Diverticulitis Pain Or Not.
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hello everyone.
This is my 1st post. I recently had a sigmoidoscopy which showed multiple diverticula. Could anyone describe their pain please as I also suffer from painful bladder syndrome (IC ) and am confused as to what is causing me terrible pain.My pain feels like my stomach is on fire , especially the lower part, my lower back is on fire too.
A BM always starts off the pain and I've been hospitalised 10 times in 18 months due to the pain, only been given antibiotics and painkillers which doesn't help. It seems everything I eat causes me pain. I stick to a low fibre diet, no spicy or fried food. The only thing that eases the pain is when I have to take the clean prep before the sigmoidoscopy and no food.
Any suggestions please as I'm at the end of my tether and can't carry on like this. No one understands what it's like to be in constant pain and unable to eat anything. I don't know what to eat anymore and have become afraid of food.
0 likes, 3 replies
Guest linda282930
Posted
Hi Linda
I'm sorry to hear you are feeling so bad. I don't know if I will be able to offer you much help, but I can describe what Diverticulitis feels like.
As you have have multiple diverticula, you have what is known as Diverticulosis. This is often symptom free - in fact over half the people in the western world over 50 have it - most not even knowing. If one or more of the diverticula become inflamed and infected, that is known as Diverticulitis. The pain is most commonly a sharp stabbing pain on the lower left hand side, and the abdomen can be very tender to touch. Sometimes the pain can be on the right side (similar to appendicitis), and/or below the tummy button. Some people report pain in their legs and/or back. It is accompanied with fever, chills, nausea, feeling unwell, constipation, diarrohea, rectal bleeding, mucus and sometimes swamping waves of pain like childbirth. Not everybody has every symptom - we are all different. It can range from a nagging ache to the full works.
I had never heard of painful bladder syndrome so I looked it up, and it sounds so nasty and debilitating. I don't know how you would tell pain for one condition from the other though. The advice on food given to people suffering an attack of Diverticulitis is to stick to clear fluids only. Broth, consomme, herb or fruit tea, ice pops, clear jelly and similar. It excludes all fibre and is to give the colon a rest to recover. It is also the diet to follow during prep for a colonoscopy. If it helped you before it might help again. Then other liquid or semi liquid like yogurt, mashed potato, meal replacement drinks can be introduced, then soluble fibre like blended soup, vegetable puree, steamed fish. When you are free from Diverticulitis a high fibre diet is suggested, excluding trigger foods that cause diverticula pain. They can be identified by keeping a food diary. Have you tried taking pure aloe vera juice and/or probiotics to help your system? I take both.
I'm sure you must have tried all this, from the sound of your post, and I'm sorry I can't offer anything more. If just one idea helps you that would be something.
linda282930 Guest
Posted
Hi felina
Thanks for your reply. I do take a probiotic daily but don't like the idea of aloe vera as I've read some bad things about it.
I can only describe my pain as red hot burning. It's low down
under my tummy button. No cramps or nausea, though I usually feel chilly with it. My pain is constant, it does ease after days and days but comes back really bad after a bowel movement even if it's easy !Anyone else suffer from burning type pain after a B/M ?
susan95516 linda282930
Posted
Me too I am only having soup most days I just don't know what to eat The pain is in my lower left side most of the time. I am also full of wind. I don't go out much anymore due to worrying that I might need a toilet. I feel depressed and fed up most days