Diverticulitis anyone?

[krs10ne]

I know this will probably get moved, but I dont know how often the health threads are looked at, and this is where I usually post.

3 years ago I had an attack of acute diverticulitis with an abcess. I spent ten days in the hospital on antibiotics and pain killers and had surgrey to remove many inches of my colon. They didnt get all the diverticuli cause that would have meant I would end up with a colostomy, so he only took out the really diseased part.

4 days ago, I started having that all to familiar pain, slight at this point but noticable in the left part of my abdomen. I have had it 2 times before, upped my metamucil intake and always got rid of it. This time was a little more persistant so I went to the urgent care this morning for antibiotics. I am taking Cipro and Flagyl, and on a liquid diet for at least today.

My question is, has anyone had this and been fine just taking the anti biotics and being on a liquid diet for a few days? My biggest fear is ending up in the hospital again. If they have to do surgery again...I cant even imagine it. I am 34, I dont want to end up with a colostomy bag. That right now is my biggest fear. :cry: :cry:

TIA for any info or experience.

[bigted]

I am sorry I can't really add anthing to help other than to say don't worry as worry and stress adds rather than helps a problem. Having said that, that's easier said than done. What I can add is that major surgery is done only when the alternatives are not suitable. I hope your pain and discomfort passes soon and all is well, you're in my thoughts.

Steph

[Rosebud]

Yes, I have diverticulosis, and suffer intermittently with bouts of diverticulitis.

So far (touch wood) I have avoided both hospital and surgery. My GP has given me a script for antibiotics, so I am always prepared when it hits.

What I do is switch to just fluids - usually water, weak tea and occasionally chicken broth - as soon as I start to feel that familiar tell-tale "sitting down" pain. Then after the first couple of days, as the worst of the pain starts to settle, I start to eat more normally. I stick to a bland diet (http://www.dietsite.com/dt/diets/gastrointestinaldisorders/blanddiet.asp) (only eating vegies that are low fibre and non wind/gas causing). I only return to my normal diet, plus psyllium supps when all pain has gone - usually around 10 days all up.
I also take a stool softener (not a laxative) until the pain has gone, mainly because I wind up taking a fair bit of codeine for pain relief, and as you know, any defaecation at this point can hurt the tum, so straining is not an option! :daze:

The first few times I had diverticulitis, I didn't think of adjusting my diet and just rested in bed and took pain killers. But I have to say I have a LOT less pain now that I do this.

I hope my experience is of some help to you. :there:

Please don't be too worried about the thread being moved. But the thing is that apart from the fact that yes, a lot of us do look at the heath forum (I think people just don't post unless they feel they have something to offer), anyone else having a similar problem would search here, rather than in the Atkins forum.

I do hope your pain settles quickly.

Rosebud:rose:

[krs10ne]

Thank you both.

Rosebud, I am so glad to finally talk to someone that has this! Its truly miserable at its worst. I hope you dont have to have surgery either, that wasnt fun, 7 days in the hospital and a demorol drip. Well ok, that demorol was fun, LOL, just kidding, it only masked the pain.

I am trying not to panic about this. But I cant help but be worried. I havent eaten anything all day, and I am quite hungry, I did just have some Jello though. I to have just been resting.

Hugs back to you, I hope you stay well :there:

[hifive]

Hey Krs10ne,

Diverticulitis only progresses to diverticular abscess in rare cases. You have already been unlucky in this way, unfortunately, but you can avoid a repeat in the future in several ways

(1) AVOID SEEDS. Including raspberries, popcorn, peppers, etc. I am sure your doctor has told you this. The little seeds plug up the diverticuli (little outpouchings in your colon) and cause the infection. Anything that comes with little particles is a no-no! things you might not think of--capers, coarsely ground black pepper or whole peppercorns, etc. You have to be REALLY diligent about this!

