a deep ache around the incisions, worse with coughing or sitting up. Pain relief is given on a schedule and adjusted to the person; the team will explain what they are using and why. It is normal for the tummy to feel bloated and tight after keyhole surgery, because some of the carbon dioxide used to inflate the abdomen lingers for a while.

Getting out of bed early matters more than most people expect. Sitting in a chair and taking a short, supported walk on the day of surgery or the next morning helps the lungs expand, encourages the bowel to wake up, and reduces the risk of blood clots in the legs. Cleveland Clinic lists early mobility among the standard steps after appendectomy.

Length of stay varies with how complicated the operation was. NHS guidance says most people who have keyhole surgery for uncomplicated appendicitis can go home within 24 hours; after open surgery, or if the appendix had burst, a stay of several days to a week is more typical. Before discharge, the team usually confirms that pain is controlled with medicine that can be taken at home, that you have passed urine, and that you can walk safely. Someone should be available to take you home, because driving after a general anesthetic is unsafe.

The first week at home: what the days usually look like

Day two and three tend to be the low point. The anesthetic has worn off fully, the hospital’s structured pain relief has been swapped for tablets at home, and the novelty of being discharged has faded. The incisions feel bruised, the abdomen is tender when you laugh or roll over, and getting out of a low sofa requires a plan.

Around day three to five, most people notice the gas pain easing and the bloating settling. Bowel movements often return in this window, sometimes with a day or two of constipation caused by anesthesia, reduced eating and opioid painkillers if those were prescribed. Walking, fluids and fiber all help; the treating team may suggest a stool softener if needed, and that choice belongs to them.

By the end of the first week, many people who had uncomplicated keyhole surgery are moving around the house comfortably, showering without help and taking pain relief only occasionally. Mayo Clinic advises avoiding strenuous activity for roughly three to five days after laparoscopic surgery and about ten to fourteen days after open surgery, so the first week is for gentle walking, not chores.

Dressings are usually either waterproof, in which case showering is fine, or designed to be removed after a day or two. Baths and swimming are generally discouraged until the wounds have sealed. Stitches are frequently the dissolving kind; if not, a removal appointment will be arranged, typically with a nurse.

Sleep is often disrupted this week. Lying flat can pull on the incisions, so many people prop themselves on pillows or sleep on the side opposite the main wound for a few nights. That usually resolves as the ache fades.

Weeks two to six: the longer arc of recovery

Once the incisions stop hurting, it is tempting to declare recovery finished. The body disagrees. Internally, the sealed stump where the appendix was attached and the small tunnels through the abdominal wall are still knitting together, and that process takes weeks.

The NHS says most people make a full recovery within a couple of weeks after keyhole surgery, but that strenuous activity should be avoided for up to six weeks after open surgery. The reason is mechanical: heavy lifting, hard abdominal exercise and straining raise pressure inside the abdomen while the wound is still gaining strength, which increases the chance of a hernia (a bulge where tissue pushes through a weak spot in the muscle wall).

Energy typically returns before strength. People often describe week two as “fine until about three in the afternoon,” when a wall of tiredness arrives. By week three or four that wall moves later in the day, then disappears. If the appendix had ruptured, this timeline stretches, partly because the body has been fighting an infection as well as healing a wound.

Scars change noticeably over this period. Early redness and raised edges soften; itching is common and usually means healing rather than trouble. Numbness or a slightly wooden feeling around the incisions is also common and can persist for months as small skin nerves regrow.

A follow-up appointment or phone review is often scheduled somewhere in this window. It is the moment to raise anything that seems slow, including bowel habits that have not settled, a wound that keeps weeping, or fatigue that is not improving week on week. Recovery should be a trend line pointing upward, even if individual days wobble.

Appendectomy scar healing: what the marks will look like

After keyhole surgery, most people are left with two to four small scars. One sits inside or just below the belly button, where the camera went in, and the others are usually low on the abdomen, often below the waistband line. Each is typically 5–15 millimeters long. After open surgery, there is a single scar in the lower right abdomen, commonly 5–10 centimeters, sometimes angled along a natural skin crease.

Scar healing runs in phases. For the first two to three weeks the wound edges are held by stitches or skin glue while new tissue forms underneath. Over the following months the scar is remodeled: it is often at its reddest, thickest and itchiest between roughly six weeks and three months, and then it gradually pales and flattens. Full maturation of a scar can take a year or more, so the appearance at six weeks is not the final result.

