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

Posted , 153 users are following.

caz45653
caz45653

I'd love to know how long other people's flare-ups last on average. Have had D disease x 15 y. Had 3 attacks in past 6 wks. Urgh! I usually take antis & get up after 1 or 2 days, liquids only x 36hrs then soft foods x about a week, then gradually reintro fibre, seeds, pulses. Maybe I should stay on soft food more than a few days after 36h on liquids?? Opinions please! And btw its almost impossible to lose weight when this rotten condition dictates eating all the wrong stuff after an attack.. White flour pasta, mash..all those carbs! And stodge! Not helpful. Any ideas? Thanks. New to forum. Am 63 now & desperate to do anything to avoid surgery. Hi to all fellow-sufferers..this thing is a so 'n so & invades at the drop of a hat. Oh..and...

If anyone has ideas about how to address core strength safely please...do tell. Caz

7 likes, 498 replies

498 Replies

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  • austn8r
    austn8r caz45653

    Posted

    I'm only 22 and already diagnosed with diverticulosis as of Saturday (3/17/18) while at the hospital for severe abdominal pains. Does anyone know what I should expect?

    • Guest
      Guest austn8r

      Posted

      You are very young to have this condition - it may be genetic in your case, some people are even born with it.  Whilst you are having pains, stick to a fluid only diet, then after a few days start on a diet low in fibre.  Once you are better, the best thing you can do is try and prevent future attacks by following a healthy diet with soluble fibre (like soup, veggie mash) rather than insoluble (where it comes out the way it went in for example corn!).  Small meals, well cooked, well chewed.  There are loads of posts on this forum about diet. 

      The other thing to do is not let yourself get constipated as straining is bad for the condition.  Plenty of water/fluid with a daily stool softener like Metamucil.  Again there are different ones to try if one does not suit you.  Prevention is better than further attacks, and if you are in the USA the surgeon will be brandishing their scalpel and counting their dollars!!

    • vickie47128
      vickie47128 Guest

      Posted

      Very good advice, Im on my 2nd month and 3 bouts of antibiotics. No one discussed the diet part with me so I relapsed , and have major anxiety from all this. Im on soft low fiber food now, I do alot of smoothies, cuz was so afraid to eat i became malnourished. I still get ab pain but not as bad as before. Hope Im on the mend, so tired of being sick.
  • Lmickelii
    Lmickelii caz45653

    Posted

    Good Morning I’m a 32 year old male and I was recently diagnosed with diverticulitis 4/29/18. I’ve broke plenty bones playing sports as a kid but I can honestly say this is the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. Right now I’m on 2 antibiotics, 1 mild laxative, and 1 pain reliever. I just wanted to ask does the pain ever stop??? I was discharged  from the hospital on 05/02/18 and the pain is still very consistent real bad cramping and soreness. Please can somebody let me know what are my next steps?? I am very afraid to eat anything right now. The doctors had to almost force me to try the liquid diet becuase I was afraid. Now I’m home I live by myself so of course I need to get back in a position where I can work again without pain. I have begin eating white bread with my medication as of yesterday. Please help 
    • chris61391
      chris61391 Lmickelii

      Posted

      Hello Lmickelii  sorry to hear you are in pain with Diverticulitis,its awful .

       i have had it a long time,because i did not really try to change my diet...

      or i did not read up the right stuff...lots on the net..

      ANYWAY,,so i now find that you stay away from 1 Fried Food

      2 Curries/Spicy Food

      3 Cheese Pizzas...cheese

      4 Chips...too many potatoes

      You could try baked fish--- Rice -- vegtables---scrambled eggs /small amounts---boiled chicken,no skin--and you need to eat bananas and try bananas with coconut milk and chopped ginger,in a fruit/ veg mixer (£25) NO LEMONS NO ORANGE JUICE ETC  nothing that produces Acid.