(2) Do exactly what you have just done--gotten medical attention early in the process and started taking cipro/flagyl (this is the usual regimen for diverticulitis), and put yourself on a liquid diet for a day or so...the antibiotics should clear up the infection (the seed which began the infection usually unplugs itself, leaving the infection behind to be cured by antibiotics) and no need for more surgery.

Because you are so young, you have a lot of years ahead of you to get diverticular infections...you can get them even without eating seeds, but being careful with your diet will make it much, much less likely. You must be vigilant! if you want to avoid getting another abscess requiring surgery.

But I do want to reassure you that surgery is only uncommonly necessary--in fact, most recurrent cases of diverticulitis are treated with oral antibiotics at home, as long as they are caught early so that the infection is mild, and as long as the patient is healthy and not elderly or otherwise fragile.

You should get a primary care doc--after s/he gets to know you, s/he will probably be happy to call in Rx for cipro/flagyl whenever you get significant symptoms (say, that last for more than a few hours)...that way you can nip it any recurrence in the bud without waiting in an urgent care center or ER or waiting for an appointment with your own doc.

You are very young for this problem...I am so sorry you have this, but it does NOT mean you have to end up with a colostomy!!!!!

hang in there--

Lucy

[krs10ne]

Thank you Lucy, you are right, I am young for this. Every doctor I saw and see has said the same exact thing. When I first went to my gastro dr, I asked him what causes this as I never have had problems with being irregular, and constipation. He said in my case, and as bad as I have it and with my age he can only think its heredity. I came to find out while I was going through it, that my grandfather had it horribly. Something I never knew.

Regarding the abcess, the very first time I had pain, I thought it was constipation. I was taking laxatives like crazy, the pain was there but I tend to have a very high tolerance for it, so I ignored it. I went 3 1/2 weeks with it, then one morning I woke up in extreme pain and could move in bed, or walk without almost throwing up. Thats when I ended up in the ER.

The whole thing still haunts me, and scares me to death.

[krs10ne]

Rosebud?

How do you lo carb and deal with this?

[Rosebud]

Rosebud?

How do you lo carb and deal with this?
Do you mean how do I eat low carb while on the bland diet?
I stick to the lower carb vegies - mainly zucchini, mushrooms and small amounts of lettuce (only the green bits) and spinach. I tend to eat pretty small meals at this time; it's all about resting the gut. For protein I tend to stick with bland stuff such as canned tuna and chicken.

The rest of the time I try to make sure I have plenty of vegies, plus my daily tablespoonful of psyllium.

Do let me know if there's anything else I can answer. And I hope you are feeling better. :)

Roz

[krs10ne]

.

The rest of the time I try to make sure I have plenty of vegies, plus my daily tablespoonful of psyllium.



Thats what I meant. Thats what I do also when I am lCing (was just getting back to Atkins). I was just wondering if there was something else that might even be more helpful.

I am feeling much better today, and am going to work. Saturday I ate nothing but soup, jello, and a few gallons of water. Yesterday I had a serving of oatmeal, noodles for lunch, and for dinner a serving of whole wheat noodles with half a chicken breast and a half cup of broccoli. I am trying to stick with easily digestible foods right now, but want a little fiber in the mix. Today will be pretty much the same.

Thank you so much!! I absolutly appreciate your information and advice and sympathy on this :)

[Rosebud]

Sounds as though you've had a fairly mild attack - good! Not that any of it is all that good. :rolleyes:
I would have avoided broccoli (being a "gas producing" vegetable) until all pain has gone, but you are obviously doing well enough for it not to have been a problem.

I am really pleased to hear you are well enough to go back to work. Let's hope that the psyllium etc keeps both of us from having any more episodes for a loooong time - if ever.

