Appendiceal Mucocele

Hello everyone

I’m 56 and have been diagnosed with an appendiceal mucocele having been admitted to hospital with suspected appendicitis in early April. A CT scan showed a large mass on my bowel, which cleared following aggressive IV and oral antibiotic treatment over 10 days including 5 days as a hospital Inmate. A colonoscopy confirmed the mass had gone. I then heard nothing so chased up only to be rushed through for an appointment with the colorectal consultant within 3 days of my call to the consultant’s secretary. This then was followed by an appointment for surgery with two weeks of the consultation. 7 days to go….Meanwhile, the wait is difficult and the discomfort from my appendix grows a little every day. However, the wait has helped me to finally realise that this is not classic ‘appendicitis’ but rather a tumour of the appendix. I’m quite anxious about the surgery as I’ve been told they don’t know what to expect to find until they go in. I’ve been warned that I may need a portion of my bowel removed along with the appendix. A portion may turn out to be a third of my bowel. I appreciate all eventualities must be discussed; however, I don’t seem to be able to even consider that this might have a good ending for me. My brother died from pancreatic cancer 4 years ago aged 54 and my dad died of oesophageal cancer aged 60. So it’s hard to not assume the same result for myself! The information I have read go from excellent case studies where all is well to rather grim accounts of debulking surgery due to PMP. What also worries me is that one doctor told me my appendix had been leaking. This appears to not be a good sign with appendiceal mucocele cases with 85% of leaking appendiceal micocele cases being malignant.

Has anyone on here had a similar situation with appendiceal mucocele? I’d love some advice on how to cope with the uncertainty.