Some habits genuinely help. Keeping the wound clean and dry until it has sealed reduces infection, which is the single biggest cause of a wider, more visible scar. Once the skin has closed, protecting the area from strong sun for the first year helps prevent the scar from darkening permanently, a point made in Johns Hopkins wound-care guidance. Gentle massage with a plain moisturizer after the wound has fully closed is commonly suggested by surgical teams to keep the tissue supple, though the evidence that it changes final appearance is modest and should be described honestly.

People with darker skin tones, or a personal or family history of keloids (scars that grow beyond the original wound), may be more prone to raised scars and can ask their team about early options. Silicone sheets and gels are widely used; the evidence supporting them is reasonable but not conclusive. What no product can do is erase the scar entirely, and claims that promise this should be treated with skepticism.

Tiredness after appendix surgery: why you feel so wrung out

Fatigue is the symptom that surprises people most. The incisions are small, the operation was short, and yet climbing a flight of stairs in the first week can feel like a workout. This is not weakness or imagination. Several separate processes are draining energy at once.

Inflammation is the biggest. An inflamed or ruptured appendix triggers a whole-body immune response, and that response does not switch off the moment the appendix is removed. Immune signaling molecules called cytokines drive sleepiness, reduced appetite and low mood, the same mechanism behind the exhaustion of a bad flu. The body then has to repair surgical wounds on top of clearing the original infection.

Anesthesia adds a layer. General anesthetic drugs are cleared within hours, but their effect on sleep architecture and concentration can linger for a few days, particularly in older adults. Disrupted sleep in hospital and at home, interrupted by pain and unfamiliar positions, compounds this.

Reduced intake matters too. Many people eat very little for two or three days around the operation, and some were vomiting before diagnosis. Low energy intake plus fluid shifts equals a body running on reserves.

How long does it last? For uncomplicated keyhole surgery, most people notice steady improvement within the two-week window the NHS describes for overall recovery. After a rupture or open surgery, weeks of reduced stamina are common. The pattern to watch is direction: a little better each few days is normal, while fatigue that worsens after initially improving, especially alongside fever or new pain, warrants a call to the treating team, because it can signal a developing infection.

What to eat after appendectomy: the return of appetite

Appetite rarely comes back with a bang. It returns in stages, and understanding those stages prevents the two common mistakes of forcing large meals too early or barely eating for a week out of caution.

Stage one is fluids. In the hours after surgery, sips of water, then clear fluids such as broth or diluted juice, let the gut confirm it is working without asking it to do heavy lifting. Most teams progress to light food as soon as nausea settles and the person feels like eating; long periods of “nothing by mouth” after routine appendectomy are no longer standard, as MedlinePlus notes.

Stage two is the bland, small, frequent phase, usually the first two to four days at home. Toast, rice, soups, yogurt, eggs, bananas and cooked vegetables tend to be well tolerated. Small portions every couple of hours suit a gut that is still sluggish and a stomach compressed by residual bloating. Very fatty, fried or spicy meals can provoke cramping and are easier to reintroduce later.

Stage three is normal eating, which for many people arrives somewhere in the second week. Protein supports wound healing, so including fish, poultry, beans, dairy or tofu at each meal is sensible. Fiber and fluids help counter constipation, which is common after anesthesia and opioid pain relief.

There is no special “appendix diet” and no food that needs to be avoided permanently. The appendix has no essential digestive role in adults, so people can eat normally once healed. If appetite has not returned at all after a week, or if eating brings on worsening pain, vomiting or a swollen, hard abdomen, that is a reason to contact the treating team rather than push through.

Pain, gas and the shoulder ache nobody warns you about

Three kinds of discomfort show up after appendectomy, and telling them apart reduces worry.

Incision pain is the obvious one: a bruised, pulling soreness at the wound sites that peaks in the first two days and fades steadily. It is worse with coughing, sneezing and getting out of bed. Holding a folded towel or pillow against the abdomen while coughing, a technique called splinting, genuinely reduces the sting.

Gas pain is the second. Carbon dioxide left inside the abdomen after keyhole surgery irritates the diaphragm, the sheet of muscle under the lungs. Because the nerve supplying the diaphragm also carries sensation from the shoulder, that irritation is felt as an ache in one or both shoulders or the collarbone area. It is a well-recognized effect of laparoscopic surgery, described in Cleveland Clinic patient guidance, and it usually resolves within one to three days as the gas is absorbed. Walking and changing position help it disperse.

