Diagnosed with severe diverticulosis
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hi,
I am new to this site!
I have been diagnosed with severe diverticulosis with narrowing of the sigmoid colon following a colonoscopy in July. I had been getting painful cramps and occasional episodes of scant blood and mucus in stool over a five year period.
A bad week last April resulted in a GP visit and possible diverticulitis was diagnosed. I had no temp or abnormal blood results so no treatment other than a bland, low residue diet for a few days. It eventually eased and I felt better.
I saw a consultant and had biopsies taken during colonoscopy which ruled out colitis or Crohn's. The consultant doesn't want to see me again so I am now left to to get on with it, basically! No treatment, no advice.
Through trial and error I have found that a diet of mainly soluble fibre lessens periods of pain. Insoluble fibre increases my symptoms. Therefore, I eat a boring diet of mash potato, root veg, eggs and low fibre cereals, peeled fruit......no seeds, no corn, in fact nothing that could irritate the colon. I have found that the recommended high fibre diet does not work for me.
I was told to limit red meat and junk foods as this has caused the problems in the first place! Well, I have been a vegetarian all my life, ate very healthy foods, plenty of fresh fruit and veg, whole grains and pulses and never any junk foods. I have never been constipated in my life!
Needless to say, I am sad and anxious as I feel out on a limb and shocked to have this diagnosis.
I still get episodes of cramps which tend to be worse through the night and recently I have been getting pressure feelings in the abdomen which wake me at 4am and so I'm pretty tired a lot of the time.
I have read many of the posts on this site and they are very informative and supportive. I look forward to chatting with you all. United we stand!!!
Brannie
0 likes, 23 replies
Guest brannie42
Posted
I too was vegetarian for most of my life, and have severe sigmoid diverticular disease.
I often wondered if maybe too much insoluble fiber may have contributed to it.
It looks like you're following pretty much the same diet as I am. Upon the advice of my doctor, I have dropped gluten and lactose, plus any gas causing foods. I cook and chew my foods well.
After about three months, I noticed that those 4 am feelings of pain and pressure had lessened.
I don't know what in the gluten free Catelli pasta is bothering me, but everytime I eat it, I have that middle of the night pain and discomfort.
A general guideline for diet is just that. We then have to tailor it according to our individual reactions and requirements.
brannie42 Guest
Posted
Gosh, yes, it's good to hear other experiences and, like you, I have been gluten and lactose free for some years. I tend to buy Sainsbury's GF pasta and am fine with it. It cooks well, too.
I also wonder if all the healthy high fibre foods that I have eaten through my life have contributed or even caused the diverticulitis.....a contradiction to what the medical professionals tell us. I don't think that enough is known about DD.
Most of my pain is at night. I dread waking in the middle of the night with a full bladder as a visit to the bathroom means my guts will wake up,too. Back to bed and the cramps will begin within a minute or two. I have found that lying on my back can sometimes halt the pains and I can go back to sleep. If I somehow sleep through the night I will wake with cramps and pressure at 5.30am and have to get to the bathroom. Then I might be OK for the rest of the day. I might even have a few days feeling really fine. But it never lasts for long. Some evenings the cramps and pain wilI start after a meal and continue until morning. I have probably only had 2 very painful flares that I can say was diverticulitis but the milder symptoms of "symptomatic diverticulosis" keep smouldering on day after day.
However, diet certainly lessens the frequency of the symptoms.
x
miriam65408 brannie42
Edited
Hi Brannie, I haven't really much to add as you've got some wonderful replies here. I haven't got DD but I visit this group occasionally to warn about the dangers of the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin (and the rest of the Fluoroquinolone group). It's often given for DD problems - and is very effective, don't get me wrong - the problem is it's too flippin effective and can create absolute havoc in your body! I know many in this discussion that will say it's a life saver but there are also many in the Fluoroquinolone antibiotics pages that will say it's completely ruined their lives.
If you do get so you need antibiotics do watch out for this one and preferably get something else instead. Hopefully you'll be able to manage without anything which would be great. I'm sure you know that antibiotics (especially Cipro) will clear your gut of all your helpful flora so will actually leave you much worse off.
