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Going against the 'grain'? Not me!

Posted , 6 users are following.

CauliColon
CauliColon

Hi, fellow diverticularians(?),

I'm 56, male, and was diagnosed by colonoscopy in 2012 after having a number of years of 'management' issues (or lack of,) for what was provisionally labelled "a touch of IBS" by my GP. I have to say that I have never been hospitalised - or even medicated - due to a 'flare-up' ....yet!

I don't think it's just good luck. It might be that the amount of pocketing is minimal - or that the proximate cause of my problem is (as yet, undiagnosed) intractable colon, but I can only share again what has kept me from darkening GP doorways and A&E trolley queues. The word is Bisacodyl. It seems to send some screaming in fits, muttering, "last resort" and "you don't want to rely on that!" kinds of sage-like 'wisdom'.  But the evidence is that I only feel mildly uncomfortable every week-to-ten-days, prior to medication/evacuation by a single 5 mg pellet.  The reason?  Because pockets will fill up with whatever they will - seeds, porridge, cellulose, fat - and it will embed and ultimately rot!  As I have said before - and in light of so much suffering by posters here who carry on holding onto rotting matter for months - I must pose the question, "what is so wrong with total evacuation every 7-10 days?"  No rotting residues, minimal discomfort on a predictable basis with just the need to keep 'local' for one day after a night time dose?  No more antibiotics - and a great feeling of levity when all has passed!  Sounds almost good?

There are no foods I can't eat - because seeds or no, all residues will be discharged before they decompose.  I figure that to medicate more frequently than 7-to-10 days is to risk loss of nutrients from foods eaten.  I've stayed within my 10 year weight range of 14 to 14.5 stones using this strategy. 

Bisacodyl is a stimulant laxative.  I use it sparingly in this way and my bowel is still mine - in terms of sensation and knowing when it needs to 'go' over the 6-to-9 days after medication - before everything stops again. 

I suggest it's a reasonable trade-off:  Long-term use of stimulant laxatives vs. 3-monthly admissions  .... ?  'No-brainer'?

See your GP and discuss.

Cheers,

Pete.

0 likes, 50 replies

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  • jonnojohn
    jonnojohn CauliColon

    Posted

    Pete Would I ever be offended.  I did wonder if that was your meaning.  Are you really blind?. I am interested because, for many years, I was involved with Talking Newspapers for the Blind - recuited (or asked to join) because I had the right voice.

    Occasionally, a posting is 'blocked' by the Moderator for, perhaps, being unsuitable.  He then suggests that if one has anything which might offend others then it should be sent by 'private messaging'  That's all.  

    J 

    • CauliColon
      CauliColon jonnojohn

      Posted

      Blind? Yup!  Optic atrophy.  Less than 1/20 accuity with both eyes trying, in my case.  The 'blind' cutoff is 1/10 binocular accuity, so I'm no longer 'borderline'. :-(   

      It probably explains why my radical management of DD is acommodated, routine-wise.  It doesn;t make my underlying premise any less valid, just does explain why it's not the biggest ("ahem.....") issue - in my life. 

      Pete.

  • phyllis1935
    phyllis1935 CauliColon

    Posted

    I came on this forum to see if I could find any helpful advice for my diverticular disease that I have had for years and at the moment is making my life a misery.  Feeling very low today but had to smile at some of Caulicolon's post and the discussions following. 

    After yet another doctor's appointment I am awaiting the results of blood tests to see if I have an infection.

    I too have wondered about taking laxatives on occasion to get rid of the "heavy" feeling that I get in my stomach even though  am in the loo several times a day.  I have a lot of pouches, a lot of which are low down in the bowel.  Lately I have been feeling very headachy and dizzy and generally unwell.  Maybe a dose of Sennacot would clear this feeling. 

    • jonnojohn
      jonnojohn phyllis1935

      Posted

      Hello Phyllis.  Like you I have been a long time suffer (30 years in my case) and, having been a co-founder member of this forum, I was delighted when Pete joined in with some new, innovative (for me) ideas.  I have survived on reasonably careful diets given to me by my Dietician/Nutritionist all those years ago.  I am certainly going to 'give it a go; (not a pun).  It sounds a little like a homespun colonic irrigation.

      Good luck Phyllis  Fellow long time sufferer.

    • phyllis1935
      phyllis1935 jonnojohn

      Posted

      Hello Jonnojohn,  I also have suffered about 30 years, first diagnosed with IBS.  I have also consulted a nutritionist privately.  Some advice was helpful but I wasn't actually given a diet to follow.  Too much fibre/fruit and veg. results in diarrhea and not enough brings on the uncomfortable feeling.  Wheat bran cereals make me feel as though I have swallowed a brillo pad.  I find that I do not want to go out if I can help it and the dizzy headaches make things even worse.  I may well try the Sennacot one evening when I don't have to go out the next day and see what happens. It seems to have taken over my life and yet I have hobbies and a lovely dog to walk.
  • jacqueline01135
    jacqueline01135 CauliColon

    Posted

    After reading your post ,again, it would appear that you ,in actual fact ,do NOT

    have the dreaded D.D. but as you stated IBS. Most of the D.D sufferers do   

    have "flares "  sometimes for no explainable reason, even though the intake of 

    food is carefully watched .

    The wall of the colon where the pouches occur ,is very thin, and perforation

    is a strong possibility, and I understand could be dangerous.

    Your ""ten day evacuation " policy may work quite well for you ,but a constant

    attack by purging ,and irritating the  already stressed colon walls, could be 

    catastrophic for some of us. which you may have not considered

     

    • CauliColon
      CauliColon jacqueline01135

      Posted

      Thanks Dr JAC!

