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OK, this is going to sound really harsh and scary, but it was my experience. I was diagnosed with diverticulitis 20 years ago. At first, there were the trips to the ER or my GP, to get meds for infections. Gradually it got to the point where I was doing this about every three months. Then suddenly, 12 years ago, I was rushed to the ER for another infection - and it was massive. I went whole-body septic. They gave me IV antibiotics for three days straight. Two weeks later I went back in. Two weeks later DH rushed me to the ER - where I was so septic that I went into cardiac arrest - three times - and was revived. After 5 days of IV antibiotics, they went in and removed 1/3 of my colon - which had died due to sepsis. (I now say I have a semi-colon). All of this time I had avoided nuts, popcorn, took metamucil, did what I was told, and systematically, progressively got worse and worse. My gastroenterologist told me that, if he had removed one more inch, I would have had to wear a bag the rest of my life.
After the surgery, on his recommendation, I cut out all processed food. ALL. Everything from store-bought breads to store bought vegetables. Everything I ate (and continue to eat) is either grown or canned by me. I had to totally change my lifestyle. I have not had a flare-up since the surgery. I even moved to a farm where I raise my own cows for beef, and chickens and eggs. I eat red meat and homemade rolls with homegrown potatoes. Not saying that you have to go that far - but once I cut out the preservatives, and the pre-processed food, my diet became more wholesome and my colon responded. I have required no further treatment or surgery; the rest of my colon has not developed any more 'divots'; the ones that remained have smoothed out.
According to my doc, it isn't just the fiber you need, or the avoidance of the seeds, etc - it is whole food, not tater tots, fish sticks, store-bought bread, and all of those pre-packaged meals and 'quick' foods full of preservatives and other 'unnatural' additives that don't let your colon work naturally and efficiently.
OK, this is going to sound really harsh and scary, but it was my experience. I was diagnosed with diverticulitis 20 years ago. At first, there were the trips to the ER or my GP, to get meds for infections. Gradually it got to the point where I was doing this about every three months. Then suddenly, 12 years ago, I was rushed to the ER for another infection - and it was massive. I went whole-body septic. They gave me IV antibiotics for three days straight. Two weeks later I went back in. Two weeks later DH rushed me to the ER - where I was so septic that I went into cardiac arrest - three times - and was revived. After 5 days of IV antibiotics, they went in and removed 1/3 of my colon - which had died due to sepsis. (I now say I have a semi-colon). All of this time I had avoided nuts, popcorn, took metamucil, did what I was told, and systematically, progressively got worse and worse. My gastroenterologist told me that, if he had removed one more inch, I would have had to wear a bag the rest of my life.
After the surgery, on his recommendation, I cut out all processed food. ALL. Everything from store-bought breads to store bought vegetables. Everything I ate (and continue to eat) is either grown or canned by me. I had to totally change my lifestyle. I have not had a flare-up since the surgery. I even moved to a farm where I raise my own cows for beef, and chickens and eggs. I eat red meat and homemade rolls with homegrown potatoes. Not saying that you have to go that far - but once I cut out the preservatives, and the pre-processed food, my diet became more wholesome and my colon responded. I have required no further treatment or surgery; the rest of my colon has not developed any more 'divots'; the ones that remained have smoothed out.
According to my doc, it isn't just the fiber you need, or the avoidance of the seeds, etc - it is whole food, not tater tots, fish sticks, store-bought bread, and all of those pre-packaged meals and 'quick' foods full of preservatives and other 'unnatural' additives that don't let your colon work naturally and efficiently.
Wow that is scary. I never buy pre-packaged meals, I cook with fresh ingredients. He hates fish sticks and rarely eats bread unless it's homemade by me or my mom. I don't grow my own stuff or have a farm. He stopped eating red meat 1 year ago, he finds it hard to chew now since he has changed the way he chews his food, we eat chicken and fish, and occasionally turkey. No pork either, he claims it's too tough.
Update, Hubby is doing better and the attack was not as severe as the last time. He still has pain but it's moderate and he has not needed a pain pill since Wednesday night. We have an appointment on the 19th with his gastro Dr. he will determine when it's ok to re-schedule his varicose vein surgery. He will be able to have white rice tomorrow night.
I am 54, have Lupus, and now recurrent episodes of diverticulitis. I too am a vegetarian; so there goes the fiber theory. I have had GI involvement with the Lupus for twenty years and so these past two years... the symptomatic awful excruciating screaming pain, diahrrea, fever and such I thought was just the same old Lupus GI flares Id been having. But when I suddenly developed rectal bleeding I went to the ER, and after a CT scan and ultrasound was diagnosed with diverticulosis and now diverticulitis.
