Posted , 6 users are following.
My mom was just diagnosed with diverticulitis and is on iv antibiotics to clear infection. When leaving hospital and still in pain what should her diet look like? What has helped anyone while having a flair up? Thanks.
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Guest jen74267
Posted
She should be on liquids at first: broth, tea, coffee etc - there are lots of posts here. Then she should move to low residue food (no fibre): mashed potato, steamed white fish, broiled chicken, yogurt, applesauce, jello etc. The idea is to give the bowel a rest. Then soluble fibre should slowly be reintroduced in small quantities: home made blended soup, veggie purees etc. Insoluble fibre is not such a good idea at first (it comes out the same way it goes in) so no skins, pips, seed, corn etc. Some people when told to eat fibre immediately think BRAN. All Bran is very harsh on the insides - Bran Flakes are better. Similarly I have soaked rolled oats, rather than oatmeal. I also have meal replacement drinks to ensure I get the right nutrients - things like Complan. Small well cooked meals, thoroughly chewed. Many people find they can't eat certain foods - for me it's gluten and full fat. For others it can be all sorts - dairy, red meat, tomatoes, nuts. We are all different and have to find our own tolerances with a food diary.
This is a nasty disease, with even nastier medication. It is not unusual to take 4 - 6 weeks before improvement is seen, and the pain can last for months. Many people find this distressing and exhausting, but it does get better with time. Just don't expect a quick fix, particularly in an older person, or a really bad flare up. When you are ready, wou will find lots of helpful information on the forum. Best wishes.
jen74267 Guest
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Thank you 🙏🏻
jen74267 Guest
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susan95516 jen74267
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What falinia said is spot on. She helped me so much when I first came on this forum. I haven't had a flare for over a year ( touch wood) Good luck x
thomas37533 jen74267
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Hi diverticulitis is a long-term condition but it is manageable, I started in 2016 and I’m 76. Felina helped me when I first started with it, the condition is manageable at home as I have had severe pains a few times since as long as you watch what you eat.
I had signs of a flare again 2 weeks ago and had severe pain in lower left side and it moved to my side then in to my back and really painful and gets worse when moving about. Having had this pain in the past and knowing what was coming I immediately went on very low fiber diet and took 2 Senokot and did what Felina is telling you to do. Consommé soup is dreadful stuff so I get Bakers French onion I think it’s delicious. Also I get Vegetable soup and then I liquidize them all really well, go on low white bread - mash potatoes – Chicken.
For breakfast I have rice krispies - lunch boiled egg - tea scrambled eggs – on red meat, steak really a no no.. Don’t eat big meals if I’m feeling peckish just a cream cracker or fruit only canned in juice no fresh fruit also Jelly with fruit as its fluid. From my experience when you start getting the pain it’s telling you u are getting constipated. I take 1 Senokot morning and night. I have to say from experience I don’t think the doctors know much about the condition, try and see if your Doctor will give some antibiotics to keep on hand, mine has but I had to twist there arm to get them as trying to get to see a doctor these days I hopeless, the last time I phoned for an appointment I was on the phone 30 minutes. Hope this helps and the best of luck if you have problems come back on this site
jen74267 thomas37533
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Guest jen74267
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Like Thomas I too have a lot of eggs (scrambled and omelettes) and crustless white gluten free bread which I didn't mention in my earlier post. I take daily Fybogel to keep my stools soft and easy to pass (USA equivalent is Metamucil, but there are also other stool softeners on the market). I try not to take emetics but I do occasionally resort to Senekot when I feel I am becoming constipated - my problem is usually the reverse - tmi! Ironically I have had to do just that yesterday, and today I have had to stay near the little girl's room. Even managing for 18 years I get the occasional hiccup and I too will be on fluids for the next 48 hours.
jen74267 Guest
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Guest jen74267
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You will never be able to find everything 0% fibre - the idea is to remove as much insoluble fibre as possible - for a low residue diet, not zero. But thanks for making your point - I shall have to be more specific in future posts. For example potatoes do have fibre, but far less when the skins are removed.
Crusts are harder to digest, but they can be soaked (did you ever have bread and milk when you were little?) and very well chewed. Easier to cut the crusts off and feed the birds. And of course, bread has wheat or other flours in it, same as crackers, so does have some fibre. So a cracker is OK.