Bowel gas is the third. Anesthesia and handling of the intestine temporarily slow gut movement, so trapped wind and cramping are common in the first few days. Passing wind is, unglamorously, a good sign that the bowel is waking up.

Pain relief after appendectomy is typically built on a non-opioid base such as acetaminophen, sometimes combined with an anti-inflammatory if the person’s kidneys and stomach allow it, with a short course of stronger medicine reserved for the first days if needed. The prescribing clinician chooses the combination and duration; this article describes the approach, not a plan. Pain that steadily worsens rather than improves after day two or three does not fit the normal pattern and should be reported.

Laparoscopic vs open appendectomy recovery, side by side

The single biggest predictor of how recovery feels is not age or fitness but which operation was done and whether the appendix had ruptured. The table below summarizes typical ranges drawn from NHS and Mayo Clinic guidance. These are patterns, not promises, and the treating team’s advice for an individual overrides them.

Aspect	Laparoscopic (keyhole), uncomplicated	Open or complicated (rupture, abscess)
Incisions	2–4 small cuts, each roughly 5–15 mm	One cut, commonly 5–10 cm, lower right abdomen
Typical hospital stay	Often home within 24 hours (NHS)	Several days to about a week (NHS)
Strenuous activity to avoid for	About 3–5 days (Mayo Clinic)	About 10–14 days, longer if advised (Mayo Clinic)
Feeling near normal	Around 2 weeks (NHS)	Up to 6 weeks (NHS)
Post-surgery antibiotics	Usually a single dose around surgery	Often continued for days
Drain in place	Rarely	Sometimes
Hernia risk at wound	Lower	Higher

Two caveats. First, a keyhole operation that had to be converted to open follows the open column. Second, a ruptured appendix removed laparoscopically sits somewhere in between: small scars, but a longer, more tiring recovery because of the infection.

The comparison is often misread as “keyhole good, open bad.” That is not the right lesson. Open surgery is chosen when it is the safer way to deal with what the surgeon finds, and a well-done open operation in a complicated case is better than an ill-advised keyhole attempt. The choice is a clinical judgment made in the moment, not a marker of quality.

Getting back to work, driving, exercise and intimacy

The questions people ask at follow-up are practical ones, and the honest answers are ranges rather than dates.

Work depends on the job. After uncomplicated keyhole surgery, desk-based work is often possible within one to two weeks, in line with the NHS recovery window, though many people choose to start with shorter days because concentration and stamina lag behind pain. Jobs involving lifting, prolonged standing or driving for a living usually need the longer four-to-six-week frame the NHS gives for strenuous activity, and after open surgery that longer frame applies to most physical jobs. A fit note or letter from the team is the normal way to formalize this.

Driving requires three things: no sedating painkillers, the ability to perform an emergency stop without hesitation, and comfort turning to check mirrors and blind spots. For many people that is around one to two weeks after keyhole surgery and longer after open surgery. Some insurers have their own rules, so it is worth checking the policy.

Exercise returns in layers. Walking starts on day one and can build daily. Light cardio such as cycling on the flat or swimming, once wounds have sealed, often resumes after the initial rest period Mayo Clinic describes. Core work, heavy weights and contact sports wait until the team clears them, generally at the far end of the recovery range, because they load the healing abdominal wall directly.

Intimacy is safe when it is comfortable and the wounds have closed; there is no fixed medical waiting period after appendectomy. Positions that avoid pressure on the incisions make the early weeks easier. Flying is generally considered reasonable once the person is mobile, comfortable and past the highest-risk window for complications, and the treating team can advise on timing for a specific trip.

Complications after appendix removal: what can go wrong and how often

Appendectomy is one of the most frequently performed emergency operations, and serious complications are uncommon. Knowing the realistic list makes the red flags later in this article easier to act on.

Wound infection is the most frequent problem: redness spreading from the incision, warmth, increasing pain, pus or a bad smell. It is more likely after a ruptured appendix or open surgery. Most wound infections are treated with wound care and antibiotics chosen by the team.

An intra-abdominal abscess is a pocket of infection deeper inside, usually in the space the appendix occupied. It typically announces itself with returning fever, worsening abdominal pain, feeling generally unwell and sometimes diarrhea, several days to two weeks after surgery. Diagnosis is usually by scan, and treatment ranges from antibiotics to a drain placed through the skin. Mayo Clinic lists abscess among the recognized complications, particularly after rupture.

