Diverticulitis/diverticulosis

fastpedaller
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Re: Diverticulitis/diverticulosis

Post by fastpedaller »

My Wife suffered from this and she had previously been told by a nutritionist (in passing) that wheat can be a problem (especially white bread). After being admitted to hosp and on antibiotics she cut out the wheat. When the appointment came around for the colonoscopy they couldn't find any problems - she asked if cutting out the wheat had done it but they were adamant it had no effect, and gave her some leaflets as she left. Page 3 of the first leaflet said "if you suffer from diverticulitis you may find cutting out white bread or just eating granary bread or non-wheat bread may help!"
As Grandma used to say "you are what you eat". This 'disease' isn't something that is 'caught', it's the body not working as it should - if you can find what you need (or don't need) to eat, that is the key :D . Good luck.
A nutritionist is certainly worth a visit (preferable to the doctors?)
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geomannie
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Re: Diverticulitis/diverticulosis

Post by geomannie »

hondated wrote:
geomannie wrote:
hondated wrote::D what a funny old world it is :? This year I had tests from both ends because my blood tests indicated I may have cancer. Long story short rang surgery for results and was told everything ok. Great but why were my test results indicating cancer. So goes to see doctor and pointed out the report states I have a diviculated colon. " Oh I hadn't spotted that " he says. " It's an age " thing he adds. Got to say that seems his answer to most problems I've had. So I have been trying to deal with it myself by eating more roughage etc but I am still struggling with pain particularly after cycling so I've just Googled it and guess what I end up back on our favourite forum
So given all that can someone tell me whether I should be using Bran rather than the cereal AllBran and given I am getting pain in my left side at times whether I can expect this to get worse before it gets better . Like others have reported I have always been a fruit eater so I am eating even more along with plenty of water to move things along.
I accept these are questions could be asked on a medical forum but I am pretty sure most responses would be cancer related so I would rather learn from other cyclists experiences. :)

Been there have the tee shirt. When you say pain in your left side, is it lower groin or higher, just under your rib-cage perahps? I have had both. The lower was full-blown diverticulitis cured by intensive IV antibiotics, the other was very hard to diagnose. In the end it turned out to be colon spasms causing slowing of passage through the colon, a variety of irritable bowel syndrome. This was alleviated by anti-spasmodic drugs (Buscopan).


I think its the latter geomannie as i wouldnt want to exaggerate the pain I get. Whats irritating is i seem to get it during the night and at the same time i get acid reflux. Flipping nuisance as at times it affects my ability to go out for a ride. At the moment i have started eating walnuts, porridge bananas plus drinking plenty of water but not altered anything so far.

I will if it continues go back to see my doctor but its unbelievably difficult to get an appointment. Thanks for your advice.


Hi, If its upper left and associated with (intermittent?) constipation, it might just be spasms as I have/had (caveat, I am no doctor). If its a long wait for the doctor you might just try the Buscopan. Its over the counter medecine (even on supermarket shelves) and no downsde if it doesn't work.

Good luck
geomannie
Witterings
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Re: Diverticulitis/diverticulosis

Post by Witterings »

Just happened upon this thread when looking for something else.

I have / had diverticulitis which culminated in an abscess and a rupture 2 years ago this January with emergency surgery removing part of the Colon and a colostomy bag for 6 months prior to a successful reversal in July that year.

I'd suffered for 2 years prior to that and no-one really knows what the cause is or if diet contributes in the 1st place or then helps relieve the symptoms if you have the disease .... There is some speculation it may be hereditary and my mother suffered from it so that's a maybe.

In my final consultation with the surgeon I again asked about diet and prevention for the future and he said there's not been one study that's provided any real evidence that diet causes nor offers relief to the disease and as I'd now had the narrowest and most susceptible part removed was unlikely to have further complications in the future.

The only 1 piece of advice I would give anybody, I miss-read the symptoms and mistook having diarrhea 10/15 times a day as I couldn't stop going to the toilet .... what I didn't realise is it was actually constipation and the diarrhea was because no solids were able to pass through due to a blockage, if I had of realised this I probably would have been taking laxative which may have prevented the need for surgery.

Someone else mentioned Fybogel which is excellent stuff and I needed to teach the lower end of my body to function properly again post the reversal having been totally inactive for 6 months.

