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Just been diagnosed as a diverticulitis sufferer...... Advice needed

Posted , 13 users are following.

Edinburgh_Lass
Edinburgh_Lass

Hi all

i am a fifty year old woman who has just spent the last week in hospital and whilst there have been diagnosed with Diverticulitis. I am now looking for advise on what I can include in my diet and what foods are forbidden, I have to return to the hospital to have a colonoscopy. I have suffered from IBS for some years and thought it was just a flare up of IBS. Never suffered such bad stomach cramps before, I actually thought these pains were worst than labour pains.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

​Thanks :-)

2 likes, 22 replies

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  • mel36565
    mel36565 Edinburgh_Lass

    Posted

    Hi, I hope you are feeliing better. Please see my discussion 'DD, Hypothyroidism and Gallstones/Food diary' for some help on the best way to find out what you can eat.

    If things are really bad go onto liquids for a couple of days but NO MILK - try almond milk as an alternative.Good Luck, Melx

    • Edinburgh_Lass
      Edinburgh_Lass mel36565

      Posted

      Hi Mel

      Where do i find your discussion page.... and thank you for your response.

      Heather x

  • Jellyncustard13
    Jellyncustard13 Edinburgh_Lass

    Posted

    I am also quite new to divi, have had a nasty flare up lately, and have got through two lots of antibiotics in a month, and have a box on stand-by. 

    What has been working for me is,loads of water, particularly first thing in morning, then a probiotic ( I open the capsule and tip the powder on to a slice of banana, I have a thing about plastic type casings) I then use the remaining banana in porridge, maybe with a slice pear - peeled first. When porridge is cooked ( micro wave ) I add to it a dessert  spoon of any old yogurt/ cremefresh plus milk. I try to leave a good half hour between taking the probiotic and taking anything hot as heat destroys the good bacteria.  Last thing at night I mix up and take a fybogel powder.  

    I won't list the rest of my diet throughout the day, as I'm quite sure there will be lots of other people offering advice, apart from that please take it as read that I ate sensibly the rest of the day, and felt pretty well,  but unfortunately I have now been diagnosed as coelic and will now have to re-think my diet, and will be looking for advice from people who live with both conditions themselves.

    hope some of this helps.

    good luck

     

    • Edinburgh_Lass
      Edinburgh_Lass Jellyncustard13

      Posted

      Hi Jelly........

      Thank you for your quick response. Sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with Coeliac disease as well. What antibiotics have you got on stand-by?

      I will try the probotic and fybrogel powder as well. Will try anything.

      Keep positive.... :-)

  • lynne25152
    lynne25152 Edinburgh_Lass

    Posted

    Hello, I'm new to the forum and have suffered with flare ups of diverticulitis for around 8 years. I ended up in hospital 3 weeks ago after feeling really unwell but had no pain in the area where you would normally get the diverticulitis pain. So this time it had started totally different and is a bit worrying. I spent a week on IV antibiotics, had a CT scan and was diagnosed with clusters of small abscesses in an area that couldn't be drained. I'm at home now and obviously want to avoid another bout where I end up in hospital.

    I'm usually good about diet avoiding seeded bread, tomato seeds, sweet corn etc, but had been eating a lot of strawberries which do have tiny seeds on the outside. A dietician in hospital said if you suffer from diverticulitis, avoid strawberries and raspberries, which I love but if they have to be cut out my diet then so be it.

    There appears to be a lot of conflicting information about diet and diverticulitis ,such as eat plenty foods with fibre so I suppose it's a case of sussing out foods with fibre but without seeds, nuts or anything that can become trapped. 

    I am going to ask my GP if I can see a dietician to see if I can gain any more information. If I manage to see one I will put info on forum.

    Hope you are feeling better now. After all the antibiotics I have no energy and it's taking me a while to pull round so I  want to avoid any more flare ups.

    • Edinburgh_Lass
      Edinburgh_Lass lynne25152

      Posted

      Thank you Lynne. I too was told no nuts, seeds and definately no sweetcorn. I also want to see a dietician for a better understanding of this illness.