I tried adding probiotics daily and the new one Ive switched to has had a positive effect for me. I eat live culture yogurt daily but I was getting overgrowth bacteria so decided to see if this would help. It has; but I still am having to have surgery scheduled.
My episodes have gone from one every three months to one right after I finish the round of septra and flagyl for the diverticulitis episode. Within two weeks the familiar left lower pain begins, albeit not bad at first. Then I get an aching deep in my colon; always... and nothing helps with it. Within a week the horrible diarrea begins and it results in rapid dehydration, screaming pain, fever, chills and then a visit to the ER. But now I just call my GI doc before it gets real bad and we go the liquid diet and the antibiotics. Im immunosuppressed due to the fact I must take prednisone and Imuran (a chemo drug to suppress the immune system further) and must in order to keep the Lupus under some control.
This GI disease is really wearing me down. I get so sick with it and I spend a week in bed and then two weeks recovering. I was scared that surgery was where I was headed. Now its reality. And, no matter whether I blend and dilligently drink only high nutrient glasses of vegetables and some fruits with a bit of added protein powder.... it isnt helping. So I know I must do the surgery. Ive run out of any options and believe me Ive tried it all.... diligently. You tend to do that when youve had Lupus this long and strive to find ways to live better without resorting to surgery or terribly invasive therapies and such. But this one has beat me.
Basically, Im scared. Im hoping someone out there can tell me about their surgery, their recovery, and any complications they had. I want to be ready, informed, and know what im up against and how to go about getting the best recovery I can. Im frightened because when I was very young, 26, I had a post c section infection which resulted in a surprise total hysterectomy. After the surgery I developed peritonitis. During the surgery they found I had dozens and dozens of scar adhesions around my intestines and took six hours cutting them all off; and then told me they didn't know if they had saved my intestines and colon. We had to wait. Thats when I developed peritonitis. I did recover, obviously, but I had years of pseudo obstructions and paralytic ileus formations a lot and impactions. They think that resulted in the eventual formation of the diverticulosis pouches. Regardless.... it all left me with insides that no doubt have adhesions all over and as the surgeon has described it, "it will be like cutting thru concrete to go in and try to operate on your gut". and yes, Ive had four surgeons for opinions and every one sighed and said the same thing. None were looking forward to it. But, its what has to happen now. So maybe you see my apprehension and fear.
The Lupus condition means I WILL flare, and flare badly after the surgery. They will give me shots of steroids during the surgery to try and minimize it but we all know its coming. Ill get thru that.... it will just hurt some and cause me to recover slower. My Lupus physician will be monitoring me daily while in the hospital to try and head off the more serious complications caused from the Lupus.
This is what Id like to know about:
Have any of you had surgery for this and spent more than six hours intra operatively? Ive been told it could take over eight hours for my surgery because of the complications they anticipate. How did your body handle this? What was it like for you?
What will I wake up to? NG tube down the nose I suppose... correct? How long?
How long before you needed to try getting up out of the bed and to take walks down the halls?
How long did your stay in the hospital take.... especially any of you that had complications?
If you had to have a colostomy, can you tell me how you handled that?
How long did you have to wait to have "things reconnected"?
And more importantly... have any of you had the result where they were not able to offer you the option to be "reconnected" and thus have a permanent ostomy?
I thik that is my greatest fear besides getting possible peritonitis or a possible obstruction post op and possibly having to have another emergency operation before I even get over the first one.
I do better if I know what I might face. Id rather know all I can know about possible outcomes and then ready myself to fight real hard to get better no matter what I have to fight against. Basically, I do better NOT being in the dark and then coming up against some unexpected problem like I did when I woke up from the "laser surgery to zap adhesions" and found Id had to be opened up from pubis to sternum and had a complete hysterectomy with subsequent peritonitis and such. That was a doosey!
Ive asked my doctor to allow me six weeks to try and get myself as nutritionally fit as I possibly can and as strong as I can before the surgery. So as long as I don't develop and emergency, I have some time to do so. Im using my Blendtec blender to make all kinds of highly nutritional liquid meals and add some protein powder as I was low on that test. Im taking the best probiotic capsules twice a day and drinking lots and lots of water daily. And Im making sure I don't miss a single antibiotic dose. I have to stay on them till the surgery... the risk of developing another infection is just to great to not stay on them at this point since I have to take the steroids and chemo drugs to keep the LUpus at bay.
Any recommedations, advice, personal experiences and such would be so very welcome. I sure could use some of it all.
Thanks ahead of time; and I do hope I haven't asked too much.
