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Diverticular Disease

Posted , 35 users are following.

elaineypainey
elaineypainey

sad I have now had diverticular disease for the last 12 years and have a flare up every 6 months. I have apparently 6 pouches in my colon. I still do not know what foods to eat and to avoid. I have from my own experience stopped eating certain foods. I do not eat anything with seeds in ie some fruits have seeds so the only fruit I eat is melon pineapples bananars. The doctors say you should have a high fibre diet then they say do not eat seeds. I have just discovered that I should not be eating rice. How about baked beans should I eat these or not? Please could someone tell me as at the moment I am going mad not knowing what I should be doing. sad

4 likes, 56 replies

56 Replies

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  • jill86931
    jill86931 elaineypainey

    Posted

    Ibuprofen, aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs are supposed to badly affect this condition.
    • roy27
      roy27 jill86931

      Posted

      I have DD (started about 6 years ago and confirmed with a Sigmoidoscopy). I've also been taking Aspirin regularly for a good number of years (75mg/day) but have thankfully had no further flare up of DD. (The Aspirin however has had its own side effect on stomach!). So I would check with your Doc about what meds to use.
  • em38
    em38 elaineypainey

    Posted

    Sympathising with everyone wgo us sufferimg from this painful disease sad I have 3 young children and am a single mum...i was rushed in 2 minths ago with what i found out was diventicular disease after 4 different lots of antibiotics i was slowly getting better just to be rushed back in 2 weeks ago for another week stay waiting for resukts after ct scans, colonoscopies, biopsies and xrays. They know think i may also have chrons ......deaperately trying to get better for christmas to gwt the children home and avoid another stay in hospital....im on steriods and multiple medication wondered of anyone can advise me as to hat O can do to make sure i get well properly?

    thankyou in advance Em :-)

    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 em38

      Posted

      A 3 month late hello, I have just discovered that I had somehow pressed

      the   do not follow button .Di d you recover in time for Xmas ? and how

      are you doing now?   Jac 

  • pdjhh
    pdjhh elaineypainey

    Posted

    Hi All. I was having a look at the write up on the website then saw the discussions so thought I'd have a read. I then saw people in pain (as I am occasionally) and thought I'd add what've learned so far.

    I'm a 44 year old male and have had this for maybe 2 years now although probably a little longer. It got diagnised properly only when I took myself to hospital one flare up where I then got sent to a gastro specialist. Anyway I get 2 maybe 3 flar ups a year and I"m trying to understand what happens when and what can be done.

    It is correct that you're not supposed to use Ibuprofen according to my speicalist so stay clear of that. The only pain relief that has worked for me, and has actually worked, is soluble Pandein. Not sue if it has a different name in the UK - I"m a brit but living in Australia now. Anyway, that really takes the edge off the pain. Anything with codeine in it can have a constipation effect, though, so I take as few as I can and take Coloxyl at the same time. This bout has been ok managing that way although I'm lucky enough to be able to work from home when it comes on. I could go into the office but I'm pretty much not standing up straight when it's around so would rather be home. Taking the Panadeine before bed has at least given me btter sleep than the last time I had it.

    Psycologically I do try and look at it cup half full and that twice a year for a few days is a lot less than other people suffer with their own ailments if you can manage that.

    I did take notes the last time I had a flare up and see I set myself a plan to eat high fibre supplmented by Coloxyl when things were good and I did not follow that very well. Flare ups are pretty much every 5 or 6 months so I'll try and do better this time and see if I go good for longer.

    Look after yourselves.

    Cheers.

  • justin79670
    justin79670 elaineypainey

    Posted

    Hi,diagnosed sigmoid diverticulitis 3 days ago,moderately severe.

    49 yr old male,im about to embark on high fibre diet,and i guess i will have to wait to see if i need to stay close to hospitals etc as i like camping aussie outback?

    If i had my way ,id get them to cut the diseased section out now,and take my chances.any thoughts?

    • pdjhh
      pdjhh justin79670

      Posted

      I spoke to the doctor about surgery ad read a bit about it and basically they said they never operate for this condition as a preventative. I tried the high fibre diet but actually had more flare ups. I think, though, that this might have been to do with me eating a lot of popcorn too so I've dropped that, will leave it for a while then start upping the fibre again. Good luck.
    • pdjhh
      pdjhh

      Posted

      Update on this. For me (I am mlucky) since dropping seeds and popcorn from my diet I have not had a single flare up for nearly a year now. I don't eat nuts now either but I've had the odd one hear and there with no issue (I make sure I chew them right up). Don't know if this will work for many people but it has definately worked for me and so I hope it does for others.

    • 52331
      52331 justin79670

      Posted

      Justin I had diverticulitis for 6 years and been through all the meds and fiber speech. Finally went to surgeon and he told me no surgery. He told me to get some Metamucil and you will be fine.

      Since that meeting I have had not one flare up and pain free. I take it twice per day.

    • 52331
      52331 pdjhh

      Posted

      I had diverticulitis for 6 years and been through all the meds and fiber speech. Finally went to surgeon and he told me no surgery. He told me to get some Metamucil and you will be fine.

      Since that meeting I have had not one flare up and pain free. I take it twice per day.

