I completely agree with you that we are mostly on our own to find the solutions to our gastrointestinal problems. Issues of the digestive system seem to be so different for everyone as well as what works for one person may be adverse for another. This is extremely depressing to deal with. I am resenting the fact that the GI doctors recommend surgery so soon. All surgeries carry risks. If the benefits outweigh the risks then you're pretty much stuck if you want to live. I'm so sick of it. Many of us have developed such a fear of food in general because we don't know what will cause a problem, so it's a constant trial and error which makes us suffer. I've been dealing with diverticulitis since 2018 and I think I also have IBS because of the reported symptoms. I am conservative about taking Pharmaceuticals as I'm noticing that the overuse of antibiotics is literally killing people. Thank goodness it's not the first go to for my doctor to recommend. I've Incorporated natural remedies that have been very helpful. Due to my depression surrounding how much this disease has affected every aspect of my life, I had to seek out support groups because my loved ones tend to not understand and I'm sick of explaining why I don't feel good or I can't eat this or that or I simply don't feel well enough to participate in activities we normally love to share. Rachel's tea, and they have a website, products have been very helpful in managing my symptoms. As soon as I start to have pain I have to get right on top of it with an intervention which has prevented me from going to the hospital more than once when I was initially diagnosed. If you wait with diverticulitis, it can turn real bad, real quick. I take oil of oregano capsules as my antibiotic now and switch to a liquid diet for a few days and get lots of bed rest and I can get through a flare without suffering too badly. Tylenol is the only thing I can take to get me at a pain level I can tolerate. My BMS are inconsistent but I do go everyday, sometimes more than once. After a flare, I can be on a low fiber diet for a couple of months to give my colon a break. Magnesium citrate has helped with any constipation as well as apple juice, prune juice, coconut water and small amounts. The incorporation of pelvic exercises, which you can find in abundance on YouTube has helped tremendously as well as getting that Squatty Potty thing. All of this may seem like a lot of work but for me it's better than taking all of the Pharmaceuticals that the doctors are throwing at me and wanting to put me under the knife as a quick fix, causing yet another problem. If it's something that I can get healed or resolved, which they don't have the patience for, then I'm ahead of the game. If this disease ultimately kills me, it won't be due to a lack of trying. So far, I'm determined to keep trying, utilizing my PCP as an essential part of the process to get the diagnostic testing I need monitor if what I'm doing is working. I'm very happy to say that she is on board. I think more research needs to be done to address the various digestive issues which seem to be an epidemic here in the US.