      NO COFFEE...its not good for you anyway

      NO SMOKING..ditto

      NO BEER..sorry no beer,spirits.

      NO SPARKILING WINE

      NO COKE/FIZZY DRINKS

      NO HAMBURGERS

      And you need to drink water,as much as you can .

      At night you need a hot water bottle on your stomach at night.... okay

      It helps soother away that 9 out of ten pain.

      It will take time but it will lessen and lessen ,as you do this diet,but you need to stay away from nice stuff like chocolate and beer,in other words stuff that makes acid,in your stomach...

      please contact me if you want to talk more about this diet etc

      and good luck and hang in there

      yours

      Chris61391

    • chris61391
      chris61391

      Posted

      Lmickelii I forgot to mention Fybogel  sachets  its a husk of fibre ,you can put it in water,drink it twice a day .it softens food up and helps a lot...i have a box in the kitchen

      ALSO DO NOT EAT NUTS AT ALL

      DO NOT EAT SEEDS at all  

      You need to watch out for these...

      I have Acid Reflux too  Yes Thats two things  at the same time..

      So i have to be careful ,otherwise i get a pain under my ribis,not nice...

      It all comes back to No stuff that produces Acid...

    • Lmickelii
      Lmickelii chris61391

      Posted

      Hey Chris thanks a lot becuase I definitely needed to know what to do for the stomach cramping at night when trying to sleep what about meat selections and the way their prepared are barbecued meats a no go and again thanks I really needed help with a diet 
    • chris61391
      chris61391 Lmickelii

      Posted

      HI Lmickelli

      Good to hear from you.

      yeah so at night,i advise warm tea (no coffee) and try not to eat late.

      Eating should stop 8 pm 8-30 pm

      If you must snack ,eat a banana,or drink water.(stay in control)

      As i said, hot water bottle is essential,

      Also try putting a pillow against your ribs as you sleep at night,ok(sort of lean onto to it,if you know what i mean).

      It will take the pressure off that whole section of your stomach ,and give you support ,in other words.

      It might help you,get through a difficult night.

      Its summer ,so those barbecues are all kicking off...

      Unfortunately i advise no grilled meat/steak/hamburgers etc  i know,its awful...

      Maybe a bit of sliced ham would be ok.

      But  you could try some grilled fish,that might be ok,

       hope you like fish,

      i eat a lot of baked fish now,its ok ...of course i would not fry it,as that would not work.

      Salmon  or any fish in tin foil is probably good.(just bake it really)

      I found that banana coconut(with fresh chopped ginger as its good for your stomach) milk smoothies ,are good ,if i am feeling hungry,in the morning,

      or at night,You might find that Porridge Oats in the morning really,really helps you get through a pretty painless day,

      Be extra careful at nightime,when you might want to eat more stuff than usual,just watch yourself at that crucial time.Porridge in the evening is not illegal...

      force yourself to eat porridge in the morning,and get away from any ideas of bacon/eggs/toast etc which we have in our country (UK)

        It will help you.

      If you have any acid inducing food in the kitchen,and you know you should not really eat it,because it will cause pain, then give it to a friend as soon as possible,get it out of the house.

      give it to the birds ,anything ,just don't have there.

      Diverticulitis is increasing in the population as processed food spreads and multiplies,and we all need to eat real food more often.As you know.

      chilled Rice Milk is also good for your sore tummy,i know it doesn't taste as nice as a cold Coke with ice...BUT you are trying to get rid of that pain.

      Ok well do take care,

      ,and hope you get some sleep as well..

      Am always here.

      Cheers

      Chris61391

       

  • Kaystay
    Kaystay caz45653

    Posted

    HI, 

    I am right there with you. My body does well with heavy starchy carbs. As for core strength yoga does miracles for me. There are certain poses that give you gut a "hug" and I try to do it two times a week. I just recently got diagnosed and am still trying to live a quality life. What I miss most of all is mimosas. I dream about them. 