Sorry if my post seems a bit TMI but if it helps one person possibly interpret their symptoms in a different way in my opinion it's worth it.
Brainbighter
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Joined: 10 Oct 2018, 6:58am

Re: Diverticulitis/diverticulosis

Post by Brainbighter »

Hi,
Diverticulosis disease is a process. The large bowel, whose job it is to regulate the amount of fluid in the motions, ( constipation through to diarrhoea)and the body, is a continuous tube of muscle, but it has small areas of weakness where blood vessels etc enter to provide nutrition. Our western diet, (low fibre, high carb) and the ages we live to, mean that overtime increases in pressure inside the bowel force small pockets (like grapes) out through these areas of weakness. This is diverticulosis, and most of us have it to some extent, thus as one poster commented, it is due to age.
Diverticulitis is the infection of these pockets. The bowel is full of billions of bacteria. The pockets can get blocked by bits of motion and infection builds up. Thus leading to the pain and abscesses noted by posters. This is obviously not normal.
General advice is high fibre diet (to keep things moving) and hydration. This works because the fibre provides bulk and is not broken down by the gut. Movement of the bowel are stimulated by stretching it, hence "keeping you regular". Things like Fybogel can help.
Hydration is also important. The body has a requirement to stay hydrated, which it will do at all costs. The large bowel has a role in doing this. The motions arrive in the bowel in a thin liquid like soup. The large bowel then absorbs most of this fluid back, to maintain the body's demand to remain hydrated. The motions then become gradually more solid towards the exit from the bowel. I do not believe hydration involves drinking gallons of water, I have seldom had a glass of water in my life, but remain hydrated. Normal fluids, tea,juices, cordial are fine. Alcohol and to some extent drinks with lots of caffeine tend to dehydrate.
Hope this helps. [Retired SRN nurse 37 years]
rwood123
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Joined: 2 Jan 2019, 5:49pm

Re: Diverticulitis/diverticulosis

Post by rwood123 »

Has anyone heard of the treatment at kings hospital? Seems like it could be promising?

https://www.healio.com/gastroenterology ... ar-disease
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hondated
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Location: Eastbourne

Re: Diverticulitis/diverticulosis

Post by hondated »

rwood123 wrote:Has anyone heard of the treatment at kings hospital? Seems like it could be promising?

https://www.healio.com/gastroenterology ... ar-disease

Thats interesting and I cannot say until now I was aware of it. Fingers crossed for the future.
Following advice I received on here I have reverted back to eating porridge with added walnuts and my DD has certainly been better.
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horizon
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Re: Diverticulitis/diverticulosis

Post by horizon »

Brainbighter wrote:Hope this helps.


It certainly did! :D Do keep coming back with more, that was excellent - clear and sensible.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
ice trike rider
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Re: Diverticulitis/diverticulosis

Post by ice trike rider »

did not ride for a month-- rode 3 miles ok - next day 9 miles - 1/2 hr later I get symptoms left lower ab pain -- I say OMG diverticulitis -- but my body functions are 100% ok ----- HELP -- I am a "fat" belly person who rides and Ice Trike and have noticed my left leg "rubs" against my belly fat --- do you think I am correct in saying that movement of my belly fat irritated my ? Bowel? and "diverticulitis " has occurred because of the Movement ? thank you in advance for your input
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hondated
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Re: Diverticulitis/diverticulosis

Post by hondated »

ice trike rider wrote:did not ride for a month-- rode 3 miles ok - next day 9 miles - 1/2 hr later I get symptoms left lower ab pain -- I say OMG diverticulitis -- but my body functions are 100% ok ----- HELP -- I am a "fat" belly person who rides and Ice Trike and have noticed my left leg "rubs" against my belly fat --- do you think I am correct in saying that movement of my belly fat irritated my ? Bowel? and "diverticulitis " has occurred because of the Movement ? thank you in advance for your input

ICR not sure about that but in my case it was discovered when I had a colonoscopy and to be honest the only advice I have received in how to deal with it as been from researching on the net.

As advised by one of our forum colleagues I have reverted back to eating porridge and added almonds and walnuts to my daily diet. Whether its a placebo effect I dont know but I certainly do not seem to be suffering from it as much as I once did.

I should also add that I too have a big belly. So much so that given the weight I have put on and after being referred to an opthamologist I am now wonder whether I have diabetes. Boy this getting old game is making life more difficult.
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