Posted , 3 users are following.
Is it a foregone conclusion, that , if the colon/bowel keeps suffering perforations and abscesses, that surgery is inevitable ?
How do we find out how ,many pouches have developed ? Where they are ? and why consultants ,doctors, surgeons,, are so reluctant to disclose this information ?
Last but not least ,where can we go to ask questions. i find this a stressful disease. through not being given sufficient information .
0 likes, 17 replies
james52892 jacqueline01135
Posted
Hey Jacqueline - think you've had most questioned answered - CT scan and colonoscopy will pin point the diverticulum. NHS will give you a report (which takes a little unpicking to understand the language) but will give the flavour of the story + some pics - for example my colon has 'pan diverticula' - essentially randomly distributed along most of its length. Normally (in the West at least) they tend to be concentrated in the sigmoid end of the colon where the radius is smallest and the wall tension highest (at least this seems to be the accepted mantra). My understanding is surgery has risks associated with it. If it is forced on you by perforations etc then you have no choice (its a bit like having an appendicitis) but the danger is the risk of complications either during or after the Op - scaring, ulceration etc. Surgery seems to be much more common in the US. In UK/France it is normally in response to an emergency situation - here in the UK the usual treatment is ABs, paracetamol and hearty wave!
I was very interested in the question of whether it is possible to actually slow or stop the progression of the disease (quite apart from the issue of avoiding flare ups). It seems that there isnt much data on this. Sadly my GP thinks that a high fibre diet will deftly help slow it (or at least not speed it up) but probably once the train is rolling it will stay rolling regardless .... but something like a heavy red meat diet or not drinking enough water would definitely make it worse quicker.
I agree that there is a lot about this disease which isnt wildly clear. Ive read some papers and talked to my GP and there are many unanswered questions. For example a recent study suggests that nuts and seeds are not a problem to DD sufferers but, speaking as someone who has had two bad attacks after eating a load of peanuts, I'm not going to ever test that research again! The problem is there may be mixed effects - perhaps food intolerances - which may trigger flare ups in a way different from the classic 'blocked diverticulum' model.
You just have to experiment (very carefully!) as to what works for you
Good luck!
James
jacqueline01135 james52892
Posted
Hello.. I had a CT scan for a different body part,, which showed a perforation in my bowel. I was duly sent for blood tests etc, and had an awful feeling that I was approaching the theatre, However. a surgeon appeared "for a chat" that frightened the pants off of me ,as he was in theatre gear. The outcome was ,all my bloods were good, and the perforation had healed itself. Bearing in mind that I did not have any pains to warn me of this disaster, So, I was sent home with ,,,now,,, bruises from the blood letting !!! I do indulge my pockets with Probiotic capsules,I did ask the surgeon if he thought they helped, what he said was. "they can't do any harm." So neither of us knew what had caused the perforation. inflammation ,,cause unknown .probably look good on a head stone .
Jacqueline
Luck I DON'T need,, a new colon YES