Anyone know anything about diverticulitus?

[stressed2007]

Any experts out there? I suspect I many even have spelt this wrong. I have had a very painful lower pain and stomach pain for months now (on and off) to the extent that I can wait no longer to be seen and am going private. The GP thought the very bad low pain I had may be diverticulitus. I am off on hols soon and can't be seen before I go and am hoping it is nothing more serious. Have been up all night with excruciating pain on right hand side (low) and waves of pain. Can anyone tell me what the typical symptoms are for this condition? And what can one do to relieve it? Many thanks

My Mum has a bit of diverticular disease....I'm not sure but her symptoms are mainly (TMI) runny poo almost all the time- she has to "go" 4 or 5 times in the morning as soon as she gets up.

I think it's when pockets open up in the bowel, but I'm not sure....

Have you been checked for appendix? Could it be a grumbling one (whatever that is??)

Sorry, not much help.

Basically Diverticular Disease is a chronic long term condition which many people have with very little problem.

Diverticulitis is an acute condition which flares up from time to time and causes very bad pain, high temperature,sometimes vomiting. It need treatment with antibiotics and often IV antibiotics. It can be very serious without treatment.

My mil has episodes of diverticulitis, perhaps once or twice per year.

It does make her quite unwell but she is fine once she gets going on some antib's.

I was investigated for this - I had a sigmoidcolonoscopy which is basically a scope thing put up your bum and into your lower bowel.

I was also checked for grumbling appendix as this generally starts on the right hand side.

It turned out that had extremely bad IBS (Irritable bowel) which is now mostly under ccontrol.

it's not my appendix as that went ages ago. "Diverticulitis is an acute condition which flares up from time to time and causes very bad pain, high temperature,sometimes vomiting". Sounds like it coud be the one!

My dad has it. He finds it is aggravated by eating too much protein. When he has attack he rests up for a couple of days at home eating All Bran and a couple of bottles of beer "to get things going" (not sure if this is the standard recommended treatment...). He also takes regular medication to keep him regular, maybe Fibrogel, I can't remember. I am sure you can push your GP for strong analgesics - I got some for gallstones. And if the pain is really really bad go to A&E. In my experience they can get things diagnosed much quicker.

My FIL had his first bout of this over the holidays and it was downright scary. The doctor's debated between appendicitis and diverticulits. After some tests, they ruled for diverticulitis. During the bout, he was to eat NO fiber and he was also prescribed some heavy duty antibiotics. As he got better, he was to increase fiber intake until he's now eating quite a bit of fiber. But it is important to determine if it's your appendix or not. I also had a friend who wound up having emergency surgery to remove his appendix which was literally rotting away and somehow wrapping itself around some other organ. What should have been a relatively simple surgery became v. complex and he had a 6-week recovery time. He also had been complaining about the same type of pain for months and the one time he did go to A&E they ruled out appendicitis.... Point is, get it checked ASAP.

thanks for this. It is not my appendix though as had this removed 25 years ago (oh I am old). Due to see gastroenterologist on April 22nd now - going private (that's my birthday present gone then) as can't wait for an NHS appointment any longer.

my mum has had it for around 20yrs - when first diagnosed she was in her 40s. She has coped with it by avoiding things like tomatoes, strawberries, sweetcorn, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, anything that could get "caught" in them, (in the diverticular i mean) also many things with 'skins' (you haven't lived til you have seen her peel a pea ) As much of a PITA as it is, and she has had her share of infected diverticular and almost permanently 'temperemental' guts, it is manageable, and she's now in her seventies with it fairly well controlled. A long way from the time when it seemed that a major operation to remove pretty much all of her large intestine was going to be the only way to deal with the severity of her condition. Symptoms were very similar to severe ibs, but with times of acute pain in her central abdomen - mimicking appendicitis (she had hers removed, but pain continued thus more investigation revealed diverticular disease) and very sporadic energy levels and abdominal bloating.

I was just released from a 4 night stay again from the hospital.
I am 28 and was diagnosed with diverticultus back in Nov 08.
I know that it is the most painful pain, cramping, vomiting, weakness, diarreah, dreadful thing I have had to experience. For me I have to be on a high fiber diet. Lots and Lots of water to flush it out and lots and lots of bills from the doctors.
Normally people will get this after 60 years of age, but if you are young like myself, it is very common.
I do not wish this pain on anyone.
The Resident that dealt with me in the hospital said that this flare up was not huge, however I was admitted to the hospital because I was unable to keep the antibiotics down. They ended up connecting me to four different IV's.

Have they talked about surgery Punkin? DH had diverticular disease for many years, which was always fobbed off as just IBS. It was ruining our social life in the end. He ended up going to hosipal by ambulance, as he was in so much pain, he couldn't move. Thankfully, the doctors took him seriously at last and he was operated on and he had 10cms of colon removed. He is 100% better. He is like a different man. There are, of course, risks, but at such a young age, it's not going to be much of a life for you, if you are always getting so ill.