Diverticulitis and Meds (Cipro and Metronidazole: When?

PS.... I am supposed to take 500 mg of Cipro and 500 mg of Metronidazole twice daily for 10 days... is that necessary?

Switch to a liquid only diet for 48 hours if you think you are getting a flare up.  That gives your insides a rest and usually does the trick.  It enables you to differentiate between a genuine flare up and the twinges you get with this disease which are part of the healing process, not a recurrence of infection.  If I were to immediately take antibiotics at every twinge I would be on them permanently, as I wake up with a niggle most mornings, which goes after the first visit to the loo.

As for the medication, each country has a different protocol.  In the UK it is 5 - 7 days.  In the USA I have heard of people having to take the medication for 3 or 4 weeks.  In parts of Scandinavia apparently no medications are usually given and people left to heal naturally (don't see how that works with a bad infection though!!).

As for diet, everyone is different and it is trial and error to find out what triggers your symptoms.  Most people keep a food diary to work out what they can and can't eat.  I can't eat wheat/gluten or full fat.  For others it can be nuts, seeds, dairy, red meat, popcorn.  All sorts in any combination.  The most consistent advice is to make sure you have enough fibre, but it should be soluble fibre, not insoluble.  Google will give that information.  I am prescribed a daily soluble fibre supplement / stool softener called Fybogel (Metamucil in the USA).  It keeps me regular and cleaned out.  There are various ones on the market if one does not suit.

This forum will provide you with lots of helpful information.  Best wishes.

Hi bonnie it is worrying not knowing when to start on antibiotics I personally haven't been prescribed them yet thankfully I had my first attack last May I had had a few twinges around January time but put it down to the gym as it would come and go I had never heard of diverticular disease, in May I had the most horrendous left sided pain excruciating that radiated at times to my back I went to gp who sent me for a CT scan ultrasound sound scan and eventually a colonoscopy which flagged up diverticulitis. I now keep a diary of what I eat on a daily basis so I can keep track of what could cause pain. I eat a lot of homemade soups and in fact over the weekend I made a new soup which contained kale and I now know that kale is off my list as it caused pain. I do have some  pain most days until my bowels are emptied, I take cosmocol every day to soften my stools which is very important also when I have pain I keep my eye on it and just eat liquids for a couple of days until it subsides I also keep a thermometer handy so I can take my temperature to see if I have a high temperature which is also an indication of infection. You can have inflammation without infection I think inflammation can be managed with a liquid diet for a few days but infection in most cases need antibiotics but I personally try to avoid antibiotics at all costs but obviously this isn't always possible.