But if you find any foods seem to brink back the pains, they should be removed from the diet for the time being. Once your mum is recovered she can then try small quantities of a suspect food to see if it plays her up still. Unfortunately if that is still the case, that then becomes a food to avoid in future.
There are no rigid rules in this - it's trial and error as everyone is different. Most people struggle at first to come to terms with it and find the right balance. Good luck.
thomas37533 Guest
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yes Felinia, i forgot to mention that yesterday that i don't eat the crust of bread or rolls anything that is bulk bread, Fellinia let me ask you do you eat any vegetables as I do do miss them. i eat a lot of fruit but tined and fresh bananas.
Guest thomas37533
Posted
Hi
I think I must be one of the lucky people as my diet is 50% vegetables. I make a lot of soup which I blend, I make vegetable puree with a combination of carrot, swede, potato, parsnip - whatever takes my fancy, and I do cook my vegetables well - none of this crispy vegetable trend. I also have salad a couple of times a week, but finely chopped Russian style. I don't eat tinned fruit but I get fresh fruit, freeze it, then defrost so it is mushy. I also like bananas, particularly baked and soft, with maple syrup.
Currently have a bit of a niggle so I'm on fluids today and tomorrow - I actually can't think what set me off this time - all I'd had in the previous 24 hours was chicken, boiled potatoes, mushrooms, carrots plus a yogurt. Might just be a common tummy upset and nothing more but I had a very uncomfortable 12 hours!!
susan95516 Guest
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Hi Felinia. How do you cook mushroom. I love them but haven't dared eat them yet x
jen74267 Guest
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Guest susan95516
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Hi Susan
Nice to hear from you again - hope you are feeling much better now and over your chest infection. Mushrooms are mostly water so should be OK. I get 3 sorts of mushrooms, chestnut, portabello or flatcap. The chestnut mushrooms I wipe and thinly slice, then spray a non-stick pan with 1-Cal FryLight and cook them over a low heat until all the water has come out and boiled off. The other 2 types, I wipe, leave whole, take out the stalk and slice it, then spray with 1-Cal and bake the base with the sliced stalk on top, in the oven for about 20 minutes on fan 175. Are you able to eat cheese? I take the baked mushrooms, pour out any excess liquid then top either with grated mature cheddar or Philly Garlic with Herbs, and grill until brown and bubbling. But I'd say try them plain first. I serve them either in an omelette, or with turkey rashers and a poached egg. Good job I've just had my tea otherwise I'd be tempted to cook some up!!
Guest jen74267
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We all want to get it right don't we, but right for one person is not necessarily right for another. When my friend was first diagnosed with diabetes she was positively anal for a few months, until she worked out what she could and could not eat and manage her blood sugar levels. I think that's why sometimes doctors advice can be a bit woolly!!
susan95516 Guest
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Thank you for your reply. I still have a cough and I am still waiting for results of CT scan it's been nearly 4 weeks since I had it. I phoned DR today again she said she will e-mail them and get it for tomorrow when I see my DR I will try the mushrooms and let you know x
Guest susan95516
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Well, the good news is that if anything serious had shown up on the CT scan you would have heard weeks ago. I can remember a couple of years ago I had a really nasty bug and chest infection and it took 3 months for the cough to go. Also do you take any medications ending in "pril"? A cough is a well known side effect of that class of drugs. I had captopril and lisinopril cough for years, until I got switched to a different drug. The cough was driving my friends, my fellow workers at the time, and me nuts!!
susan95516 Guest
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I don't take any tablets except mabevarine paracetamol and a probiotic. This all started with a cold. I think I got so run down looking after my husband I couldn't fight it. The exray showed infection in the bottom of my left lung. I have got cold sores again and my head If full of what ever. I am at the DRS at 9-40 I just hope the results are there x
susan95516 Guest
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Guest susan95516
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susan95516 Guest
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Thank you for your reply. I am going to see a respiratory consultant privately next week I don't trust the NHS to get me an appointment soon. The GP said it's usually 8 weeks wait But if my scan is anything to go by I could be waiting for ever The GP made a comment about me chasing up my scan results. I said I have because I need to know what's going on He seamed very put out x