Diverticulitis - please tell me about your symptoms

[Greysowhat]

OK, I'm in my mid 50s and post menopausal but still having some hot flushes, otherwise healthy. Well apart from a tooth problem which I am taking a fair bit of ibuprofen for every few weeks. Dentists are stumped.

Then out of the blue I got a nagging pain in my left lower abdomen 4 weeks ago. It felt just like ovulation pain or ovarian cyst pain. It got worse and worse in a matter of hours until I was taking pain relief and clamping a hot water bottle to my belly. Slight improvement the next day and it continued to improve until almost better a couple of weeks later. But I still have a niggle there and it's a little worse today.

I had a pelvic scan and that was fine. All my blood tests came back fine too. I did the FIT blood in stool test last week and that came back positive so I'm down for a colonoscopy.

GP thinks it's possibly diverticulitis but I don't really have any of the risk factors. Are there any tell tale signs that it could be that. The one thing I was looking out for was if gas or stool moving through the area would make it feel worse and it doesn't seem to. I wonder if I tore a muscle in there as I did a lot of exercises the day before it all started and the following morning I had a pulled muscle in my back so I though maybe I damaged the psoas or iliopsoas muscle which run down there. I'm probably foolish in hoping it's as simple as that though.

Anyway, I'd be so grateful if you could share your experiences of diverticulitis and what you think of my symptoms.

Watching as i have had similar to what you describe and I'm baffling the GP.

Have they ruled out spastic colon/IBS with you @SpamBeansAndWaffles ? Forgot to mention that's ruled out for me.

Did you have symptoms before you started taking ibuprofen? Ibuprofen is not good for stomach or intestines if taken long-term or in large amounts. I would suggest you cut this out in the meantime, use paracetamol or ask advice at pharmacy. It's good you are getting a colonoscopy it's really the only way to know what's going on.

I have had colonoscopies (for other reasons) which show I have lots of diverticular 'pockets.'

Normally I have no symptoms, but three times I've had a sudden severe pain on my lower left side, somewhere in the area between my navel and my hip. I can't do anything when I've got it, other than curl up in a heap. Moving makes it hurt more, as definitely does the GP prodding it to see where it hurts. The second episode meant I had to miss MIL's funeral.

The treatment I was given - antibiotics - worked every time.

I've just looked up the risk factors for diverticular disease, and I only have one of them.

No symptoms before taking the Ibuprofen. I've been taking it on and off for the last year and a half due to a botched filling in a front tooth. Long story, you wouldn't believe it but I'm on my second root canal treatment now and still have pain coming and going. Although I had 3 straight months with it being ok so no Ibuprofen then but back on it for the last couple of weeks.

My bloods were all fine, no inflammatory markers which the doc said was a good sign re. diverticulitis. I really do think the blood in my poo was from the ibuprofen. 15 years ago I was taking them an awful lot and I had a very bloody bowel movement as a result. Yes I had it checked. So that's why I think the Ibuprofen is responsible for my positive test now. I did the same test around 5 years ago and it was perfect. But yes, good to have the scope anyway, just to be sure.

Oh that sounds awful. I don't think my pain was that bad. Mine started up last night but it is worse when I'm sitting and my knee is a right angle. That's what makes me think it could be the muscles in there that pull up the knee. I'm just trying to hopeful really that that's all it is.

But would you notice the pain worse as some gas would be travelling past the pockets?? Or when poo is moving along there? I don't have that.

But would you notice the pain worse as some gas would be travelling past the pockets?? Or when poo is moving along there?

It's a while since I had an episode but no, I don't think so.

I had diverticulitis diagnosed two weeks ago. Had a mild temperature of 37.8 and heart rate was > 100 at rest alongside lower left sided tenderness. No bloods or other investigations done, no blood in stool. It came from nowhere and I’m only 40. Had a 5 day course of co-amoxiclav but it took 10 days to feel better.

I did when I was in my late thirties. Went to hospital as losing blood, Dr inserted finger into bottom to check the bleeding wasn’t in my anal passage.
Severe cramps, blood loss, weight loss, generally unwell, exhausted.
I didn’t have gas - at least not badly as I recall. This was ten years ago.
Not offered any further treatment like scans I think I had antibiotics.
I’ve always had tummy/poo/blood/cramp issues though. Stopped after DD.

I have some diverticulitis, evidenced through a colonoscopy, and I sometimes get terrible stomach cramps and diarrhoea. I have used antibiotics when it has been very bad and it has cleared it up. I think it is caused by an infection in the diverticular pockets. I am in the risk age group and on immunosuppression, but have none of the other risk factors. I think age and perhaps running in the family are the biggest causes. I eat a fairly high fibre diet and consume very little red meat.

