<p>Anyone have any experience? Spent a couple of days in the hospital over July 4 holiday while out of town with an episode. Feeling better and have followup appt with local gastro doc next week. </p>
<p>Can anyone share what I should expect from now on? Almost afraid to eat anything at this point. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I stand the possibility of problems with this but no episodes as of yet. Learned about when I had a colonoscopy. I don’t make any changes to my diet but I do eat lots of salads, veggies, healthy eating. But I am aware it could bite me sometime.</p>
<p>I have had it for about 15 years, have had a couple episodes (very painful), I have also spent a few days in hospital over it. You will likely be told to watch your diet but in my case I stay away from foods with seeds. I cant eat things like raspberries, regular cucumber (english cucumber are no problem). I dont know about most people but seeds are what seems to tigger an attack. I was explained to me that sedds get caught in the the pockets in the intestine and then your body goes nuts trying to get rid of them. Sesame seeds and especially peanuts really affect me. Also do everything you can to keep yourself regular I had that happen once and when I got constipated it caused a back up in the intestine and therefore caused an attack. I always bring laxatives with me when travelling. The other thing to be aware of is that if you have evacuation insurance when out of the country it may not cover you because this a known health issue.
It is not fun when you have an attack but over the last 15 or so years I have had only about 6 or 7 attacks and I can feel them coming on so I know to drink fluid and eat milder foods than I normally would. Good Luck.</p>
<p>My FIL had some severe problems with diverticulitis several years ago and had surgery to remove a portion of his colon which was close to rupturing. He had a temporary colostomy for six or so months. His doctor told him he really didn’t need to restrict his diet which is the opposite of what I had learned in nursing school years ago. When I asked the doctor about it, he said there really had been no evidence that nuts and foods with seeds exacerbate the problem. He did say if my FIL found from personal experience that those particular foods irritated him, he should obviously avoid them. I’m sorry for those of you who suffer from that, as I know it can be very painful.</p>
<p>A timely thread, as my brother was just hospitalized with it this morning (first attack). It must be painful, they have him on morphine.</p>
<p>A mild stool softener helps some people. I don’t have it but was diagnosed with diverticulosis after my colonoscopy and was told that the nuts/seeds advice is no longer given and that they are not off limits.</p>
<p>I had one episode of it ~25 years ago when I was in my early 20’s. The doctors thought I had appendicitis, but when they went in they found a healthy appendix and a perforated colon. They removed about a foot of my colon.</p>
<p>I was told it was an atypical case, probably non recurring and was advised that I didn’t need to modify my diet. I have had no issues since then and I have never been prone to digestive issues other than that one occurrence.</p>
<p>I guess Splashmom is right because they (seeds) do bother me so I avoid them but I guess it is up to the Dr as to what they think. I know mine told me a few weeks ago that I should still avoid them but maybe that is because I know they bring on an attack. It is very painful which is why I am very careful, have gotten to know the symptoms of an attack. My worst and first attack had me out cold. I had gone to the restroom at home and passed out from the pain, my wife found me about 30 minutes later as she was gardening at the time. It is unfortunately a disease that you cant really talk to anyone about either so good for you Notre dame Al for bringing it up here.</p>
<p>My husband has suffered from diverticulitis for years. He drinks Metamucil every morning, and although he eats a very healthy, fiber-rich diet, he can’t overdo it. Too much raw broccoli can bring on an attack. He keeps prescriptions (massive antibiotics) on hand, as he can tell when an event is coming on, and his doctor said it is important to catch it early before the infection gets to severe. (Something to do with “rebound” pain - pushes in on his gut, and it hurts when he releases it.) Stress was a big factor in his condition. When he was working he would often have attacks every month or so, and his doctor told him that he might have to have surgery to remove a part of his colon. Since he has retired and has had time to exercise regularly, he has been symptom free!</p>
<p>My mother also had diverticulitis for years, but surgery was not recommended because of her age. When she was in her late eighties, however, she had a severe attack and ended up having to have emergency surgery. Since her recovery from what turned out to be a major procedure (apparently some people can have it done laparoscopically), she has been one happy camper, as she can eat whatever she wants.</p>
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<p>Holy Cow! I was just diagnosed with diverticulitis following my colonoscopy, but had no idea it was present. It’s been a-symptomatic so far. I’ve got a grab bag of digestive problems, including gastroparesis (extremely delayed stomach emptying) and an extremely “redundant colon”, but the diverticulitis is a new one. What are the symptoms of an “episode”? </p>
<p>Morphine!:eek:</p>
<p>Severe (the kind that will not disappear) stomach pain, esp located in lower mid to left section of abdomen. Doc knew immediately what the problem was, before doing any tests.</p>
