Diverticulitis

Hi all!

I was diagnosed with acute, uncomplicated diverticulitis on 6/23/24. Had lower left abdomen pain, nausea, etc. Took Cipro and Flagyl for 10 days. I feel generally better, but during the course of antibiotics, I began to have pain on my right upper abdomen. I mentioned it to my GI doc but he is a 15 min get them in and out kinda guy. He said you feel fine. Well, what he feels externally and what I feel internally don’t match. Needless to say, he was no help and I’m getting a new GI. In recovery, I wasn’t given a lot of instructions so I stayed in bed and kept my diet light. It is tender to touch my mid upper abdomen and gets worse when I eat. I’m not sure if I stressed a muscle laying in bed in the same position for a week, if it’s colon inflammation, my gall bladder or pancreas. I really don’t want to suffer through emergency again. I feel fine in all other areas. Has anyone else suffered this??? Because they said carbs and low fiber while recovering, I wonder if those higher anti-inflammatory foods made the transverse colon inflamed. Lots of guesses on my end. Anyone???

Inflammation from Diverticulitis can affect other organs. Have you had a colonoscopy?

Not yet. Scheduled for early September. I guess they had to wait a bit after I healed. I figured it was inflammatory related. I have been following an anti-inflammatory diet to see if it calms down. It’s not awful pain. Just hurts when I move or when I’m digesting.

Can you tell me if it’s normal to have inflammation and some twinges of pain after the week of diverticulitis healing? If so, how long will that discomfort be there?

I really can't say. Mine would come and go.
Camomile tea helped sooth the pain for me. There is a diverticulitis tea too that helps.

I’m so grateful for your input. Right now, I’m struggling to figure out what to eat. I have IBS as well. So they want increased fiber. But too much fiber makes me go to bathroom 9 times in a row. I need carbs to be normal. Is it normal that a bowel movement is loose for a while? Or should it be solid after two weeks? My GI told me very little. When I tried to ask questions, he shoved me out to hurry me along.

No problem. I had had "IBS" for years. But, that is a symptom. Not a diagnosis. What is causing it is what we want to know.
Sorry about you Dr.
Yes, normal to have loose stools. But, if you are having an episode fiber is not your friend.
Depending on your health history. It is hard to find the right diet.
For the 5 mths before my surgery. Which I scheduled because I did not want to be in the hospital in the winter due to too many people with cold, flu etc. I stayed on Mesalamine every day for inflammation and stay on a low fiber/low residue diet. I also worked out and tied to stay in the best shape for the surgery.
There are a lot of low residue diets online and you can pick and choose what you like and know will not bother you.
Make your portions small and have 5 times a day. Make sure and get your protein and vitamins. I did start eating white bread and boiled potatoes (no skin) and it helped for the carbs. Eggs and baked chicken for protein.
Sept. seems a long time away for your colonoscopy. That will be the only true way to find out what you have.
Until then keep on a diet that works and make sure and exercise! Also, drink a lot! Also, they need to do a full blood work for you to know how your nutrition is. Mine was terrible. My drink cocktail was white grape juice (no pulp/no sugar added) mineral water (Pellegrino) Gatorade, vitamin water (no sugar added)
never eat after 7 and have chamomile tea before bed.

Have had diarrhea and constipation with IBS. Challenging to manage.

Before this happened, I was working on my health. Blood work was excellent. Was down 15 pounds and walking 5 miles a day. Started to feel left lower abdomen pain and a CT showed diverticulitis. It was the worst week. All liquid diet gave me such a migraine and I could not take anything except Tylenol. Which does nothing. I’m going to make an apptmt with primary care physician. I would like anti inflammatory meds for my gut as well as a pain reliever safe to take with diverticulitis so I have it in case I ever get it again. I have anxiety and the two antibiotics they put me on gave me panic attacks. Apparently because they kill all good bacteria as well, they mess with your central nervous system. So I spent a week nauseous, not eating and crying over nothing. lol.

I just wanted someone to tell me the things I was feeling are normal so I don’t worry. All anyone tells you is no fiber, then high fiber. Seems the trick is to gradually add fiber. Once I added any fiber, I kept going to the bathroom. I’m like, this can’t be good either. Today I ate a bagel with two hard boiled eggs. And for dinner, ground turkey in a wrap with some avocado. Best I felt in days. I just don’t think I’m ready yet for too much fiber.

How long does it take for your stool to be normal again? The twinges of pain, I stopped worrying about. It makes sense that inflammation does not subside immediately.

Very. It really is about knowing the triggers. I rarely eat red meat. But I love steak. I know when I have steak, I cannot drink soda with it. Combo is awful for me. For some reason, shrimp with vegetables causes trouble as well.

I hear you. Diet is very important. Where I live, I don’t often get to choose what I eat, but will take your advice on figuring what combinations of food might be most beneficial.