I have been diagnosed with diverticulitis. My symptoms have been the same with each flare up: swollen stomach to the point of looking 7 months pregnant (usually relatively flat), and severe pain across lower stomach which prevents me doing anything. Each flare up has been pretty quick without warning symptoms. I didn't know I couldn't take ibuprofen and took it for a tooth infection, this led to a very bad flare up.

I have diverticular disease. Most times it’s symptomless but I have been hospitalised with a flare up a couple of years ago which was when it was discovered. The key thing is don’t get constipated as that’s when. for me, it becomes really painful. I do still get episodes of pain and diarrhoea but it’s usually due to something I’ve eaten which starts it off. It’s different for everyone I think. But if you are taking ibuprofen regularly you should also be prescribed lansaprazole or similar to mitigate the inflammation it can cause. I’d have a chat with the GP about this.

I’ve been hospitalised twice with it for a long time , I can’t eat any bread whatsoever or stress causes it and it’s a vile condition

First up, the presence of diverticula (the "pockets") can only be confirmed via colonoscopy. This should also done to rule out more sinister causes of the symptoms.

Most people develop diverticula as they age, but a fair percentage go through life with no issues. Diverticulitis is when the diverticula become inflamed. This is caused by material being trapped in the pockets. The material basically ferments, which causes all the associated symptoms.

In Australia (but rarely in the UK for some reason), initial management is through diet. It is a two phase diet. Low residue/fibre when symptomatic, returning to a higher fibre diet as symptoms resolve. Using this approach it is possible to significantly reduce intensity, duration, and frequency of subsequent flare-ups.

I have attached a Queensland Health handout, which explains this approach in detail.

about:blank Diverticular Disease and Diet

Forgot to add - some clinicians tell you to eat a high fibre diet when symptomatic - this is the equivalent of trying to exfoliate your skin when there is an inflamed wound on it - not helpful at all!

I have it. I was advised not to take Ibuprofen as it can cause stomach issues. I take a sachet of ispaghula husk with water every day to help with diarrhoea. If you are having a flare up try paracetamol and liquids only. Mine seems to be triggered by stress 😢

I have had this. I take flax seeds every morning and it stops the flare ups. (They keep the poo moving along).

I have diverticulitis diagnosed after terrible cramping and diarrhoea brought on I think by stress. I was put on the 2 week cancer pathway as I had rapid weight loss - every time I ate something I was in agony for hours afterwards. It took a bit longer to diagnose as this was during covid. I was put on antibiotics and it slowly cleared up and I could eat normally again.
I avoid seeds and have to make sure I eat a high fibre diet to have regular bowel movements. I feel it very quickly if I have any change of diet ie; when on holiday or out of routine. I get regular twinges but nothing like that first time and I take Buscopan. I’ve had one proper flare up which was treated with antibiotics.

I am overweight and trying to lose weight. I’d like to take the weight loss injections but I’m worried that they might trigger the diverticulitis as food moves more slowly through the bowel when you’re on them.

I was also very bloated and gassy during the initial phase. No blood though.

I was diagnosed with diverticular disease a few years ago. Apparently 70% of the adult population of a certain age have it and live with it. It is basically bubbles in the intestinal wall where waste gets trapped, then you have a flare up of diverticulitis. It is mainly controlled through diet for me, though much of the time, I get a cramping sensation down my left side. My Mum had it and unfortunately, it was undiagnosed and she developed peritonitis and died, so it does need to be monitored. That was 30 years ago too, so health advice is much much better than it was then.
Hoping you get some relief soon.

Thanks everyone for the great info and advice. It sounds like a terrible thing to suffer from, you all have my sympathies. But I don't think it's what I have. I'll have the scope anyway and see what's what in there. But I suspect it's just a muscle injury, fingers crossed anyway.

I have diverticular disease. Touch wood I've only had one really bad flare up, just before I was diagnosed, although I was having bad pain for some time prior. I thought it was ovulation pain as it tied in with my cycle.
When I had the flare up I went to the GP, and had to lie on the floor as I couldn't sit, and couldn't get onto the couch.
The pain was like a red hot poker going right through me. I was referred for a pelvic scan with suspected ovarian cyst.
Ended up in hospital before my appointment came through, I ended up sobbing when they scanned me and found nothing because I didn't know what was wrong with me.
I was kept in for two nights, tripping on tramadol, before had my colonoscopy and got the diagnosis.
I don't rigidly follow any dietary advice, just make sure my BMs are regular, and at the slightest sign of constipation I'm on the prune juice and kiwis with skin on.
My symptoms are some twinges ranging from slight discomfort to "ooh, that was sharp" just before, during and after BMs.
Hope you get answers and relief @Greysowhat