How have your continued to do thus far? I know I am cutting out all processed food *(didnt used to eat any but have eaten in the past three years and although its been far less than the average person... I think any is too much in my case now). Ill never again eat Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.... with the powdered yellow stuff... I used to make everything from scratch and I did much better. It seems my intestines are so sensitive to things many get away with... but thats just life.
Ive been "blending" my diet with a blendtec blender and using organic green leafy veggies and other bright colored veggies with thirty percent fruit in order to heal my insides. Im having fewer and fewer symptoms right now so I feel that for me, Im on the right track. I plan to continue this until I have healed from my upcoming surgery. Then, slowly add whole foods back into my diet.... very cautiously. I want to live life again without this disease. Your post has given me hope that its possible to do so. Thanks so much for sharing.
I drove down to South carolina for the thanksgiving holiday. Tuedsay morning I was in the hospital for what I thought was my first kidney stone. It runs in the family. The pain stopped by the time the doctor saw me so they figured I had passed the stone. It happened 4 more days in a row. I was back in the E.R. Friday morning getting a cat scan.
Doctor says I have diverticulitis. Im on ciproflaxin and metro something...antibiotics plus hydrocodone for pain as well as ketorolac anti imflammitory which was given for the stones. It actually helps when i get shooting pain through my testicles. Havent heard anyone having pain there but I get it a few times since my stay at the hospital.
Two nights ago the pain in my back(intestine actually)was so bad I took hydrocodone but i became sick. I threw up for 10 hours straight so no more hydrocodone for me unless the pain gets unbearable.
Anyways Im basically eating apples and soup, sometimes bannanas. I feel so malnourished an weak. My appetite isnt very good right now. My poop is still mostly diaharrea although I feel its getting better. Too early too tell.
Im wondering how long until I get on regular foods again. How long until i start to feel better. How long until my poop is regular. Is this something I will always have?
Im wondering because i went to the emergency room in south carolina. I live in CT. I just got back. I have yet to see a doctor here. I actually dont have a doctor although i need to get one
I drove down to South carolina for the thanksgiving holiday. Tuedsay morning I was in the hospital for what I thought was my first kidney stone. It runs in the family. The pain stopped by the time the doctor saw me so they figured I had passed the stone. It happened 4 more days in a row. I was back in the E.R. Friday morning getting a cat scan.
Doctor says I have diverticulitis. Im on ciproflaxin and metro something...antibiotics plus hydrocodone for pain as well as ketorolac anti imflammitory which was given for the stones. It actually helps when i get shooting pain through my testicles. Havent heard anyone having pain there but I get it a few times since my stay at the hospital.
Two nights ago the pain in my back(intestine actually)was so bad I took hydrocodone but i became sick. I threw up for 10 hours straight so no more hydrocodone for me unless the pain gets unbearable.
Anyways Im basically eating apples and soup, sometimes bannanas. I feel so malnourished an weak. My appetite isnt very good right now. My poop is still mostly diaharrea although I feel its getting better. Too early too tell.
Im wondering how long until I get on regular foods again. How long until i start to feel better. How long until my poop is regular. Is this something I will always have?
Im wondering because i went to the emergency room in south carolina. I live in CT. I just got back. I have yet to see a doctor here. I actually dont have a doctor although i need to get one
thanks
frist of all, there is a bad 24/36 hr bug going around so that could have been causing the vomiting, but who knows. I have only had one really bad attack with a lot of bleeding. but I have had a couple others and my dad had it for years...eventually, at about 90 years old he did have surgery...You will feel better before lone and will be able to eat pretty much a regular diet. I have to admit, I don't even stay away from seeds like we are told to do...some doctors are changing their minds about the seed issue anyway...Who knows, they tell us one thing today and something completely different in a year or so...
- avoid constipation
- no straining
- exercise
- drink lots of water
Yes!
I had my third colonoscopy last December and my my gastroenterologist told me I have diverticulosis (just turned 62) I've been eating healthy for the last thirty five years which is more than I could say about the first twenty five years. He emphasized these four things, especially water. I live in an area where it gets a tad toasty in the summer so drinking lots of water isn't a problem. For some reason I kind of slack off somewhat in the winter and early spring. I HAVE been changing that mindset lately. Obviously I'm not at the level as some of the other posters on this thread.
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. I never buy pre-packaged meals, I cook with fresh ingredients. He hates fish sticks and rarely eats bread unless it's homemade by me or my mom. I don't grow my own stuff or have a farm. He stopped eating red meat 1 year ago, he finds it hard to chew now since he has changed the way he chews his food, we eat chicken and fish, and occasionally turkey. No pork either, he claims it's too tough.
