Surgery to treat diverticulosis?

Ok John. That explains why they want to operate. I thought you must have experienced some symptoms to be investigated at all to start with. Strictures can come from surgery too. I would really weigh up options if I were yi. If you never had any major issues you may be fine without any surgical intervention for a long long time. However if strictures are from your hernia repair you might only seen top of iceberg for now. I been partially obstructed and it's not nice. However I managed it with laxative, a lot of it. Still take it daily.

Vivian, Carol pretty much said it all. Symptoms shared is pain, change in bowel habits, bleeding, weight loss, nausea. You might drop weight from eating less. In cancer you might loose weight despite eating normal. The cancer speeds up metabolism. Require higher calorie intake to keep weight on. Constipation due to obstructions. Can be cancerous or by strictures. A coloscopy will see what is causing it. Also what's causing any bleeds or prolonged constipation.

John, what country are you in? I can't say for sure but there seem to be different cut off points before surgery is considered depending on where you are and who is paying for it. I'm in uk and I been begging for an operation to remove the pain. They didn't give it to me. I still have daily problems a year on.

Vivian

The sigmoidoscopy is a scope of the first bit of intestine from the bottom. Coloscopy is higher up. They would have seen both sites last time you had a coloscopy. I think you should get a second opinion. If this is affecting you do much it calls for more investigation. Your life, quality is also a factor to consider when deciding to operate or not. I think whatever infection you have lurking in your guts lays dormant between flares. I don't think it ever clears up totally on you. I see you wonder about cdiff. You probably would not have good periods at all if you had it but it should get tested as you been on multiple lots of antibiotics. Speak to your pharmacy, they might send for tests without having a order from Dr. At least it put your mind at rest. I feel for you. I seen you been through a lot. I wish that would take us more seriously and invest more money into research to help us

Money talks John. Whatever you do, hold on to that insurance. I'm moving to America and I see they operate a lot sooner over there. I have obstructions, daily pain. Nhs won't touch it. Gave me pain relief after I been hospitalised 3 times for pain management. And yes, had sigmoidoscopy and too tight to get any further so they stopped and told me to eat more fibres. Do think long and hard though about surgery. It's not without complications. Who knows where strictures come from? Could they been from your hernia repair? They normally take 6-12 months to appear, give symptoms. Just because the doctor does both nhs and private, he/she xan still give different advice depending on where they work that day. Nhs hasn't got funds for a lot these days. They do keep this in mind when consulting patients. Look at mögel damage with his testicular cancer?! He did not get scan in nhs. Private doctors have it as he was paying. Voila testicular cancer found. Nhs is still very good av treating the imminent, life threatening situation. But unfortunately there is a lack of funds

Hahahaha, meant Nigel Ferage. The ukip leader. Remember the stories in the papers about his balls, if his ball.....

Everything's relative. If you don't have the surgery to remove the affected area and your bowel perforates due to the confirmed severe diverticulitis, ( with research you can confirm this) and then you'll be forced into emergency surgery--now that's drastic.

I've made up my mind and I'm going to have the surgery. Sent an e-mail to the consultant's secretary asking when we can schedule the surgery. Still not absolutely sure about about it, but overall I think the risks of developing more severe symptoms or complications are greater than the risks from the surgery .