Diverticulitis

[Badtard]

I've missed 10 days of work recently after being in severe abdominal pain, extreme nausea and fever and chills. The pain, starting with what felt like period pains then shifting to the left of my body after 2 days was awful.

I was treated with 2 different types of antibiotics for 5 days. I rested, a lot! Slept a lot and even after the pain subsided and I'd completed the course, I found I was utterly wiped out and feeling exhausted. All in all, I lost 10 days of work.

Back in since Monday - feeling ok but weak and still grey, taking things easy. Same Tuesday. Today, I feel weak as a kitten again and have started having the same period type pains as before (should have mentioned, I'm 51, no periods for 14 months).

I've never had diverticulitis before and don't know much apart from what's on the internet.

The GP said that hopefully, this is a flare up and a one-off, but I'm now worried about this pain. I can't lose anymore work days! X

i think a diverticulum can be surgically removed? Maybe ask about that? (Major surgery but maybe is a long term option?!)

Ah, I may be referring to a bladder diverticulum. Sorry OP. Moral of the story, don’t get medical advice from the internet?!

Did a GP diagnose it or did you go to hosptial

I was diagnosed when I found myself in hospital. I cannot for the life of me remember if they did scans, I assume they did, it was a while back

I had a flare up recently and by the time I got to see a doctor (OOH) it had gone back down again, she gave me anti biotics to keep in case it flares up again

I always have a niggle in the left side, almost like an uncomfortable tickle.

I was told not to eat nuts, things with seeds and pips, curries with seedy spices in them, stringy veg, anything that apparently can get caught up in these little pouches. At the same time stick to a high fibre diet which has always given me a funny tummy and if you get a flare up stick to a 'white diet'.

I just sort of muddle on with it.

😀 No problem

I was diagnosed with diverticulitis when I was so unwell I took myself to A+E with a raging fever and severe lower right abdo pain. I thought I had appendicitis, and so did they initially until the CT became available. That was in March 2020, I had 3 episodes which were severe. I went on a liquid diet for 6 weeks whilst the inflammation went down, then slowly introduced a gluten free FODMAP diet. These days I avoid lentils and any fruits or veg with a thick skin on, and if I get any slight symptoms I go on a liquid diet for 3 days. I've managed to avoid antibiotics for it since 2021 so please don't lose hope!

Hi @soupfiend
It was a GP diagnosis who also did a pinprick blood test to look for any inflammatory markers (mine were
High) and also a urine test - they found blood in my urine. Temp was rocketing too. I was told that should I not have responded to the antibiotics in 2 days, they would have sent me to hospital.

I've not been given any advice apart
From eat high fibre foods and drink plenty of fluids.

I've been eating overnight oats and
Chia seeds. For the last 2 mornings I've added sunflower seeds to the oats. Could this be it?!

Separate to this, when I requested a sick paper, a totally different GP
put down diverticulosis which I've googled. I'm worried work will think I'm pulling a fast one. I'm certain I was told diverticulitis and my symptoms certainly match that instead of the other.

Thank you @RMNofTikTok.
What is FODMAP? I'm glad you manage it.

I didnt know there was a difference. To be honest apart from when I was in hospital, like a PP ended up at A+E due to severe abdominal pains which painkillers werent touching, was in for 3 days with a bowel infection, discharged with a diagnosis of diverticulitis (or is it the other one that you mention!?) and a leaflet saying the above

I have no idea if thats right. I have always struggled with fibre it really upsets me and pains me, yet was told I must have been constipated for years to cause the diverticulitis and was constipated (the doctor said) on arrival to hospital

No one has really ever spoken to me about it other than that. Was about 10 years ago too!

You need an endoscopy to look at your colon

I have this (diagnosed by scan) and it flares up from time to time, but I've not had a bout as bad as the one you've described. I know mine is flaring up when the pain wakes me up at night. I eat a soft diet for a few days, and ask for an antibiotic, and it settles down.

I don't think your GP can be sure you have diverticulitis unless it's been observed on a scan. If what you've described keeps happening then I think you should consider asking for a referral so they can be sure what the problem is.

It's a diet very useful for Diverticular disease to get your symptoms under control, if you Google it there are lots of resources 😊

Hi OP, I would suggest you contact the GP describing your returned symptoms. As PP have said, if the problem hasn't cleared up you will need investigations (colonoscopy or CT colonography) to see what is going on.

My experience was diverticulosis being seen when I was given a colonoscopy to investigate digestive problems - food moving much too fast through the body, alternating with constipation. The consultant advised me to try the FODMAP diet. That was 10 years ago, and it was transformative. I don't do it as strictly now, but I am still careful to be gluten free and avoid onions, garlic and beans.

During COVID I had my first episode of diverticulitis, with the stomach cramping, high fever and distended stomach. As the GP knew I had diverticulosis confirmed by previous colonoscopy, she diagnosed diverticulitis over the phone and prescribed antibiotics over the phone.

The GP also ordered another colonoscopy a month later to confirm, but this couldn't be completed as the colon was still too inflamed and I had a CT colonography later, where diverticular disease was again confirmed.

That consultant spent some time asking me about my diet and symptoms, and told me that my symptoms when eating porridge and other high fibre foods indicated that I was one of a subset of diverticular patients who did best on a low fibre diet, as the gut was too sensitive to cope otherwise.

I have to be very careful to eat plenty of vegetables, drink water and have more frequent, smaller meals, but I manage to avoid constipation and my only other bout of abdominal pain was likely caused by taking ibuprofen, which I now know is contra-indicated because of my gut issues.

I thought it was worth pointing out that in a small number of cases, the standard approach to fibre for diverticular problems may not apply.

If you do get diagnosed with diverticular disease, though, I definitely recommend trying a FODMAP diet to see whether it eases ongoing symptoms.

Hope you feel better soon.

@Helleboring Thank you ever so much for your post. It's really helpful. My painful symptoms have eased but I still have this feeling of weakness. I will most definitely contact my GP should I get anymore abdominal pain.

Hi all is anyone active on this thread who has diverticulitis?

Yes me, is everything ok?