      Thankfully i was only in hospital for three days on an intravenoeus drip, so sympathise with you being there for five. But you were in the best place.

      Has your doctor prescribed any medication?

      So now i will start sussing out what works and what doesn't. I certainly do not want a flare up like this again either.

      I had no energy when i initiallly came out of the hospital but i am getting stronger every day. How long after being out of hospital did it take you to be fully recovered?

      Thankfully my boss is letting me just do his VAT returns and then i can do what hours I can manage.

       

    • lynne25152
      lynne25152 Edinburgh_Lass

      Posted

      The hospital discharged me with oral antibiotics to take which finished a week ago and I still feel a bit washy washy, no energy and I don't think I'm fully recovered (the doc in hospital said it would take a couple of weeks to pull round from this latest bout) but they gave me no other medication.

      I am seeing my GP this week for an spare pack of antibiotics to take away on holiday just as a precaution and it will make me feel a bit happier knowing I have them just in case.

      I do have an appointment when I return from holiday for a flexi sigmoidoscopy and an appointment with the consultant the following day. 

      I can't imagine having to fit in a job with this debilitating condition. I do sympathise and hope your boss continues to be understanding.

    • Edinburgh_Lass
      Edinburgh_Lass lynne25152

      Posted

      Morning Lynne 

      just noticed your reply this morning, sorry.

      what antibiotics where you given? 

      I agree it will take some time to get over my latest bout of DD. I thought it was just IBS for years( so my drs said) and took the appropriate meds. But over the last month I was in so much pain, feeling sick, diarrhoea and being sick that I knew something wasn't right. Now glad that I have got a diagnoses, however shame there is no cure but it can be managed.

      yes I too have an appt after my colonoscopy. 

      I do struggle with my job at times. But my boss is good about it all. As I can work from home sometimes he leaves me to my own devices and just keep in contact with him.

      Heather biggrin

  • Jellyncustard13
    Jellyncustard13 Edinburgh_Lass

    Posted

    The spare anti-biotics I have are Co-amoxicilav ( prescription only) Dr gave them me as I was going abroad on holiday.

    do also drink lots of water as it will help flush your system.

    i also asked Dr advice on tomato, strawberries seeds etc, he said eat whatever you like ! Conflicting I know with other Drs advice.  Think it gets down to you as an individual as to what suits.

  • Marmee
    Marmee Edinburgh_Lass

    Posted

    I have just been diagnosed and will have a colonoscopy in few weeks. Maybe it is true that misery loves company!! I am indeed sorry for all your pain but I am trusting for a good outcome for us all. A neighbor from across the ocean!!
    • Edinburgh_Lass
      Edinburgh_Lass Marmee

      Posted

      Thank you Marmee

      Hopefully we shall both have a better idea in a few weeks. Not been too bad this week, just a few nightly twinges. Mind you not really eaten much as when I do it doesn't stay in for too long (TMI) so I get disheartened and sometimes I don't bother eating. It's a vicious circle. Have a good week my friend :-)

    • Edinburgh_Lass
      Edinburgh_Lass Marmee

      Posted

      Thank you for your concerns MarmeeHopefully.

      hopefully in a few weeks we will both have answers. Sorry to hear you too have been diagnosed with diverticulitis. Painful but manageable. I am in a vicious circle, as when I try to eat some food it doesn't want to stay in my system for long (TMI) so it puts me off eating. Then I am too weak and have no energy, so that is not good. Have had a few niggley twinges but I have coped with paracetamol, and codeine. 

      Let us both try and have a better week :-)

  • Marmee
    Marmee Edinburgh_Lass

    Posted

    I hope this weekend finds you a bit better. I spoke with a man at church is morning whose symptoms were just pain- for a period of hours. This is a ver weird disease$$ I am calling my internist tomorrow as I am still having pain and rushing to bathroom - or l

  • Marmee
    Marmee Edinburgh_Lass

    Posted

     Oops -hit send button. Remembering all our friends. Will tell y
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