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What does it mean to have tonsillitis AND appendicitis?

The last year I've experienced night sweets on and off, and about nine months ago I finally checked what could be causing them, and I noticed that lymphatic complications could. I realized that the swollen lump in my right neck what a swollen lymph node, and when i felt around I found one in the back of my neck too. I talked to my Dr. cause I was concerned, but he just suggested waiting and watching. Seven months later- he kept suggesting the same thing, even tho the lymph nodes were still present. About a month ago my tonsils started swelling. I don't have a cold or cough, but they're just swollen and not subsiding. This past week I also realized I was having a pain in my pelvic region and even testicles at times (whenever I moved suddenly). When i was running I got a strong side ache localized in my right lower abdomen, and looked it up and realized it's probably my appendix. I felt in the area (I'm pretty thin) and could feel a hardened mass that definitely isn't mirrored on my left side (same location as the pain when i was running). Is my body trying to tell me something? Neither are too bad (like cases where tonsils and appendix are removed), but they're both being effected by something. Any info would help!

Public Comments

1. I don't think you have appendicitis. It sounds like you are fighting a chronic systemic infection. I say this because of all the swollen lymph nodes. Tonsils are lymph nodes too, you know. The abdomen--specifically the intestines, including the appendix, are riddled through with many lymph nodes too. The reason is that the food you eat may contain germs, and the intestines are a great environment for microorganisms to grow in because some of them are needed to help with digestion; so the lymph nodes are there to kill off the germs that are not beneficial. I'm guessing that you have inflamed lymph nodes in your abdomen as well. Since this has been going on for 7 months and you still have no idea what it is exactly, perhaps it is time to consult a second doctor.
2. It's unlikely that the "hardened mass" you're feeling is your appendix. My surgeon said that my appendix was huge: nearly the size of the tip of his thumb. At that size I couldn't have pressure on my abdomen without almost screaming. It's more likely that the mass you are feeling is your liver or fecal matter in your large intestines. There are tendons that connect your abdominal wall to your liver which could be responsible for the pain while running, or if you are constipated, that could also be the pain. Swollen tonsils are very common, since your tonsils are part of your immune defenses. It's usually nothing to worry about unless they are also painful. My swollen tonsils were so painful that I couldn't open my mouth more than a centimeter, and the doctor still wouldn't take them out until they had been aspirated twice and treated with antibiotics for months. Overall, I think that your real problem is hypochondria. Each new "symptom" causes you to look up things on the internet, and then you are making your own diagnosis. The problem is that you are not a doctor, so you don't know all of the exclusionary diagnoses, or how to tell if your symptoms even rise to the level of pathology. It wouldn't hurt to get a full physical from your doctor just to make sure your health is fine, but then you need to take his diagnosis of good health to heart and stop trying to be your own doctor. Good luck.