Diverticulitis disease

It's terrible I can not eat any fibre . I don't eat bread that helps with the bloating I eat very simple food grill bacon sausages lots of tin fish .chicken cauliflower soup (chicken) . NO red meat corn windy veg tomatoes cuncumber lettuce and chocolate keep a food list of things you eat and when you have something that starts a flaire up you will soon know . Unfortunately yesterday I started on fibregel again wish I hadn't in terrible pain so will go on a liquid diet for another 24 hours to give my bowel a rest I try not to go on antibiotics but after 48 hours of liquids only and still bad I will

.always drink lots of water

I too found the NHS no help and turned to this site.  Julia1040 has made a very helpful post on food which some of us have added to.  Everyone is different and what suits one does not suit another, so keeping a food diary is an excellent way of finding out your needs. 

If you are passing small hard pellets, it may be you need a stool softener to make them easier to pass and perhaps less painful.  I was prescribed Fybogel by my GP which does soften and bulk them.  I found for me one a day was mostly OK but sometimes I needed 2 a day.  But too much and you get the runs!  I regularly have 4 - 6 movements, but on a bad day it can be 8+.  That is something I have had to learn to live with.  I don't let it rule my life, but I do know where the next loo is and keep a spare pair of pants in a plastic bag!

As for food I see you have a stricture, so you might be best with soft or liquid food.  I make a lot of home made soup and blend it thoroughly.  That way I get nutrients and easily digestible fibre.  The other thing I take is meal replacement drinks like Complan which contain added vitamins and minerals.  I don't know how they would come out without lactose, but I think you can get lactose free milk now.  I used unsweetened almond milk, or coconut milk, but there is also rice milk and oat milk.

I have lots of soft food like steamed fish, mashed potato and vegetable puree of carrot, swede and parsnip.  I also like scrambled egg and sloppy porridge (but not everyone can take this).  I avoid insoluble fibre like potato skin, apple skin, and all nuts, seeds, pips, popcorn.  I soak my tomato in hot water, remove the skin, quarter, then remove the pips

As for the pain, I'm afraid that can take a long time to go, as your insides heal.  I have had this disease for 15+ years, and had a flare last August, then December and am finally free of pain since February, apart from the odd twinge.  To help myself I have taken pure aloe vera (juice or capsules) plus a daily probiotic since December, and the pain started to recede almost immediately.

The positive news is it is not cancer, which must be a great relief.  It will take time and patience but I hope you will find what suits you.  Best wishes.

Hi, sorry to hear all of this. It sounds like you don't actually have diverticulitis. I think diverticular means the pockets are present but that does not necesarily mean you will ever get diverticulitis. After my recent diverticulitis I was put on daily probiotic pills (1 billion active cultures) for 2 months and it really helped (after 1 week) my system regulate and the diarrhea has stopped. Also with the stricture I wonder if eating 6 small meals a day and no insoluable foods (corn, nuts, seeds, raw vegetables) that are hard to breakdown and digest might help.