One more thing. Lucy has given you some good advice, but I disagree (with great respect, Lucy :)) with the advice about seeds. Doctors have been advising folk with diverticulosis to avoid seeds for years. (Like they've been advising us that low carb is unhealthy....)
The reasoning behind this recommendation was that seeds and nuts could theoretically plug up a diverticulum and lead to diverticulitis. Despite this reasonable hypothesis, there is no known case of such a blockage actually occurring and no proven benefit to avoiding seeds and nuts.
http://www.ivillagehealth.com/experts/digestive/qas/0,,232662_168447-2,00.html

I have seen quite a few sources for this. ;)

Cheers,

Roz

[krs10ne]

My doctors told me the same thing. I avoid them if I start to get that feeling like something is going on in there, but then add them back to my diet.

I have a weird theory as to why I had this flare up. And I think it didnt become full blown cause I caught it so early. I am not kidding you, once I start to feel that "feeling" in the left side, I take action. This one was a little more painful though. Back to my point, I went to lunch last week, I ordered a chicken salad and it was AWFUL!! I have wondered since then and with this episode if maybe there was some bacteria in the chicken, or lettuce, or the sprouts that were on it. And things didnt go through my system fast enough despite the metmucil, and maybe that was the culprit. The funny thing was when I was eating it, I joked with my boss and said "well the service has sucked, the lunch is horrid, and watch me end up with ecoli poisoning from these sprouts!" Two days later, my left side was hurting, weird huh?

Are you able to trace flare ups to something you ate?

[Rosebud]

One more thing. Lucy has given you some good advice, but I disagree (with great respect, Lucy :)) with the advice about seeds. Doctors have been advising folk with diverticulosis to avoid seeds for years. (Like they've been advising us that low carb is unhealthy....)

http://www.ivillagehealth.com/experts/digestive/qas/0,,232662_168447-2,00.html

I have seen quite a few sources for this. ;)

Cheers,

Roz
I was wrong, wrong, wrong!!!! I truly believed that at the time, but now, having been triggered by seeds more than once (yes, I am a slow learner :rolleyes: ), I would suggest to anyone who has had diverticulitis to avoid seeds and exercise extreme caution with nuts as well.

Roz

[Kestrel]

I don't recall whether the english version of Life Without Bread by Dr. Lutz had much info in it with regards to diverticulitis, but his book, "Sick Stomach, Sick Bowels" devoted a chapter to it. He had great success with treating the illness - and Crohn's - with his low-carb diet. He didn't, however, agree with others pushing large amounts of fiber for treating the illness. His diet was high fat, moderate protein, lowish carbs.

[CindySue48]

I was wrong, wrong, wrong!!!! I truly believed that at the time, but now, having been triggered by seeds more than once (yes, I am a slow learner :rolleyes: ), I would suggest to anyone who has had diverticulitis to avoid seeds and exercise extreme caution with nuts as well.

RozNow I've had 3 different docs tell me most people have no problem with seeds. I eat nuts daily, and seeds frequently and don't have a problem.

My buots, so far, have all been related to eating the wrong foods, but not nuts and seeds. I can see if you have a known problem avoiding nuts and seeds, but I was told over 10 yrs ago, and as recent as 5-6 months ago, that nuts and seeds have been found no more dangerous than other hard foods. Pretty much what I'm told is keep things soft and moving.

[Rosebud]

Yep, your mileage can definitely vary. I just wanted to take back my former statements now that seeds really do trigger me. ;)

But in general, it's a trial and error system of finding out your triggers and avoiding them.

Roz

[cs_carver]

Just posted same in the other diverticulosis thread: Have you noticed a connection to gluten? My gluten intolerance takes the form of acid reflux, but it seems possible that someone inclined to diverticulosis could get inflammation leading to infection if s/he had a gluten intolerance as well. And LC versions of wheat products have more than the normal amount of gluten.

[mike_d]

I don't think I have to worry about dv now, I still eat plenty of nuts and seeds and not much processed stuff, but they took out over a foot of the bad part of my colon so I take fiber twice a day now and eat veggies like my pickled Southern greens. I also have a little yogurt, kraut, grapefruit and kefir everyday which helps to promote GI health.