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Earthguy69 t1_j23peth wrote

Reply to comment by Fetlocks_Glistening in TIL of Dick Roth, a swimmer who was diagnosed with appendicitis shortly before the men’s 400m individual medley in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. He refused an immediate operation and instead swam in the finals, winning a gold medal. by alexjpg

>So no overlap with IBS, or excessive gas

When you palpate the abdomen there is a big difference between gas and ibs. Also the history. In modern times you can also take blood samples. Ibs or gas doesn't cause a measurable inflammation in the blood.

>, or, I don't know, an ulcer in the right place?

An ulcer the lower right abdomen (meaning large intestine distal part of the small bowel is extremely uncommon, especially in a previously healthy young male.

> Or a sports injury, muscle/tendon stuff

Again, when you palpate the abdomen an injury will be different from an appendicitis but again you can take blood samples.

> or hernia?

A hernia is something you would feel. It's also not something you get in your abdomen in that place. It's usually in other places. It's also not super common for a a young adult to suddenly develop it. If the hernia gets strangulated the pain is extreme and would warrant operation regardless.

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Illustrious-Scar-526 t1_j24h4c8 wrote

So in your opinion, how much pain do you think dick was in? Sounds like it hurt but it wasn't full blown appendicitis hurt. I have never experienced it, but I have had people describe it to me so I can't imagine anyone would be able to move much. My friend told me he collapsed while trying to get out of a car when it happened, and he couldn't move and an ambulance was required.

Then again, some people are crazy and can just ignore pain like that when their goal is on the line, especially anyone who aspires to be an Olympian or professional athlete.

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Prinzka t1_j25m8zc wrote

>Sounds like it hurt but it wasn't full blown appendicitis hurt. I have never experienced it, but I have had people describe it to me so I can't imagine anyone would be able to move much.

That's actually one of the things that made it difficult for the doctors to diagnose me.
They said normally with acute appendicitis people are in so much pay they're literally unable to move.
I traveled for several days even after it burst. So when I just walked in to a doctor's office they didn't think it could be that.

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