Bleeding, damage to nearby structures such as the bowel, and reactions to anesthesia are rare but real, and surgeons discuss them when taking consent. An incisional hernia can develop months later at a wound site, more often after open surgery. Bowel obstruction from internal scar tissue, called adhesions, is an uncommon late complication that can occur years after any abdominal operation.

Stump appendicitis, inflammation in a small remnant of appendix left at the base, is rare but worth knowing about, because it means “I’ve had my appendix out” does not completely rule out appendix-type pain in the future.

Exact complication percentages vary widely between studies and populations, and quoting a single figure would be misleading. MedlinePlus and Cleveland Clinic both describe the overall risk as low for uncomplicated cases and higher when the appendix has ruptured, which is the honest summary of the evidence.

What people often get wrong about appendectomy recovery

Myths about appendix surgery are stubborn, partly because the operation is common enough that everyone knows someone with a story.

“Small scars mean a small recovery.” The incisions are small; the internal healing is not. The abdominal wall and the sealed stump need the same weeks of repair regardless of how the surgeon reached them. This is why the NHS advises against strenuous activity for weeks, even after keyhole surgery in complicated cases.

“You have to stick to a bland diet for weeks.” There is no evidence for this. Once nausea has passed and bowel function has returned, ordinary food is appropriate, as covered earlier.

“Losing the appendix weakens the immune system.” The appendix contains lymphoid tissue and may act as a reservoir for gut bacteria, and researchers still debate its exact role. What the evidence clearly shows is that people live normal, healthy lives without it, with no recognized need for special precautions.

“Antibiotics alone always work now, so surgery is old-fashioned.” Antibiotics-first treatment is a legitimate option for selected uncomplicated cases, but Mayo Clinic notes that appendicitis returns in a meaningful share of people treated this way, and it is not suitable when the appendix has ruptured. Surgery remains the standard approach in most settings.

“Pain that lingers means something is wrong.” Mild aching, pulling sensations and skin numbness around the incisions can persist for weeks and are usually part of normal healing. The concern is pain that worsens after initially improving, or pain accompanied by fever or vomiting.

“Once the stitches are out, recovery is over.” Stitches or glue hold the skin. The deeper layers keep strengthening for weeks, which is the reason lifting restrictions outlast the wound care.

Questions to ask your care team before you go home

The discharge conversation is short and often happens while you are still foggy. Writing questions down, or having someone with you, makes it more useful. These are the ones that tend to matter most.

• Which operation did I have, keyhole or open, and did the appendix rupture? This single answer determines which recovery timeline applies to you.
• Was a drain placed, and if so, who removes it and when?
• Are my stitches dissolving, or do I need an appointment to have them removed?
• Can I shower with these dressings, and when can I take them off?
• What pain relief am I going home with, how long is it expected to be needed, and what should I do if it is not enough? Ask about constipation prevention if stronger painkillers are included.
• Am I on antibiotics after discharge, and for how long?
• How long should I avoid lifting, driving and exercise for my specific operation?
• When can I expect to return to work, and can you provide a note?
• What symptoms should make me call, and what number do I call, including out of hours?
• Will the appendix be examined in the laboratory, and how will I hear about the result?
• Is a follow-up appointment planned, and with whom?

For children, parents can add questions about school return, physical education and how to tell normal grumpiness from pain that needs attention. For older adults or people with diabetes, heart or lung conditions, asking how the operation might interact with usual medicines and whether any need temporary adjustment is worthwhile, with any change made by the prescribing clinician rather than independently.

When to call your doctor after appendix removal

Most recoveries are uneventful, and the pattern is steady improvement with the occasional off day. The signs below break that pattern and should prompt a same-day call to the treating team, the surgical ward or an urgent care line rather than waiting for a scheduled appointment.

Call promptly for a fever, or for chills and shaking, especially if they appear after the first few days. Call for abdominal pain that is getting worse instead of better, or pain that eased and then returned. Call for repeated vomiting, an inability to keep fluids down, or a belly that becomes swollen, hard and tender. Call if you have not passed wind or opened your bowels for several days alongside bloating and nausea, or if you develop persistent diarrhea with fever. Call for wound changes: spreading redness, increasing warmth or swelling, pus, a foul smell, or a wound that opens up. Call for a painful, swollen or red calf, or for breathlessness or chest pain, which can signal a blood clot and need emergency assessment. Call if you cannot pass urine, or if there is blood in urine or stool.

