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Diverticular disease

Posted , 7 users are following.

gail88746
gail88746

I am 56 and have been diabetic for nearly 20 years. I have recently been diagnosed with diverticular disease after a colonoscopy. My symptoms are severe diarrohoea , with very little warning. There does not seem to be a pattern emerging. I can go several days without diarrohoea and then two or three days running it happens. Sometimes just once and sometimes three or four times in a day.

This is very debilitating, I do not feel I can go out anywhere, in case it happens.

It is extremely embarrassing when it does happen

I feel completely washed out after it has happened and drained.

**My question is - how am I supposed to manage this?

I asked my doctor last week and she said to eat no fruit with peel on and to use Imodium. But as I dont know when it is going to happen I dont know when to take Imodium.

My husband and I have taken early retirement in order to travel etc but now I seem to be more confined to home than ever before!

What can I do?

Thank you for any help you can give.

0 likes, 20 replies

20 Replies

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  • j07363
    j07363 gail88746

    Posted

    I am very new to this disease as well but here are some dietary tips that have reduced my bathroom issues in a huge way.

    (1) no fried foods

    (2) eat fruits but no peels or seeds

    (3) no red meats, only of the meat is really tender, easier to digest.

    (4) watch your sugar intake.

    (5) veggies are fine, same as red meat though, tender and no seeds.

    (6) no dark liquids ( coke, pepsi, teas)

    (7) plenty of water.

    (8) no heavy lifting

    (9) no oily foods.

    hope this helps. if anyone else has any other tips please post as I am still learning how to live with this condition.

  • mjf3814
    mjf3814 gail88746

    Posted

    I am wondering if your DD is the reason for your runs, or there is actually some other reason? Was your colonoscopy because you had symptoms, or for any other reason? Over 50% of people over 50 have diverticula, and most are symptom free. However, increased bowel movements is common with DD. Is your diarrohoea the only symptom, or do/did you have others? Suggest you keep a food diary to see if any particular foods trigger the runs.

    I need to "go" a minimum of 4 times a day, and sometimes it can be 10+. On the practical side, I carry spare pants and wet wipes, in case I am caught short, but I don't let it stop me doing anything.

    • gail88746
      gail88746 mjf3814

      Posted

      thank you.

      I haven't found a trigger yet.

      I am awaiting results from biopsy in the colon as well but doubtful it is cancer. hospital has not let me know yet - 6 weeks on and chased up several times.

    • mjf3814
      mjf3814 gail88746

      Posted

      The good news is, if you've not heard in more than 2 weeks, and you've been chasing, it will not be cancer. There is a 2 week protocol in place if it is.

  • johnslater
    johnslater gail88746

    Posted

    Hi gail I am sorry to read about your severe divertiular desease i have also been to hell and back just as you are going through, it it a terrible desease and only gets worse as time goes on i know i have been there, i have tried all sorts of foods and nothing really works or fixes it, have you ask your doctor for a operation to see if this helps you, i do hope you can find some help of some sort to help you, like other members here have said try different foods and tick them off your list, its a hard one to sort out, best regards john,

    • johnslater
      johnslater gail88746

      Posted

      Hi gail yes i have had two big operations the last one was 9 hours surgery, if you want to read the full story on me with diverticulitis , google john slater boston lincolnshire uk and you can read all about this, clink on the lucky to be alive link and there are other links as well on the same page, best regards john,

  • ruth46022
    ruth46022 gail88746

    Posted

    I Have been in and out of hospital for approx four years with this disease. My colon now has thickening in parts due to the inflammation/ infections. I have seen a few surgeons and they all have different advice and views. It really gets you down, I am very active but this just floors me and takes a while to get back to normal...,its a vicious circle. Ive tried everything! This time I'm trying to ensure I keep my bowel movements bulky and soft by drinking psyllium husk (Regucol) and boosting my immune system with a multivitamin without iron. In the past Ive been concentrating on the foods I eat or which one's to eliminate.....Nothing seemed to work!

    Ive not long started this but hopefully it will help. Regucol has pre-biotic and pro-biotic which apparently helps with diarrohoea too. It's a horrible disease which there are no cure for......I feel we're on our own with this disease.....I hope you get your diarrohoea under control soon!

    • gail88746
      gail88746 ruth46022

      Posted

      I hope it works for you.

      are probiotics and prebiotic ok to use if you are diabetic do you know?

      I certainly felt let down by my doctor as she had not much idea about managing this condition.

      good luck

      gail

    • ruth46022
      ruth46022 gail88746

      Posted

      Thanks Gail I'm feeling much better at the moment but it's early days....I Just keep trying everything but feeling more positive this time. I have a lot less cramping and bloating and some days I'm pain free so fingers crossed.

      I'm sorry I don't really know if you can use it with being diabetic, I didn't think about that but I would certainly ask your GP.

      I was advised against surgery, I was told that I could get the infected part taken away but there was a possibility of it spreading and they were right so its now not only in my sigmoid but also on the descending now...it just scares me!

      I hope you find something to manage it...I will keep you updated.

    • mjf3814
      mjf3814 gail88746

      Posted

      I've just been diagnosed as diabetic so I too would be interested in the answers. I have a GP appointment next month and will ask the question. I suspect it may depend on whether you are Type 1 or Type 2, and whether or not you are medicated. As an unmedicated Type 2 I have been told to follow a low carb diet so I weigh and measure everything and keep below daily limits. I have to count the carbs and sugars for my daily Fybogel and Benecol, but am free to take both.

      My GP was honest and admitted she did not have much knowledge of living with DD, just the official NHS protocols. This forum has been far more help over the years.

    • jeg87780
      jeg87780 gail88746

      Posted

      HI again Gail,

      I have type 2 diabetes as well. What I try to do is work foods that have pro-biotics into my daily food plan. Things like natural plain unsweetened yogurt to which I add unsweetened fruit (mostly berries), naturally fermented dill pickles, miso paste (not boiled but added as seasoning to salad dressings etc), and again naturally fermented saurkraut (my staple). I just have to watch the sodium. I agree with the person who suggested to talk to your GP (or a nutritionist first). Better safe than sorry!

      Has anyone else had success with pro-biotics to reduce symptoms? I'm not completely pain free but I really think it has helped.

    • mjf3814
      mjf3814 jeg87780

      Posted

      Thanks j87780, that has actually helped me as well.

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