      I'm quite open to a different diagnosis, but the only evidential data is that I do have diverticulae - as seen by colonoscopy.  Like many, I've had bigger-all specific advice on management of whatever, but whatever else may have 'got' me, the cleaning regime does make some sense to some others - because rotting detritus is not good for you.  It's got to come out before it becomes toxic - whatever the proximate dysfunction of the gut in question.  Seems simple to me.  The only caveat is to try to maintain some gut normality in its musculature, perhaps.  That's why I don't medicate daily, every other day, or so frequently that my gut gives up the game it was designed to play.  Thin walls or no - the residual pipework has got to try to be made to function as normally as possible most of the time.  I think we're agreed on that.  It's just seems that some people see the wisdom in clean-up on a regular, but not too frequent basis, to avoid toxic build-up over weeks/months. 

      As you say, we are all entitled to our opinion.  Your management strategy seems fraught with an inevitable A&E visit, as far as I can see.

      But you may be right.  The medics do seem pretty hapless at specific diagnosis and treatment plans, imho.

      Pete.

    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 CauliColon

      Posted

      No need for sarcasm,Daily medication is not on my shopping list but caution is.

      I don't recall giving a management strategy,or, included any  medics.

      Are you replying to two posts simultaneously ??

    • phyllis1935
      phyllis1935 jacqueline01135

      Posted

      It just shows Jaqueline and Caulicolon, what a dificult condition this is. Maybe Caulicolon has found the best way to manage his DD.  I have also felt that this would help me sometimes but have been a bit scared to take a laxative so far.  It makes sense that if there is a build up in the colon/pouches then that is going to cause the symptoms that come with an infection and that there could be a build up even if one goes to the loo several times a day without any problems.  
    • doglover
      doglover CauliColon

      Posted

      Hi C. After a very long walk with my Dog 

      (Recommended by Jon) I read Yours& Jacs posts.. I have to be in agreement with what Jac said.. Our already damaged colon walls., would be further compromised with chemical evacuations..!! Where is the sense in this??? Removing one problem to get another.. Until someone comes up with another way of dealing with my DD , I will follow the known  & trusted route.. 

      Time for my Doggys Walk..LOL..

    • jonnojohn
      jonnojohn CauliColon

      Posted

      Pete.  Sorry for delay in not coming back to the discussion but my Outlook Express has stopped functioning and I have had to froward all my my to my gmail account.  I can't help but agree that all of what you say makes sense. We experiment.  We try (almost) anything becuase the 'profession either (a) don't know or (b) and more likely, don't care.  I have spokeb to a GP friend of mine to get some sense made of this.  Herewith his answer.  'The gut; colon; sigmoid will not receive any significant damage to alter the natural function of the bowel movements. It simply helps the musle work.  Like any medication, it should not be overused of abused. Your correspondent seems to be self medicating very well'  It does seem to (from what you have contributed to this forum) will be helpful to some but like everthing in life not all.  Isn't this what the forum is about?  Isn't everybody's input of value? Surely most of us are intelligent enough to sort the wheat from the chaff (or sensible from the daft).  Jon
    • jonnojohn
      jonnojohn jacqueline01135

      Posted

      O Jac.  please don't.  We all have to live together.  The whole idea (I thought) when starting this forum was to gather the thoughts, feelings' experiences of others to try and put together a regime that might help everyone.  Clearly adjustments have to be made here and there because we are all 'made' differently and those of us with any long term experience know how to reject the suggestions which are just plain silly.

      Jac. my Outlook Express has gone up the shoot and I cant view ny discussions - hence my delay in contributing.  I have to "forward" to my gmail account (which you know) to view.

      Hopw all is well with you.  Jon 

  • appendectomy
    appendectomy CauliColon

    Posted

    I see it like this. If you have poor gut motility as you Pete would have with your condition you are likely to suffer from constipation. If that is the case motility drugs as laxoberal is justified. These can be bought over the counter. I bought some in lidl the other week. If you have the reverse you most likely have a irritated gut. This can be dye to inflammation of the mucosa. This happens in ibs, chrohns and diverticulitis. It would then be helpful to pinpoint cause of diarrhea. It could also be caused by food intolerance. Excess fiber can help to slow down gut transition. But use only if you are sure you are not intolerant. There is research supporting active lifestyle. Diverticulitis is less frequent in runners for example. The activities enhances gut motility and then reduce likelihood it get stuck in the pouches. Now there is a extra form of diverticulitis. Its chronic and can be seen on ct. Its causing pains too. Antibiotics don't care it. Surgery is the only option for these people. Another missed link to ongoing pain is due is that people with resolved pain may have ibs post infection. This should resolve with ibs treatment.. O yes excessive antibiotika usage can obviously cause diarrhea and opportunistic infections such as closer idiom diffficile. Do not use them unless you have symptoms if active infection. I'd bloods shows high white blood cells of crp, or you are running fever.vthese are the signs.i had to start amitryptilin myself as I have unresolved pain after I was misdiagnosed over two month. I did have another ct scan to confirm the inflammation was gone. I did have ct confirmed diverticulitis but normal bloods and only slight raised temperature. I did not have any antibiotics and now ct us clear. Ct us the best diagnostic tool to confirm acute diverticulitis. My pain gets worse if I don't open my bowels proper. For this I now take aloe Vera. It is a healthy gentle way to stay regular. I gave diverticular disease in my sigmoid, transverse and descending colon. I also had nerve damage in the last childbirth causing this backup in my sigmoid part of the colon. 

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