How long do other people's diverticulitis attacks last? Just read someone on soft diet x 2months?!

Thanks Donna. Sadly I am beginning to think you are correct. Coming to terms is tough. Ageing is the bringer of all manner of bad news!

At least the Big D is not life-threatening. ..just a damned nuisance & painful. I will try cooking everything...not always convenient as I do long walks & take packups! And I looove salad! So it's one boiled egg, plus soup in a flask I reckon! Tedious. I find wheat is not helpful & yeast is the worst. Rice cakes. ..yuk! As Angelina said we are all indie & each person's triggers are different.. but there are some universal no-no's during & nuts are 1 of those! So u are lucky to be able to eat some. As for rest..I'm a very impatient patient & loathe sitting around or being in bed any longer than needs dictate! Night!

Caz

Hi Caz - Donna here again. I see you mentioned hard boiled egg. These are a real "no no" as they are very constipating. It really is tough finding food that can pass through the bowel because of the damage.  It can be life threatening if you eat something that will not pass through and creates an infected fissure or a total blow out in the bowel with peritonitis setting in. Can be quite deadly in advanced cases. But we push on as best we can. 

Hi if I may when I was put on after the liquid diet on a low fiber diet the doctor in the hospital printed out what I can eat on that low fiber diet and one of the things on that list was 1 hard boiled egg with seedless toast. I think because we are all different what might work for one may not work to well for another.

Yes that is true...what works for one may not work for another and the longer you have the disease the worse it gets in regard to what food you can tolerate as the bowel narrows.

There is no cure, surgery works for a year or two, but the end result is the bowel stops contracting properly and passage of food eventually cannot happen without  a total bowel resection. 

This disease progresses at different rates for different people.

One can only hope. It is not a glamorous disease that funders want to grant money to for research.  

All we can do is apprach each day as it comes and do our best, because there is very little help out there at  the moment. 

Best. D

Omg Donna...ok point taken. No boiled eggs! And "nothing tough to digest" is a mantra these days. Sometimes I wonder what's left to eat. ***Does anyone know of a probiotic that's sugar-free? I'm also pre-diabetic so carbs & sugar are prohibited. (Moderator...please allow answers here!).

Good morning Csz (well it is morning here in beautiful British Columbia, Vancuver Island).  I use a product called Align - I am not sure if there is sugar in it as I have thrown out the box.  Perhaps looking it up on line will give you the information.  Sometimes I think pro-biotics work and then other days not. 

Thanks Donna..will surf the interweb tomorrow for Align . It's 2330h in England so am off to bed. Cheers for your input.

Hello All, the approach to Diverticulitis here in the US seems to be very different. It is taken seriously and treated immediately. CT Scans are ordered right away with a possible follow-up scan which I had and then followed by a colonoscopy about 8 weeks later .My first episode started on January 16th, diagnosed by CT scan, follow-up scan a month later showed it resolved and my colonoscopy is March 31. It took 5 weeks for me to feel somewhat like myself again. I have returned to my normal diet and bowels are finally almost normal. You have to be patient, absolutely no fiber supplements, I tried them and it set me back. I did take on my doctors orders probiotics for a few weeks and it did help get my system back on track. Rest is a must. I know people who have had only 1 episode and that was it. I know people who had surgery years ago and they are still fine with no issues.  Laporascopic surgery is much less invasive and recuperation is faster.  So just wanted to give some positive feedback instead of worst case scenarios. By the way i work for surgeons so I do have reliable sources. Feel better. Eggs are on the list for low fiber diet, try them scambled instead of hard boiled.

Hi Linda,are you now on a high fiber diet or supplements ? ,here in the UK high fiber is recommended once the flare has passed.

Thank you for this positive post.

You are right, I tried metamucil and it constipated me and set me back nearly 1 week. I am afraid to try probiotics because of the metamucil.

What is your normal diet? Have you tried almond milk? I started using it in my cornflakes twice and it was fine, then I used it this morning and it upset my stomach. Do you have any idea as to why since there is no Vit D or gluten in it. 

Like most of us I lost 20 lbs and I am trying to gain 10lbs back asap.

I am 1 month into this. I started feeling better after 2 weeks and off the anti's, which I think made me feel worse than I was.

My colonoscopy is next week. I had the cat scan 2 weeks after my attack and it showed diverticulosis(no active itis). 

Just a normal diet, everytime I try fiber supplements I get constipated so just trying naturally and I am going regularly.

I credit the probiotics for getting my system back on track, 1 tablet a day that is 1 billion live cultures. I think I started them after I was finished the 10 days of antibiotics.

Any views on almond milk?

I am also regular. And my stools are normal.

My primary doctor told me I had to take miralax(a mild laxative) everyday. I couldn't understand that because I was going on my on. Or how would I know if I could by taking that everyday. My GI told me that I don't have to take it. I do use aloe vera juice if I feel a queezy stomach coming on, plus it softens the bowels. I like to read everyones diet because it gives me ideas of what to eat.

Which type do you take?

I take Acidophilus Probiotic Formula. I also took this after having Pancreaitis years ago, messes up your system also and it helped then also.

No, I'm not a big milk drinker, maybe on cereal once in a while.

Hi, I have only just seen this post and it may be that you are now sorted out, I hope so. I have been making KEFIR myself at home, its easy to do, its the best probiotic you can get and you can use almost any milk to make it, so completly sugar and nasties free. Please do look it up on the internet. 

