Diverticulitis and possible colitis...in some pain and hungry

I can only speak of life as it is for someone with Diverticular Disease. First bout of infection in 2006 - so have lived with it a long time.  Usually about three bouts a year; then a period of ten months with a bout every month and ill more than I was well.  Started taking Acidophilis from Holland and Barrett health stores (UK) in July last year and have not had a bout since!! I feel I have my life back - all because of a tablet....and of course being very careful NOT to eat seeds, nuts, pips or skins - so that rules out several fruits inc the centre of bananas; and all dried fruit like sultanas, currents, figs etc - never forget, when the fruit is dried; so are the skins and pips....so just don't have them!!  Some spicy foods give me pain within hours (anything with garlic and I am in pain) but this varies from person to person.  Some cannot tolerate cabbage or broccoli - the barasica family can cause wind; and these foodstuffs you will learn for yourself the hard way - not an infection; just a nasty and painful reaction to certain food types.....east to mistake for an infection as the pain can be as bad.  My advice is to take high dose 20 billion Acidophilis every day (keep in fridge).  When you are in pain; be it from a reaction to a food; or from an infection - the less you eat the better.....and bland; bland; bland....white rice; white chicken; white toast etc clear soups or meal replacements like Complan or Slimfast - to give your gut a rest.  Never over eat.  You will get pain quite quickly.  Better to eat little and often.  There. That is the advice from me; others will have different stories to tell - but there is generally a common theme of no seeds, nuts, pips, skins, heavy spices - and try foods in every food group outside those items with caution til you know your gut is OK with it.  Lots find they cannot eat onions; but I am so far fine with them.  The illness is never the same from one person to the next - but the pain is diabolical....!!

Thanks Christine.  At the mo I am 3 days into the drugs but it's been an awful journey so far.  Never coul tolerate onions or raisins but loved them both.  I have been taking those since November and another brand I got in the states while I was there.  I think the pred foam really set it off but maybe after all this time I may get an answer finally since really I haven't stopped bleeding since May 2015. I did manage a tin of spaghetti at lunch but have had mashed potatoes with a bit of marg and a few creamed crackers but ugggg.. It's not sitting well! Oh well... At least I'm still sitting albeit feeling full on very little but still the brain has said its not enough!

When my mother was very ill; she had eaten little for days but then asked for a jacket potato (in hospital) that I could mash for her.  I said it was too heavy for someone who had eaten so little.  She insisted and we mashed it well - but it was still a potato and as such was way too "heavy" for her - to say it did not sit well was an understatement.  She had the most awful gut pains for many hours.  It really is best to stick to the lightest foods possible when the gut is inflamed - boiled or scrambled eggs rather than "heavy" potato or pasta.  Or liquid meal replacements. Clear soups and broths. We all have to learn; sometimes we take the advice of others; sometimes we suffer because we make the wrong decision about what we thought was best for us; and get it badly wrong.

This pred foam, did that go up your back passage? I was given stool pills, voltatol once in er. I was in pain to start with but it was 10 times worse after. I don't think it's a good idea, rectal medication in diverticular disease. It really, really hurt bad