Seek emergency care immediately, by calling emergency services, for severe or rapidly worsening abdominal pain, fainting, confusion, chest pain, difficulty breathing, or heavy bleeding from a wound. These are the red flags the NHS and Mayo Clinic highlight for people recovering from appendicitis surgery.

A gentler rule also applies: if something feels wrong and you cannot explain why, a phone call costs nothing. Surgical teams would far rather hear about a false alarm on day five than see a delayed abscess on day fourteen. The decision about whether a symptom needs review always sits with the clinicians who know your operation, and calling them is the right first step.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to recover from appendix removal?

Most people feel close to normal about two weeks after uncomplicated keyhole appendectomy, according to NHS guidance, while open surgery or a ruptured appendix can mean up to six weeks before strenuous activity is advisable. Energy and strength tend to return more slowly than wound pain fades, and the treating team’s advice for your specific operation should guide your timeline.

How long does tiredness after appendix surgery last?

Noticeable fatigue commonly lasts one to two weeks after uncomplicated keyhole surgery and several weeks after open surgery or a rupture. It is driven by the body’s inflammatory response and by disrupted sleep and reduced eating around the operation. Steady improvement is the expected pattern; fatigue that worsens after initially improving, especially with fever, should be reported to your care team.

What can I eat after appendectomy?

Start with fluids, move to small bland meals such as toast, soup, rice, yogurt and eggs for the first few days, then return to a normal balanced diet as appetite recovers, usually within the second week. Protein supports healing and fiber with fluids helps prevent constipation. No food needs to be avoided long term, because the appendix has no essential digestive function.

How do appendectomy scars heal and will they fade?

Keyhole scars are usually two to four marks under 15 millimeters, and open scars are a single line of several centimeters. They look red and raised for the first few months, then flatten and pale over a year or more. Keeping the wound clean until sealed and protecting it from sun in the first year gives the best chance of a faint scar, though no scar disappears completely.

Why does my shoulder hurt after keyhole appendix surgery?

Carbon dioxide gas used to inflate the abdomen during laparoscopic surgery can irritate the diaphragm, and because the same nerve carries sensation from the shoulder, the irritation is felt there. This referred pain is common and usually settles within one to three days as the gas is absorbed. Walking and changing position help. Shoulder pain with breathlessness or chest pain is different and needs urgent assessment.

Laparoscopic vs open appendectomy recovery: what is the real difference?

Keyhole surgery usually means going home within about 24 hours and resuming light activity within days, while open surgery often involves several days in hospital and up to six weeks avoiding heavy exertion, per NHS guidance. The gap narrows if the appendix ruptured, because infection lengthens recovery regardless of incision size. Surgeons choose the open approach when it is the safer option for what they find.

When can I drive after appendix removal?

You can generally drive once you are no longer taking sedating painkillers, can perform an emergency stop without hesitation, and can twist to check mirrors comfortably. For many people that is around one to two weeks after keyhole surgery and longer after open surgery. Check your insurance policy, as some insurers set their own waiting periods, and confirm with your treating team.

Is it normal to be constipated after appendectomy?

Yes. Anesthesia slows the bowel, eating is reduced around surgery, and opioid painkillers, if prescribed, are strongly constipating. Walking, drinking fluids and eating fiber usually restore normal habits within a few days. If you have not opened your bowels for several days and also have bloating, vomiting or worsening pain, contact your care team, because that combination can indicate a blockage.

Can appendicitis come back after the appendix is removed?

True appendicitis cannot recur once the appendix is gone, but a rare condition called stump appendicitis can inflame a small remnant left at the base. People treated with antibiotics alone, without surgery, can develop appendicitis again, which Mayo Clinic notes happens in a meaningful proportion of cases. New lower-right abdominal pain after an appendectomy still deserves medical assessment.

What are the warning signs of infection after appendix surgery?

Watch for fever or chills, abdominal pain that worsens or returns after improving, repeated vomiting, a swollen hard belly, or wound changes such as spreading redness, pus, a bad smell or the wound opening. These can signal a wound infection or a deeper abscess, which typically appear several days to two weeks after surgery. Any of them warrants a same-day call to your treating team.

References

• NHS: Appendicitis, Treatment
• MedlinePlus: Appendectomy

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor about your individual situation.