<p>Morphine! Yes, can be used to control the pain. I was given Diluadad (.5mg) and became violently ill from that amount! I do not tolerate pain meds at all (guess I wouldn’t make for a very good drug addict, but hey, the nurse said continued use of narcotics recreationally is pretty much a lifestyle anyway!). Doc indicated that if I continued to have pain, they would switch me to morphine. I said no way, would try to tough it out. I suspect my admission to the hospital was somewhat due to the fact that I was so violently ill, but I know that the docs and nurses were just trying to get me comfortable. I did have one nurse tell me to try using a heating pad for pain.</p>
<p>Have appt with local gastro doc on Tues of next week so it will be helpful to see what advice he offers.</p>
<p>This has certainly been a learning experience…and I suspect I will be on edge about eating for quite some time.</p>
<p>Yes, morphine AND a four day hospital stay. He was admitted on Thursday morning, and is in over the weekend. He (and his primary care doc) thought it was appendicitis, so he went to the hospital thinking it was that. They did some kind of scan involving barium, and diagnosed the diverticulitis. I don’t know too much more than that, as I am not in the same town he is in (and his wife is a nurse at the hospital he is in, so I am sure she is keeping careful track of what is happening and quizzing the doctors, etc.). I am assuming they are keeping him in as a precaution, since it is his first attack and apparently quite painful. But you have to be super sick to get a four day hospital stay these days (heck, to even get admitted).</p>
<p>I may have it – will know more after abdominal cat scan in a few days. I had a difficult colonoscopy in late March. The prep just wouldn’t stay down so I called my doc that night and told him it wasn’t working but he said to come the next morning for the colonoscopy anyway. So I did so and woke up from the procedure to have him tell me (in annoyance) that I wasn’t thoroughly prepped sufficiently and thus had to fast another day and take the super-duper osmoprep (with fda black box warning) and return the next morning for a second colonoscopy. I did all this and have to say it is not the best way to drop ten pounds in two days! A polyp was found an removed and I went home thinking life would go back to normal.</p>
<p>Well, as soon as I started eating again I got terrible lower left abdominal pain. I sensed this had to do with the colonoscopy but the GI doc insisted I first get a gynecological exam, which was all fine but took about two weeks. Then I had bloodwork and because my white count wasn’t elevated my GI doc said it’s just indigestion, take zantac, etc.</p>
<p>Long and short of it is that for the past several months I can barely eat a meal without terrible pain for about two hours, especially in the middle of the night following dinner. I called back the GI doc and he has scheduled me for a cat scan but he still doesn’t think it’s diverticulitis because of no fever or elevated white count.</p>
<p>I basically live on jello and smoothies and feel weak and tired. It has gotten steadily worse. I gave up any form of coffee about six weeks ago. </p>
<p>I learned recently that my aunt got a perforated/scarred colon from a colonoscopy and I suspect that is what happened. Am certainly glad that the polyp was removed but this has really made it difficult to lead a normal life.</p>
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<p>This is true. I work part time in a GI lab, and every day someone is given a diagnosis of diverticulosis. Only a couple of the docs are still advising against seeds/nuts. The other docs tell the patients that the research has not borne out that recommendation and that the most important thing is to avoid constipation. The colon is always healthier if waste is moved on through rather than sitting for days in the gut.</p>
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<p>It’s hard to imagine that you could have had a perforated colon and not developed a fever. That’s what usually happens when waste escapes from a perforated colon into the abdominal cavity.</p>
<p>I hope you find out the cause of your discomfort. Your quality of life sounds pretty awful.</p>
<p>That’s what my doc keeps saying – no fever, no sign of infection. I think scarring though can cause the pain without the infection. Have been reading all I can find on this.</p>
<p>Sewhappy - that’s terrible. Was it a routine colonoscopy or were you having problems before the colonoscopy?</p>
<p>If you can’t get this resolved quickly, I would seek out the services of another physician. I work at a hospital and, trust me, the inside secret is that not all physicians are equally competent. If you ever get in good with the nursing staff, they will tell you horror stories about certain physicians. And these are physicians who have large practices and lots of referrals. It’s scary.</p>
<p>MomLive,</p>
<p>I agree. Am sending results of the cat scan to a different physician and transferring my case to him after asking around for a good referral. We are in a new state this year so it’s been hard to figure out doctors, especially specialists.</p>
<p>It was a completely routine colonoscopy, no prior symptoms whatsoever. </p>
<p>Sorry to interject my story on this thread. It feels good to vent!</p>
<p>sewhappy,
Take care. Hope you get some answers AND some relief SOON.
You are doing the right thing. We are hear to listen. You are teaching us things, so it is not just venting!!!</p>
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<p>This is absolutely true. I’ve worked with doctors I wouldn’t recommend to my worst enemy.</p>