Doc says High Fibre?

Welcome to this inauspicious 'club'! :-(

Why high fibre? Why indeed!

Just remember that pockets fill up - and then they need to empty - before the contents start to rot! "Simples!" (If you're a marketing-savvy meerkat)

GPs seem to have a problem with diferentiating 'constipation' from 'diverticular disease'. I'm not a medic, just an engineer and a medium-term sufferer (now mid 50s - with onset in late 40s). Fibre seems to be broadly good for the mechanics of the gut, but it still fills-up the diverticula! Can't win! My theory is that pockets will fill, whatever, but if the stuff that fills them is less toxic, then maybe you - like me - won't actually suffer the dreaded 'diverticulitis flare-up' (so far, touch wood!). My breakfast is a large serving of rolled-oat porridge, with just set honey added (no milk). That's washed down with green tea as well as orange juice - oh and a probiotic yoghurt drink too (the flavoued ASDA ones are fine!). My reckoning is that this provides a a pretty bland starter to the day, but one which gives volume for the compromised system to work on - with the addition of honey, which has long been used in medications through the centuries. Use 'set' honey, rather than the clear type, as the wax inclusion must be good for lubrication, mustn't it?

So that's breakfast. Again, yes, there's proper insoluble and physical fiber there in large amounts, but....... rolled oats are so much more likely to remain in a benign state in the gut than 'fermenting' green veg -based fibre, for example, aren't they? I think the theory is good - and the breakfast whilst not stunningly exciting is tasty, filling and quite nutritious.

The rest of the day can then be anything! The 'other end'(!) of this 'guidance' is to have a stimulant laxative prescribed, that frees-up the enevitable impaction that occurs regardless of what you do. If you clear the impaction on a 4-to-8 day basis, I have found that only mild discomfort - and certainly no true 'pain' - is encountered. However, I sincerely believe with DD, you cannot get by with bulking agents (like Movicol) that would otherwise work with a 'slow gut' or constipation. I find a good stiff stimulant laxative - in my case 'Bisacodyl' 10 mg (that's two 'Dolcolax' tablets) - at night at the end of that 4-to-8 day period effectively 'resets' the colon after a half-day of, shall we say 'uncertainty'(!) More frequently and your downtime is too much. More than 8 days and I find the accumulation causes a very violent evacuation, iyswim. Not nice!

I must stress that I am unaware that anyone else adopts anything like this strategy! It's mine! But it works for me - and has done for over a year.

I hope you manage to manage your fallout....... (ooh! there I 'go' again ... and again :-( .... )

Good luck, and try to get your GP to explain the efficacy of bulking matter in the context of pockets - just gagging for it!

I think I'd better stop. :-)

HTH.

Cheers,

Pete aka CauliColon.

The first point to remember is that if you have had a flare, your gut needs to rest; hence the very low/no fibre diet.  If you look through the older posts, you will find a lot of really useful information and some new friends.  Caulicolon speaks a lot of sense, but again I will say we are all different.  Personally I do not use laxatives, I don't need them.  Initially I was told DD was caused by a "poor" or low fibre diet in early life.  Frankly, this is a load of codswallop.  My DD was diagnosed in my 50's so if I had a diet that was that poor, I am certain it would have shown up years ago.

Anyway, slowly reintroducing fibre is the way to go.  I too eat porridge, but at lunchtime as it is quick and easy to prepare.  When you are feeling a little braver, you could introduce some fruit perhaps.  Avoid seeds - including granary bread, I'm afraid.

Take your time on this new journey, welcome aboard.

good luck, a lot of it is trial and error for the individual.