Acidophilis is a tablet with no wheat, gluten,sugar or milk.

Hey there! My primary has me taking myralax every day too. I'm in an active flare up at the moment. I didn't see him for the onset...And now..A week later he is telling me I need to be on a liquid diet for 2 weeks! Wow! The myralax has been my saving grace with this wretched illness. But now I haven't been able to have movements even with the myralax unless I use a glycerin suppository.

Hi Linda, I have never participated in a forum or blog...so not sure even how to get back to here!

I had a bad stomach ache/pain about 10-12 years ago...went to ER diagnosed Diverticulitis, admitted, intravenous levaquin and flagyl...vomited after each time given...

From then on no nuts, corn, seeds.

5 years ago side ache doctor prescribed

Cipro and Flagyl

Had terrible pain across very low abdomen ER again. Diverticulitis diagnosed from Ct scan. Just finished Cipro and Flagyl...nasty side affects. My 5 year colonoscopy coming up. Reading your statement helped me. I am wondering if it could be stressed related...I am 66, not overweight, on no daily meds...very fortunate but for this diverticulitis.

Hi Carla. You sound a lot like me. I had an attack 10 years ago at 43. Ct confirmed diverticulitis. 5 years later another attack exactly the same both were left side about waist high. Took coprocessor and flagyl again. 2 months ago which was another 5 years later very low abdomen pain on left but really hurt all the way across. Ct confirmed diverticulitis again. This time having a harder time 12 weeks later still having aches and twinges. I had another colonoscopy which showed I still had an inflamed walled off pocket at 4 weeks and wenr. Back on flagyl. 6 weeks has another Ct which showed no inflammation. I was about as stressed as I could be when this attack came on. In one drs visit I was told I had a breast lump. I hade a grade 3 rectocele which needs surgery and a thickened uterine lining which needs a d and c and the attack came 6 days after the d and c. I was so stressed I was having panic attacks and had to go on anxiety medicine so stress seems to be a factor in some way to me. Shawn. Female 53

Hi Lisa, I had one and only attack 3-1/2 months ago. Miralax is a very mild laxative. When .i do take it it makes me go one good time in the morning. It sounds like you need a stronger laxative like citrus of magnesium but be home when it works you(ask your doctor first). I have only used miralax. Also drink 6-8 glasses of water to help move the miralax and your food, this is the advice given to me by my GI. I  drink 6 glasses daily and it helps a lot. The antibiotics took my appetite and I couldn't eat. I drank lots of liquids and ate soup. I was never told to do a liquid diet I just couldn't eat food if I wanted to.  Backing away from hard foods does help. As you might have tead I stay away from beef, rice, pasta and dairy. In doing this I honestly feel good. You say a flare up but you didn't mention anti's. 

My doctor said to take fiber supplements and increase water to at least 7 glasses a day.

Hi Donna

Your Post was 2 years ago so not sure you’ll get this. Just got diagnosed and overwhelmed. I live in Victoria. Notice you’re from the Island too, so thought I would reach out.

Deborah

Hi Linda.  I am British but live in the USA, and you are correct about the approach here being totally different that England.  In the UK they seem to not want to do any surgery unless it's an emergency.  I guess the cost is prohibitive for the government as its all free medicine over there.  Here DV is taken very seriously, and patients usually are seen immediately.  Though surgery is a last resort for most people here.  It is performed via Laporascopic or robotic surgery, and healing times are good.  We have some outstanding surgeons over here that are highly experienced in the field of colorectal surgery, and after 8 years of trying to avoid the inevitable, I am scheduling my operation in May. My DV has flared up 4 times since last Christmas, and this last episode put me down for a week.  I do not want to chance a more serious situation like septicemia if it opens up and spills the contents into my abdominal cavity, so I going to get it dealt with.

Hi Ukusa. I've been dealing with diverticulosis for 25 years now; itis flares up with 6 month intervals, or shorter. Last month, it was so bad had to go to the ER. CT revealed the usual: diverticulitis. My most recent CT, last week showed that the diverticulitis backed off. But, as you can probably attest, the pain is still there. My gastro doc tells me to see a surgeon, who tells me last week that I should consider the operation.

For your situation, how long ago was it suggested to you to get the surgery?

I'm absolutely terrified, and am trying to walk the steady line to prevent any other flare ups. I've got alot of work realted stuff coming up, with no time to deal with it until after April 26. Just work. Then, maybe I can stop "putting off the inevitable" and get it done.

I'm just a 59 year old cry baby I guess. Thanks for your post, btw.

I'm so relieved to come across your post.  I've just been diagnosed with D after a day of severe pain and sharp cramping.  I was beginning to get worried and discouraged that this will forever rule my life and I would never return to 'normal.'  I was prescribed two antibiotics yesterday afternoon and am waiting for symptoms to subside. 

Thanks Linda.

I was talking to Vicki and she was very helpful. I was diagnosed with perforated diverticulitis stage 3, 3 weeks ago. I have had IBS since age 18 (I'm 52 now). This was a shock. When will I start to feel better. I have graduated to lie residue diet, but not eating much. Occasional cramping on lower left side and right. I feel fatigued. I am trying to boost the nutrition but finding it hard. Drinking Ensure. I stopped frequently which is cramps at times or feel the urgency and can't go. How long on the residue diet? And when should I go back to work. Surgeon was vague but I read rest is the best. I feel guilty not working but don't want to be in hospital again. Feeling vulnerable.