Appendectomy

Thank you so much. She is 17 so I will call him today to find out. We have a "follow-up in a week.

I would also add that a quick call to her doctor (or, if she is 18 years of age, she can call), to inquire about what activities she can/can not do would be wise. The doctor will likely err on the side of caution, but your doctor may need to hear the doctor say that roller coaster/amusement park rides are not appropriate until after her post-surgery appointment (or, after a specified number of weeks).

Thank you so much for the reply and input.

Thank you for your question. There are a few different scenarios to answer your question.

Surgery Channel.com provides some great information on postoperative recovery times for appendectomies. Specifically, if the appendix was removed as unruptured they provide the following recovery period:
Normal activities can be resumed within a few days, but it takes 4 to 6 weeks for full recovery. Heavy lifting and strenuous activity should be avoided during recovery. If antibiotics and/or pain medication are prescribed, they should be taken as directed.

As for a ruptured appendix, the following information is provided:
Recovery from surgery for a perforated appendix is longer, primarily because the infection must be treated. The hospital stay is at least 4 days and can be longer, if complications develop. The drain remains in place until the pus stops draining, and the nursing staff changes the gauze packing as needed. Intravenous antibiotics continue throughout the hospitalization.
When discharged, oral antibiotics are prescribed and should be taken as directed. The drain and gauze pack remain in place, and instructions are given on proper care of the area. It is important to inform the physician if the amount of drainage suddenly increases, or if the color and consistency changes. The drain is removed on an outpatient basis after the infection has resolved.

Regardless of the situation, having the appendix removed is surgery and your body must heal. Roller Coasters and amusement parks, offer G-force scenarios which is not conducive to healing from surgery. If you did not wait the full 4 to 6 weeks to prevent any possible damage would be detrimental. This may not satisfy your daughters taste for thrills and spills but being cautious certainly is in her best interest. I hope this helps.