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my sister was admitted to hospital yestoday for testd and she has infected Divertiularitis. She came home with antibiotics. she normally has a high pain threshhold however she is in terriable pain in her stomach and when the right side is pressed she gets pain on the left. she also has a bad headache and cant sleep with the pain being strong. is this normal for this condition. she thinks she may of had it once befors but not as strong in2008. advice please from fellow suffererd.
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Guest angiegirl
Posted
Hi Angie
There is a specific Forum on this site for Diverticula and Diverticulitis. Click on Discussion Forums, then D, then scroll down to Diverticula. There are loads of posts and helpful information specific to this condition, which is different from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, although lots of the symptoms are the same. One question - what were the tests? The definitive diagnosis is with a sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy or CT scan, otherwise it is just an educated guess.
A diverticulum is a small pouch in the colon, in many ways similar to the appendix. More than one diverticulum are diverticula. When food becomes trapped in one or more pouches, an inflammation and infection is set up. This is diverticulitis and is what your sister has. The usual treatment is a course of 2 antibiotics. The recommended painkiller is paracetemol unless your sister has a medical reason why she can't take it.
The pain can be very fierce and might come over in waves or spasms. It could be sharp stabs, the tummy could be rigid and very tender to touch. The pain is usually on the lower left side, but not always. Just below the tummy button and the right side are also common sites. Once the antibiotics kick in after a couple of days the pain should ease slowly. A hot water bottle will help.
We fellow sufferers on the forum find the hospitals and doctors fairly poor with their information, because this disease affects everyone differently, and what treatment suits one, does not suit another. It is a case of trial and error.
Your sister should have been told clear fluids only for the next few days - black tea/coffee, water, clear fruit juice, clear jelly, clear soup. NO FIBRE at all, to give the bowel a chance to rest. Once the pain eases a low residue diet can be started, like meal replacement drinks, yogurt, chicken soup, steamed fish, mashed potato. The Diverticula Forum has loads of ideas. This should be followed for a couple of weeks. Then small amounts of soluble fibre can slowly be reintroduced, in the form of puree of vegetables, blended soups. I personally follow for example: meal replacement drink, home made blended soup and mashed banana, steamed fish with puree of potato, carrot, swede and parsnip, decaf tea and water. The normal recommendation for maintenance is a high fibre diet but that does not suit all. Many people come home from hospital having been told high fibre, but not advised to rest the bowel for a couple of weeks first. They immediatley tuck into bread and All Bran and feel worse!
Different foods can trigger an attack and it is a case of trial and error to find out any person's particular triggers. Mine are gluten, wheat, full fat. For others it can be any combination of nuts, seeds, popcorn, dairy, red meat, spices, skins (like potato or apple) etc. The best way to tackle is to keep a food diary at the stage of reintroducing fibre.
As for prevention or maintenance, most of us take a stool softener. This is to bulk and soften the stools, make them easier to pass and prevent a build up of faeces, thus reducing the chance of trapping and infection. In the UK this is usually Fybogel, and in the USA Metamucil. Available on prescription or over the counter. I also take pure Aloe Vera Juice 2 tsp a day (revolting but good for internal infection and pain relief) plus a probiotic drink to maintain good gut bacteria.
I must warn you that this is a disease for life and a flare can take a long time to completely subside - weeks or even months. I have had this disease for 16 years now and have had 5 flares. Eight months after my flare in August I still have some nagging pain first thing in the morning but then I am pain free most days once I have had the 1st bowel movement. So I just get on with life as normal. I never let it stop me taking part in competitive sport. Most people have more frequent BM - for me it is 4 - 6 times a day, but you have to wee that much so it's not a problem for me. I read of people scared to leave the house but I simply take common sense precautions - a spare pair of panties, and some cleansing wipes. Also knowing where the nearest loo is. Some people do suffer from constipation as well. Bloating is also common, but mine greatly reduced once I had identified gluten as a trigger.
But once you have adjusted your diet, given your system time to adjust (and that can take a few weeks - I would not advise jumping from one thing to another every couple of days just because it does not work instantly, and that makes things worse), you will find managing simply becomes a way of life. Yes, there will be pain, discomfort and flare ups, unless your sister is lucky. But I went 6 years between flare 1 and 2, and a further six years to flare 3.
This is a lot of information to take in, so I suggest your sister trawl through the Forum, and not be put off by some of the information. Many people come to it in pain and fear, but after a few weeks are feeling much better. I was one of them!!! Best wishes to you both.
borderriever angiegirl
Posted
If she is bad tomorrow explain this to Her Doctor, I would not wish to take anything that could upset the colon.
Has the GP introduced your Sister to a revised diet yet ??
BOB
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