I'm in the UK, vegetarian for donkey's years, 65 and very keen to stay healthy! Hopefully I'm not brewing a disaster in my gut right now! I found Michael Mosley's book 'Clever guts' very helpful as he explains all about how to eat to keep your gut and its flora very happy. I notice you haven't mentioned oats in your soluble fibre list and I swear by these so maybe they'll be of some help? I don't eat much in the way of pulses either as I think these can be a bit aggressive in the gut - but then, we're all different. As Mosley says, our microbiomes are all truly unique consisting of billions of flora of all different types. All we can do is trial and error I guess. I do think keeping a food diary is essential to help you keep track of what's going on - good luck!
brannie42 miriam65408
Posted
Thank you, Miriam. I have put that info into my little grey cells and it's duly noted! I pray I will not be bad enough to have to take antibiotics but I will certainly take on board what you said about Cipro in the event that I have to. It's very thoughtful of you to post me given that you don't suffer from this monster called DD.
I say welcome to a fellow veggie. I am known by my family and friends as "the healthy one" because I have always looked after myself and eaten healthy wholefoods and never eaten animals.....but I do have baked fish on occasion now. I am totally knocked out by my diagnosis and this actually proves that it isn't low fibre and constipation that causes DD.
Thanks for the info on the book, too. I'll look into getting that.
What a great site this is.....I joined just a day ago and already feel less stressed. So much help. I've even booked to go to a fundraising event dinner for an animal charity tomorrow. I have not eaten out in 3 years so not sure I'll eat anything but it's a start. Lol!
Yes, I keep a food diary and have done for 4 years...it's something I would advise anyone with tummy issues to do.
Thank you again.
x
miriam65408 brannie42
Posted
Hi Brannie,
Every little helps! If we all help each other in any way we can it can't do any harm.
I was reading through your other replies and comments and I noticed you say more than once about how stressful this all is. Anxiety and time bomb are also mentioned. I don't want to sound trite but stress, anxiety and all the rest of it actively encourage inflammation - you can look it up, but that might make you even more stressed. Lots of studies show that relaxation techniques do work (they often look at this on programmes such as trust me i'm a doctor) so please do try to ditch some of this anxiety. Perhaps do a Scarlet O'Hara and keep putting off the bad thoughts until tomorrow! However you do it, less stress and more relaxation will help so please do look into this (yoga, tai chi, mindfulness, music, whatever).
I'm sure it isn't good to be feeling nervous whenever you eat in case it kicks something off. I can't tell you how to relax about it but hopefully you can make a start and will soon see some improvements and adjustments.
Stay strong.
brannie42 miriam65408
Posted
You know, you are right! I really do need to try to relax more. It's not easy when I fear the pains or another flare but I really do need to stop being so anxious. I love music, especially opera, and I used to enjoy craft and painting. All this seems to have dropped away. I stopped doing crafts when I found that sitting for a long stretch caused some cramps and bleeding so I am loathe to sit around for longer than 20 mins at a time. LOL! I ought to be like a gazelle!
I went for the "feel the fear but do it anyway" approach yesterday and booked an evening at an animal charity event. There's a meal and a long drive in this! I haven't done anything like it in a few years! But I was awake most of the night worrying if I would cope with a full evening and a long journey so I'm tired now! LOL!
It's a start, though, isn't it? I'm doing it and for the animals I care so much about. I'm doing it for them if I can't do it for myself!
But I'm feeling the fear and doing it anyway! and people on this site have given me the shove I so needed so I'm doing it for them, too.
Thank you so much for caring and giving such good advice.
X
miriam65408 brannie42
Posted
How did it go? I didn't mean do anything as drastic as a long drive and meal out but if you managed it, then very well done!
brannie42 miriam65408
Posted
I did it and thoroughly enjoyed the whole event! There was fantastic vegan hot dishes on offer but I stayed clear of any spices or tomatoes and went for the cauli cheese..made with vegan cheese and coconut and the delicious roast sweet potato dish....plus all kinds of soft veggies in maple and honey syrup.I didn't overdo it and paced myself. Oh, it was all so good. I actually stayed until the end and got home at 2.30am! Ha! I felt fine. It's given me the courage now to try another outing nearer Christmas. This step was huge for me but I did it....and thanks to all who made me realise that I am not the only one with this awful DD and there is life to live. Early days and I'll have some bad ones but I don't want to hang around waiting for them to happen! I was so tired afterwards but so glad I went.
Thank you.
x