In Agony at moment with extensive Diverticular Disease and looking for advice and help.

Oh Thank you Stephanie for answering. Yes I had CT scan 2 days ago and also the camera up my back passage. Been told the disease is extensive and they want to try and control the inflamation with antibiotics as they dont want to operate until its absolutely necessary. The complications i have at present is that i also suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis and i am currently taking Methotrexate to keep inflamation levels down for this but Methotrexate is very potent and an Immuno Suppressant drug and cancels out antibiotics. Been off the Methotrex for a few weeks now to give antibiotics a chance to work but blood results show infection levels are coming down but i am wondering if its still inflamation thats causing this pain and its something i just need to see through. Just at the end of my tether with pain and taking tramadol and paracetamol every 4 hrs.

Hi Jane,

If the disease is extensive I'm surprised they have not offered you the choice of surgery. Poor you with added complications, it's bad enough on its own never mind arthritis on top. I insisted that they do something for me as I just couldn't cope living as I was, constant pain, half my life on the loo, struggling to eat anything that didn't make me ill. If you got this under control you'd feel so much better. I had my op 2 years ago and although difficult and long recovery no regrets at all. I would try and see your consultant again and push for surgery. In the long run it seems to be the only solution. I do hope you have some help and support whilst you are feeling so poorly.

Thank you so much Stephanie, do you have a stoma bag now? And if so, does it help or do you still suffer?

No I didn't end up with a bag (but it's something that can't be guaranteed until they have a look inside). I was very lucky, my surgeon said my

Bowel was ready to perforate at any time and I had already had peritonitis twice by then. I still of course have diverticular disease but the very worst part has been take away. I sometimes have a bit of pain but it's nothing compared to before. I've had six abdo surgeries and I am 6 weeks post last one which was to repair incisional hernia. Much worse than the bowel resection! i was very apprehensive about surgery, and possibly having a bag, but so so glad I went ahead now. Things are about 80 per cent better and I lead a more or less normal life now. Obviously your choice but from one sufferer to another push for surgery! Can I ask how old you are? I was 48 when I had it done x

Thank you for your help and patience Stephanie. I was 56 years old yesterday but normally reasonably healthy and active. Just have good and bad days with the Rheumatoid but nothing has ever made me as ill as i feel now and this has been my 3rd time in a year i have been admitted to hospital and put on drips. Dont know what the next stage is but at the moment i could quite easily say give me the op. Just dont know how long it usually takes for attacks like this to settle. Thanks very much for your advice. Its so reassuring to hear you are not alone in your suffering and other people understand. Xx

Thank you so much Julie. X

Oh Thank you so very much Jaqueline! I am not usually a depressed kind of person but today has just got to me and i was desperate to contact other sufferers for help and advice. Defo not going to be eating anything, only drinking water, and if it takes 8 days then i will be happy theres light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you so much!! Xx

Ask someone to get you bottled flavoured STILL water ,much nicer

than tap water 

Aldi sell four packs. peach is very nice, I drink it all the time now .I 

buy a trolley load at a time,  

Lie on your back ,raised up enough so you can watch the tele.

 

Thank you very much Jaqueline, will defo try aldi flavoured water. Its aldi still water i'm on just now. Lol! Just heading back to bed now as I have been up for an hour and still very sore. This lying in bed caper doesnt agree with me but have to admit i really do need it all the time just now. Thank you so very much for all your help and advice! So glad I found this Forum!!!

. staying in bed is NOT a caper, it's necessary to keep your

guts quiet and relaxed. Be patient ,it won't heal overnight

Sleep tight   J .x  

Thank you! Really appreciated! Xx

Keep in mind too that the strong antibiotics can cause or worsen diarrhoea. Flagyl can make you feel ill generally. You should also think about starting a probiotic to repopulate your gut with good bacteria. Aloe vera juice can also help with inflammation. As Jacqeline says rest is very important as the liquid diet does not give much energy for daily tasks. I found after being on a drip for several days in the hospital that the first meals they gave me caused pain.

Thanks Madge, i am drinking small actimel in the morning and if i feel like it, taking the odd probiotic yogurt through the day. But thats the maximum I am able to eat right now, so hopefully its just inflamation that needs to settle. But thanks again for your input. Appreciated. X

It would be better to take the probiotic capsules as well. There is a lot of controversy about how much of tye good bacteria actually get through the digestive system to the colon where they are needed. Some studies have shown some sucess for Actimel but not for ordinary probiotic yoghurt.

Madge is right, the probiotic capsules ,cause nothing but good bacteria

to go bad bacteria bashing, and win. Plus you don't have to keep visiting 

the supermarket to stock up, there is a 100 tabs in a jar 

Thank you very much I will. X