  • olga203
    olga203 elaineypainey

    Posted

    Hi...I was just Dx with DD this past week after spending 4 days in the PCU unit after a massive blood loss that caused me to go into shock. Needed blood transfusion 4 units in 24 hr period. I've been trying to read up on this condition, but there's not much info on diverticular bleed and life afterwards.

    im still suffering the exhaustion and anemia this DD has caused. Can anyone please tell me if this DD is going to get worse, painful, or disrupt my life as a whole. Concerned because Internet states severe hemorrages are a rare few...well I guess I'm one of the few.

    thanks in advance for any info anyone can provide...oh and I know about the high fiber, lots of liquids, and no pop corn which was my favorite :-(

  • maureen85111
    maureen85111 elaineypainey

    Posted

    This is my first post on this website.  I live in the US and have had 3 bouts of diverticulitis in the first 6 months of this year.  I find it interesting that most of the posts I've read, talk about having this disease for many years with varying number of flare ups.  Does the British medical community ever suggest surgery?  I was sent to a colorectal surgeon after my third bout and he recommended that I have sigmoid colon resection surgery.  The drugs most often used to treat the infection are Flagyl and Cipro.  These are heavy duty antibiotics that made me feel almost worse than the Diverticulitis.  I don't want to have part of my colon removed, but I'm currently having my 4th flare up.  I'm not sure how long I can hold off having surgery.  It seems I'm constantly shifting from a high fiber diet to a a diet of liquids and mush.  I feel the same way as you do, I'm never sure what to eat.  I'm grateful for the health I've had for 66 years, but never appreciated how my digestion worked so seamlessly up until now.
    • namegame
      namegame maureen85111

      Posted

      I can totally relate to how you are feeling. Recently diagnosed at age 64---no antibiotic was recommended, rather :  give the bowel a rest on liquid diet for 24 hours and then resume with soft, bland foods for 3-4 days. The only problem is...my constipation is 3-5 day bouts so the nurse practitioner gave me samples of Amitiza, first 24 mcg, then we tried 8 mcg. I can tell you I must be allergic to that in any size dosage! I have been suffering for a week with symptoms much worse than the didverticulitis.  Take this medication with caution. I got flu-like symptoms and have had to be confined to my chair for 3 days, hardly able to move. I'm going to try the flaxseed oil and see how that works for me. I'm still confused about the foods as well. 
    • madge07350
      madge07350 maureen85111

      Posted

      I know you posted this some time ago but wanted to try and help. Repeated courses of Cipro can lead to a reaction and very bad health problems. I had this combo in hospital and indeed I did feel worse on it than with the Diverticulitis before admission. I also had a reaction to the Cipro and they called the cardiologist. I will never take a fluoroquinolone antibiotic again. I have had some minor flares since the first attack but for the last six months I have been much better with only occasional twinges. I think I have been helped by taking probiotics and aloe vera juice. My gastroenterologist also wants to remove 15 cm of my colon but like you I am not keen!

      I have had to modify my diet quite a lot eating very little red meat,no berries other than blueberries and deseeding tomatoes. No figs which I adore! I also eat small meals but I 'd rather do all this than go for the op. I might have no choice in future but at the moment I am crossing my fingers!

    • maureen85111
      maureen85111

      Posted

      I am also a US resident.  My story is so similar to yours. I had three bouts of diverticulitis in the first 6 months of 2015, saw a surgeon who recommended sigmoid colon resection surgery.  I too felt worse taking the same antiobiotics.  I had a ct scan with the very first bout of diverticulitis.  I never had ct scans for the second and third bouts.  In August of 2015, I thought it was back.  The surgeon sent me for a ct scan and what to my wonder, no diverticulitis.  So then I wonder, even though I had the similar lower left pain, was it really diverticulitis?  I do better eating a low fiber diet. It has been a year since I have had the really bad lower left abdomen pain.  I get a twinge every now and then,  I did see a GI doc and he recommended Miralax.  It seems to be doing the trick.  I also take Align, a probiotic.  If I ever feel that pain, I drink clear liquids for a day or two.  I'm really glad I did not have the surgery.  I am 68 and agree with you,  I never thought about how well my digestion worked until my first bout.  I didn't eat popcorn for 18 months becuase I was too afraid that was the food that triggered my first bout.  I recently when back to popcorn and no problems.  I feel that stress is a big factor with this disease.  

    • madge07350
      madge07350 maureen85111

      Posted

      I actually think that my flares after the original one were partly to do with the Cipro. I have many symptoms of being floxed such as tendon pain and mild neuropathy . I have cartilage degeneration in my ribcage which is very painful. The further out from the floxing I get the less trouble I have had in my intestines. I try to eat a mainly organic diet as fluoroqzinolones are used in intensively reared animals and residues have been found on analysis of their flesh . Ditto for farmed fish and shrimp. At the moment I eat a medium fibre diet with no more than 3 slices of wholemeal bread a day

      Have you had a hysterectomy? I had one in 2000 and my gastro said I had some of the worst adhesions she had ever encountered when she did the colon occupy. These pull on the intestines causing pain.

    • 52331
      52331 maureen85111

      Posted

      Maureen I had diverticulitis for 6 years and been through all the meds and fiber speech. Finally went to surgeon and he told me no surgery. He told me to get some Metamucil and you will be fine.

      Since that meeting I have had not one flare up and pain free. I take it twice per day.

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