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Antibiotics for diverticulitis

28 replies

Dancingonmylonesome · 19/07/2020 21:12

I've had issue with bowels long term on and off. It's been terrible for 2 years diarrhoea, urgency, mucus,left sided pain,bloated. Calcoprotectin levels normal then high then normal again. CT done and doctor phoned me back to say I had a few diverticula and diagnosed IBS. I phoned my Gp last week she couldn't access the report fully as it was done at another trust but gave me antibiotics as I've been having all the above plus maroon poos. My backside kills. I've just started the antibiotics. I'm only in my 30s so this is quite rare for my age. Anyone else suffer?

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Dancingonmylonesome · 19/07/2020 21:59

Anyone?

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Dancingonmylonesome · 20/07/2020 18:29
Blush
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LarkDescending · 20/07/2020 20:51

Has inflammatory bowel disease been ruled out?

What you descriibe doesn’t sound like IBS, and as you say you are young for the diverticula to be your main problem. They could just be an incidental finding.

Will you be seen in clinic to follow up the CT and understand the findings in detail? I hope so, as it sounds miserable and you need a proper diagnosis.

Dancingonmylonesome · 20/07/2020 21:02

I spoke to the consultant on the phone and he said no signs of ibd so I'm guessing CT scans are quite accurate?

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Dancingonmylonesome · 20/07/2020 21:03

Diverticular is common in my family. Antibiotics helping slightly with pain.

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LarkDescending · 20/07/2020 21:25

Have they actually found radiological signs of diverticulitis though? Diverticula per se are common and don’t cause pain unless inflamed. I am not sure from what you say whether you have been given a firm diagnosis.

Anyway - if symptoms continue, do press for further help to resolve this.

swampusdonkus · 20/07/2020 21:33

Hi OP, my husband (46) has Diverticular Disease. He was diagnosed about 5 years ago after getting repeated infections in his bowel that required hospital stays and IV antibiotics. He had been misdiagnosed with IBS for the previous 15 years. A colonoscopy revealed many, many polyps and he was told he had a very severe form of the disease.

A few things can trigger acute episodes of Diverticulitis for him: stress and eating the 'wrong' foods. He saw a Gastro-intestinal surgeon who advised that they weren't sure whether a high fibre or low fibre diet would help him (helpful Hmm). So we had to experiment by trying both. For him a low fibre diet seems to work, so white bread, white rice etc. One thing the Consultant was sure of was to avoid grains, seeded bread, things like sweet corn etc - basically anything that could get trapped in the polyps and get infected.

He bought the book "Coping with Diverticulitis" by Peter Cartwright which was very helpful to him.

Unfortunately, it can be a bit of trial and error working out what kind of diet works for you. He hasn't had an episode for a while now, but we are very much alert to what may be signs of an infection. So, if he experiences that certain type of pain then he'll get antibiotics from his GP. Doing this has undoubtedly reduced the number of hospital admissions he has needed.

Good luck, OP. It can be awful but my husband has a very severe case and I do hope you aren't suffering as badly.

Dancingonmylonesome · 20/07/2020 21:36

Lark I recieved a phone call due to covid from the consultant to tell me nothing sinister a few diverticular. I feel sick off the antibiotics.

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Dancingonmylonesome · 20/07/2020 21:36

I'm due a colonoscopy soon as they've re started post covid

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Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse · 20/07/2020 21:49

Hey Op I’m in my Early 30s with diverticulitis. It is very unusual for our age and a horrid condition however I haven’t had an attack for a few months now but last one I ended up in hospital with.

Dancingonmylonesome · 20/07/2020 21:57

@Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse

Hey Op I’m in my Early 30s with diverticulitis. It is very unusual for our age and a horrid condition however I haven’t had an attack for a few months now but last one I ended up in hospital with.
Its horrible isn't it? What are your main symptoms? I've had left side pain on and off for months
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Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse · 20/07/2020 22:12

I usually get a tender tummy with pain, a temperature, feel sick or vomit. Lots of maroon blood with tissue bits in and generally feel terrible.

Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse · 20/07/2020 22:15

I hope you get your appointment for colonoscopy through soon.

Dancingonmylonesome · 21/07/2020 11:28

I've got a sore bum

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Dancingonmylonesome · 22/07/2020 08:38

How long do the antibiotics usually take to work? I'm in day 4 of 7 and I cant say I feel lots better. I'm doing low fibre and drinking lots aswell. I'm getting spasm type pains in left side and sometimes on my right. My poo is sloppy and dark

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DeliaOwens · 22/07/2020 08:43

Hi OP, have you had a test done for Helicobacter Pylori?

I had three years similar to you, until a Professor had a biopsy done on me while I was have an endoscopy.

Worth investigating, maybe to rule it out if nothing else.

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/h-pylori/symptoms-causes/syc-20356171

Dancingonmylonesome · 22/07/2020 09:43

I have had a blood test for h pylori that was negative.

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LarkDescending · 22/07/2020 10:07

Oral antibiotics never worked for my diverticulitis - I always had to go into hospital to have them IV. But from what you have said I remain confused about your diagnosis. “A few diverticula” does not equal diverticulitis. Still, you are under a consultant so I presume they are at least provisionally satisfied that’s what it is.

Dancingonmylonesome · 22/07/2020 10:09

The consultant said I had a few diverticula back in May

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Noidea2114 · 22/07/2020 10:17

My Dh has had diverticulitis for 15 years. As soon as he has a sign he starts with the antibiotics.
He gets a bout if he is stressed. Easier said than done to not be stressed.
He has found that a high fiber diet is the best. Not to get constipated.
At the start he wrote down everything he ate to see what was best.

Dancingonmylonesome · 22/07/2020 15:35

Thanks for your support guys. It's a crap condition. I'm hoping I dont need ivab I feel ok its just the pain

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20mum · 23/07/2020 16:02

Maybe research FODMAPs? (Not to question anything which works, but maybe for others who read the thread.) N.I.C.E. approved, led by Kings, now thought to be a possible diet based solution for all manner of gut problems. Never heard of when a lot of doctors were training.

Basic idea is eliminate one group, then another, of potentially aggravating foods. Finally, personalise it. Odd things which are commonly aggressive to digestion are garlic and honey! Very few are actually allergic to gluten, but many find avoiding wheat helps. Often, whatever you love hates you, for instance a cheese addict might find they can manage, say, milk and yoghurt, but the cheese and butter must stay on their personal banned list.

A decent starting point, too, is to suspect chemicals. Simple one or two ingredient meals of organic food may be fine, while prepacked, ready meals, or factory farmed may make your system angry. There's a water filter called zero, which gives cleaner results than bottled spring water, and of course tap water may be safe to drink in the sense it has enough chlorine to kill the bacteria in it, but chlorine isn't always welcomed by human guts.

Michael Moseley, among others, is not enthusiastic about antibiotics destroying good gut bacteria, but most doctors were trained to try antibiotics for everything. These are invaluable of course, in the right circumstances, but possibly the way bodies evolved isn't invariably wrong.!

Dancingonmylonesome · 24/07/2020 13:39

I'm passing odourlous dark green poo

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Dancingonmylonesome · 24/07/2020 18:03
Envy
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Dancingonmylonesome · 26/07/2020 08:21

Still diarrhoea but the pain is lessening. I had to do the full 7 days if antibiotics to get some relief though so obviously needed them

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