    Good luck and stay healthy, Kim

    • Guest
      Guest Kaystay

      Posted

      Hiya

      what are the poses that give your gut a hug? 

      Thanks heaps! Debs

  • jessica37751
    jessica37751 caz45653

    Posted

    Hi new to this but I'm 34 and I suffer from diverticulitis this is my 3rd flare up in 7 years first time I was in the hospital for four days. The second time I was pregnant wasn't a bad flare up lasted a couple days and I felt better. This time though I had bad pain for 3 days I knew what it was so I went to the er. They wanted to keep me in the hospital but I couldn't do it have a 1.5 year old and 10 year old at home daddy works. Now it's Friday I have been on 2 antibiotics and something for pain ran out yesterday. I'm still in so much pain I can't sleep at night I feel like death it's super hard taking care of my daughter my house is a disaster. I just wanna feel better on iv antibiotics I would feel better already how long am I gonna suffer from this...

  • Scubarobin
    Scubarobin caz45653

    Posted

    Morning ladies....well i guess here for the same reason. I was just diagnosed and had my first attack. I suppose I waited too long (week) to go to emergency room or see a doctor because I didn't know what it was. An interesting question for all of you just out of curiosity? Do any of you have other autoimmune deficiencies such as fibromyalgia?

  • Scubarobin
    Scubarobin caz45653

    Posted

    How can you tell when an attack is coming on, and how do you know when it's finally over?

    • susannah50747
      susannah50747 Scubarobin

      Posted

      I was diagnosed a few years ago, after a routine colonoscopy. Since then I've had a few flare ups but didn't associate the pain with diverticulitis and the pain went away eventually. This past week end (July 1 2018) I got hit hard. Went to walk in and was put on 2 antibiotics. I'm gonna call doctor tomorrow and see if I can get in to see him and get a confirmed diagnosis but I'm miserable. After reading everyone's comments, I was surprised to learn that so many people suffer with this.

    • AntonioIdaho
      AntonioIdaho Scubarobin

      Posted

      Hi,  well when the attack “is” happening  you start to feel a bit of pain but when you feel the pain is because you already have it.   Sometimes I would feel ok no pain at all but then if I was laying down and I put a bit of pressure under my stomach I would feel the pain.   At the same time it makes me go to the bathroom to pee almost like when it’s super cold and you are outside and you have to go and go.   What causes my attacks is dairy milk, ice cream heavy cream, butter or anything that is made with it.  Cream cheese,  yogurt, sour cream, mozzarella are ok since the process of how is made changes the Chemistry of them. 
    • susannah50747
      susannah50747 AntonioIdaho

      Posted

      I still don't know what triggered my most recent attack. I've been trying to remember everything I've eaten in the past week and apparently I've eaten all the wrong things. Steak, popcorn cheeeeburger etc. Am I supposed to live on bland broiled fish, chicken and mashed potatoes? Hope you feel better soon

    • susannah50747
      susannah50747 Scubarobin

      Posted

      No, I don't have fibro., but I'm almost 6 days into my antibiotics and I'm still under the weather. I'm starting to wonder if I'm gonna make it. I'm thinking of going to ER. How long does a bad case last

    • chris61391
      chris61391 susannah50747

      Posted

      Hi Saw your comment. I have diverticulitis.

      I find that dairy products are out

      Fried food is out

      Spicy hot food is out

      Try eating: Fish baked

      Rice/salads

      No red meat please

      You must try and drink hot water in the morning...its most important to your gut,

      and try to steer away from iced water/ as hot water is going to make you better.

      Its soothing and helps your digestive system.It healsyou.

      No coke/no soda/no lemon juice/in fact nothing acidic

      You need alkaline diet in your system.

      The whole idea is to steer away from Acid producing foods and steer towards Alkaline.

      See websites about this for more information.

      A list of Acid / Alkaline Forming Foods

      https://rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm

      all the best

      chris

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