Does anyone suffer from diverticulitis?

[tigersbuddy]

I've been having on and off lower left quadrant abdominal pain for over 2 years. my gp always puts it down to ibs but I have never really felt convinced of this diagnosis. I have been having a flare up and on easter Sunday visited the out of hours gp who admitted me straight to hospital as she thought I had an infection. I was put on paid meds, IV antibiotics amd eventually had a ct scan where they have found several pouches in my sigmoid colon. I was discharged on Wednesday to continue oral antibiotics at home.
I just feel so low from it all. I'm still experiencing pain......however the pain meds make me terriblely constipated. the laxatives they gave me to counteract this give me terrible stomach cramps and take me from one extreme to another with my toilet habits.
I'm finding eating really hard. Im off work at honest at the moment. I just don't know what is normal and how long the flare up should be expected to last. I feel totally alone......I'm in my 20s so it's a very unusual diagnosis to get at my age. just don't know where to turn for advice. I'm booked in for a flexible sigmoidoscopy in a few weeks time to confirm the diagnosis.

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[BusterGonad]

I've got Crohn's, I know it's not the same but it kind of is! The pain is horrible, I have left quant rant pain, and a sharp cutting like pain and aching around my belly button. It's not nice and I get bunged up more than anything else. I didn't know diverticulitis was an age thing! As harsh as this sounds, you just need to dust yourself off and get on with it! I was diagnosed 2 years ago at the grand age of 35, it left me reeling but now all my previous health issues add up and I think I've had it for years, all my life in fact, but now I'm older my body just can't fight it as much as it used too. I'm laying in the sofa now with pains and aches but it's part of my life now. I can put up with the pain but when it's bad the exhaustion is by far the worse side effect!

[MoonDuke]

My dada has it. As soon as he gets a flare up he stops eating and goes to the Dr for antibiotics. Think he has a couple of days that he doesn't eat (or only things that won't irritate his intestines).

[Frouby]

My dp had it and we didn't know, despite him having many investigations for stomach pains and various issues like v and d.

We found out when a pouch abscessed, then burst. Which is not the best way to find out.

I would try and see the positives in having a diagnosis and research diet and lifestyle to keep you as healthy as possible. Dps was definitely contributed to by his lifestyle. Not saying yours is but if he slips back into unhealthy habits his health really suffers.

[tigersbuddy]

thanks for all the replies. it's good to know I'm not alone. yesterday was a pretty bad day. Im feeling a lot more upbeat today.
I'm trying to lay off the pain killers to help reduce constipation and am eating a low fibre diet......this seems to be the general advice online when suffering a flare up.

I've been having problems for over 2 years, each episode being worse than the previous. I'm hugely relived to have an answer to what is causing it and to be taken seriously. I'm managing ok on the low fibre diet......I'm not sure what to expect when I move on to the high fiber diet.
my boyfriend has been really supportive and cooking healthy meals and encouraging me to eat.

I have abused my body for too long.....not taken proper care of myself and been lowest priority......I guess this is a wake up call to start putting myself and my needs first.