Advice Please

It’s is a tough disease to cope with. Try the diet to treat its and keep a journal of foods that cause inflammation. In time it will get better. Yogurt is also a good way to supply good bacteria in the gut. Helped med tremendously. Probiotics help and no fried foods fatty foods can be a trigger for many with its. 

 

Exhaustion seems to be one of my main problems. I have been off of the antibiotics for a week and no sign of energy here.

I think the exhaustion comes from lack of nutrition. When we are having flare ups we either don’t eat or are on a liquid diet. I was so tired for like 3 weeks. I think a Probiotic is extremely important. Good luck!

Hi Hazel

Sorry you have had such a dreadful time this year.  Exhaustion and depression are very common after an attack of diverticulitis, and yours was worsened by the kidney infection.  The massive doses of antibiotics do have long lasting effects - they strip out all the good bacteria along with the bad stuff.  Also your body is putting all it's energy into healing.  So this can last for a good few months, as your doctor suggested. 

Having live yogurts and probiotics are good ways of replenishing the good bacteria, but I have read that can take up to a year to get back to normal.  I was also recommended to take pure Aloe Vera juice, (not the drink with added juice - it's too weak), a teaspoon twice a day.  It's a natural remedy used in the Canary Islands for centuries.  It tastes foul but it did help me, and has helped others.  Now I take an Aloe Vera capsule each morning.  I also take psyllium husk (Fybogel or Metamucil) each day, but I have no idea if that is appropriate for IBD - your doctor would know (I hope).  Learning to pace yourself and getting plenty of rest is also important.  It will take time and patience to rebuild your strength and stamina.  You mentioned your diet, which is also very important.  I looked up IBD diet as I know little about it, just the diet for Diverticular Disease.  This is what I found.

Things you should include in your diet.

- 8-10 glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration

- Carbohydrates with more soluble fiber (oat bran, legumes and barley).  Insoluble fibre (comes out the way it goes in - ie skins, seeds, corn) is not good as it irritates your insides.

- Proteins like lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, poultry and soy.  Remove all the skin, grill, steam or bake - don't fry

- Healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil and canola oil.  Salmon, trout, mackerel.  I wrap in a parcel with skinned seeded tomatoes, skinned peppers, sliced mushrooms and bake.

- Deeply colored (skinless and seedless) fruits and cooked peeled vegetables.  I make loads of soups and blend until smooth.  Lots of soluble fibre that way.

- Vitamin and mineral supplements, if your doctor approves

 - Dairy/calcium (dairy substitute if you're lactose intolerant).  I personally find I can only take fat free dairy - milk, cheese, as semi or full fat is one of my trigger foods and gives me DD pain.

If you have active disease:

The following chart can help you make the right choices to help ease, or help prevent, discomfort during active disease:

Avoid

 - Your trigger foods (foods that have caused you problems before).  Another of my trigger foods is gluten and wheat products, so I had gluten free bread and pasta

 - Certain high-fiber foods.  Keep a diary and if you get symptoms, note what you had, and if it keeps happening then you know to avoid that food.

 - Nuts, seeds and popcorn.  Many doctors would disagree with this, many sufferers would not!

 - High-fat foods and processed foods.  No takeaways!!

 - Caffeine.  I only ever drink water and de-caf tea

 - Alcohol

 - Spicy foods

 - Raw fruits and vegetables (especially ones with skins)

 - Prunes

 - Beans

 - Dairy products as tolerated

 - Large food portions.  

Choose:

- Fruit juices

 - Applesauce and bananas

 - Bland, soft foods

 - Plain cereals, white rice and refined pastas.  The temptation is to go for wholegrain as it contains more fibre but your insides need gentle handling

 - Fully cooked vegetables and potatoes without skin

 - Small, more frequent meals. Some people manage best on 4/5 snack meals a day.

 - Nutritional supplements if loss of appetite

 - Vitamins and mineral supplements, if your doctor approves

 - Protein as tolerated, such as lean meats, fish and soy

Talk to your doctor or dietitian to learn more about the link between food and IBD, and to design a meal plan that meets your nutritional needs and helps you manage IBD and Diverticular Disease.  The latest official line for DD is eat what you like, but sufferers will tell you that's not true.  We are all individuals, each of us reacts differently and we must find our own way.  I have a similar problem to you as I have just been diagnosed with diabetes, so am having to learn to adjust my diet.  I see the dietician next week.

Best wishes and hope you feel better.

 IBD​?  You will get better it takes time especially how your infection spread and having to be on so many antibotics for so long! What antibotics did they finally send you home on for 10 more days? Any other meds they gave you to take too?