Hello Mollypolly2610. I've just seen your 2020 post - hope you've found a way to keep your condition under control. FYI: I 'found' Mumsnet some years ago when Googling what it was like living in various areas and have found over the years most of the advice given to be very helpful so I hope this post is helpful to you and other sufferers. I'm not a medical professional and all that follows is what I have been told by doctors, together with my personal experiences.
Someone I worked for at the time told me that a friend of his had the condition and it had ruined his life - it hasn't ruined mine though for a while it became a touch challenging.
I'm 76 and was first diagnosed many years ago. It hit me very quickly, first pain mid day, severe pain/trembling by early evening. GP visited me at home, immediate loading dose of antibiotics and urgent referral (possible bowel perforation + I've since learnt that in a male, the symptoms are similar to prostate cancer). Over the years the condition has put me in hospital 4 times, every time prostate checks/x-rays/colonoscopy/two types of antibiotics administered intravenously.
I've come to know quite well the signs of when an infection might be starting so know when to start with my 'rescue pack' of antibiotics which I keep at home. I appreciate everyone is different and what works for one may not work for another but by chance I've been lucky enough to stumble on a pretty effective relief regime from the irregularities, with much reduced infections. Just for a change I tried muesli for breakfast, it made me constipated so I wend back to my usual standard cereal. Irregularities returned. To cut this long story short the balance that works for me is to alternate muesli + apple with shredded wheat - so simple but effective. I had to work out how much of each worked best and it took my system a week or so to settle but 99% of the time I am now completely normal (in that respect, anyway).
My GP has told me that 50% of people at age 50 have diverticular disease and 100% at age 80 have it but only some 25% of people suffer infections. It's a horrible, painful, embarrassing and disruptive condition but I want you to know there is light at the end of the tunnel. Keep trying different ways to find what works for you - don't give up. Very best wishes.