Diverticulitis can someone help???

[Sara08]

Hi all I think I am having a flare up if my diverticulitis.. last year I had a sigmoscopy due to bowel incontinence following the death of my daughter and my bad traumatic labour.. there was no polyps or inflammation I jus had diverticulitis.. never had issues till now.. been 7 days I am.in agony... Left sided abdominal pain it's always there it's consistent... And all sorts of changes in my bowels... Been on the toilet so mch where IV got hemeroids now... Also pain in the back... Feel tired and having nigjt sweats.. can anyone give me any positive story's .? I'm driving myself mad by googling and it's telling me all sorts that match my symptoms.. docs given me co amoxiclav .. blood test was fine CRP was slightly raised to 14... If anyone can shed some light on this for me it would help... Thanks

Hassle the doctor if the antibiotics don't help. Please don't accept being fobbed off if you feel so poorly. Keep a symptom diary. Ask for a scan and make a fuss if it doesn't resolve.

As PP, get back onto GP if antibiotics aren't working after 5 days. I use a hot water bottle to help with pain. Also avoid food. Just have liquids for a day or so, moving to clear chicken broth, then white toast. You need rest the bowel.
Good luck.

Hope that you get it sorted. So sorry to hear about your daughter.

My mum used to have awful flatter ups. Long-term, she sorted out it eventually through diet. As long as she had cabbage everyday she was ok. She used to take cabbages with her when eating at friends houses, just in case!! She was totally free of flare ups for the last 20+ years of her life.

(Ironically, another friend has diverticulitis and had to avoid cabbage at all costs, so I guess there's an element of trial and error.)

@SorrowsPrayers do u have diverticulitis aswell?

I think that's what il do.. I am really poorley can't even look after my kiddos properly.... Google's making my anxiety hit the Roof saying I have cancer 🥺 I can't deal with anything negative right now....

@Sara08. Yes! I've been in hospital twice in the last year with flare ups...and the consultant says I only have a mild case. My CRP was over 300 on last admission.
I manage flare ups now with chicken stock/ soup and beige foods. Absolutely no fibre or veg for about 5 days then reintroduce slowly.
Also I now know when it is getting too inflammed and I need antibiotics....if I can't lift my left leg up when sitting down I know I'm bad!
You should be able to Google diet for flare up. And there's a good Facebook group....but it is scary and full of people with much worse DD than mine (Diverticulitis Disease UK based support group).
Meanwhile do go back to GP, or ring out of hours.

@SorrowsPrayers see my crp was only 14??? Can that's till be a flare up I feel terrible

Sounds odd! Seek medical advice. We all present differently.

Might not be a diverticulitis flare with CRP only 14. Sounds like you may be constipated as well? Especially if you are on the loo lots and have haemorrhoids.

It's definitely trial and error my gp said that sometimes extra fibre in the diet usually helps but sometimes it can make it worse ,so you just have to see what works for you. You do have to drink plenty of water and that definitely does make a difference I've found. I fill a bottle and just take a few sips whenever I'm a bit dry, I keep it next to the bed and every time I wake during the night I drink a little too.
My go to diet wise is brussel sprouts, broccoli, kale I try to eat one or the other every day, I avoid over processed foods like pre packed sliced ham, tinned crap and stuff like that because i have aflare up after eating. I've also cut out white bread and only eat the odd slice of brown or seedy bread now and again. I like to have natural yoghurt in the fridge all the time and when I feel a flare coming on I have a couple of spoons first thing in the morning and last thing at night, it soothes the burning barbed wire feeling in my stomach. If I have a flare up I note down what I ate before it happened and add that to my banned list.

It's probably not cancer but you don't want to ignore it. Diverticulitis has similar symptoms to some other things. The problem when you have a chronic illness if any sort is that things can be attributed to it and it could be something else. Please go back until it resolves or you get a proper answer/help.

If you feel this bad that you haven't been able to do normal things for a week you should contact your doctor again tomorrow.

Just woke up pains alot better and didn't have night sweats last night also had a good sleep.... I will still try the GP... They sometimes make me feel stupid and be like 'what do u need a scan for' ! I jus Wana feel normal

Google says everything is cancer. Get it checked out but try not to worry too much. Easier said than done, I know.

I'm having a flare up at the moment and find a lot of my pain is wind, I'm on a soft/liquid diet for a few days I take mebeverine which helps relax the bowel and get did of excess wind. Have you tried this?

@Homewoes22 did they tell u it's a flare up with Ur bloods????

Thankyou everyone I'm so glad for this wider community where we can express our self's

Doctors are all in a rush and yes , can fob you off. You're lucky if you find one who listens. Took me a few tries. Please don't feel silly. You're in pain and you need answers. If the antibiotics clear it up then great but if they don't you MUST keep being a nuisance.

Are you eating normally? Are you losing weight?

Hi, no, just by symptoms and pain, bloods done to look for inflammation markers though, there are non so no infection yet luckily

@Mumteedum what do u suffer with??? And what was Ur symptoms ? I'm in hospital now have a CT scan tomorrow

It's not me. It was my Dad. I'm not wishing to worry you, so that's why I haven't said because chances are you are absolutely fine and it's not as serious. But Dad was fobbed off and then it was too late to cope with what happened, which was fast. I stress, Dad was nearly 80 and you're very unlikely to have what he had BUT things are missed. He and his GP dismissed his symptoms as a diverticulitis flare. It was pancreatic cancer.

My friend in her 30s had colon cancer which was missed. She's had treatment but is living with more severe outcomes than if it was caught early.

I would hate anyone else to go through what my family or friend did last year for the sake of feeling like a nuisance or something. Be a nuisance. You matter. BUT I repeat...it is highly unlikely that's your issue however you must listen to your body and get answers if it does not resolve.

Hi ladys just a update I had my pelvic and abdominal CT which was clear so they discharged me to go home.. wonder what's causing this pain then .. I'm glad it's clear I have been worrying so much that I got chest pains in the hospital today due to anxiety

@chattyness
Seeded bread? Don't the seeds get stuck in the diverticular pockets?
Same as tomato seeds/ nuts etc.. my gastroenterologist told me to avoid seeds.

Ah so glad you've had a scan and it's clear. Have you finished your antibiotics?

@Mumteedum no I haven't I dunno if I should I forgot to ask them... I kean anything sinister should have showe up.on CT I suopose