smoldering diverticulitis -how to understand it-what and when to act

You probably have had a couple of years. When your episodes become more frequent and more intense it is hard to control completely with a diet. Also, when you are having an episode, you need to go only liquid diet for a couple days. Then low residue until healed. Of course you can try on your own. But, it is also important to have a blood test to check your inflammation and white blood cell levels. It they are high you need antibiotics and an anti-inflammation med.

The hardest part of them seeing it on a CT scan is you really do not know the complete damage already done due to scarring from frequent episodes. You need to have a colonoscopy. But, that cannot show all the damage.

In the meantime. Make sure you eat small meals, very little processed food, plenty of fluids and exercise.

Tagging a few members who may be familiar with smoldering diverticulitis and offer support @bbarbiee @trishplace @anniegk.

They may be able to share anything they know about recurrent flare ups of diverticulitis and how to best live with it, when to take action, and what has and has not worked for them. I'd also like you to meet @jlharsh.

I suffer from diverticulitis. I had 10” of colon removed . I had frequent infections . Fevers and soreness . I do still have small flare ups . I counter them with diet mostly. No seeds! I don’t eat, strawberries , or any berries with seeds . Corn chips are out . Corn is mostly non digestible any way . No corn meal . No nuts. No food with nuts or seed, even if ground. And should I feel soreness in my colon area, or having bm’s that look like small pebbles. I start drinking LOTS of water. Usually I can fend an infection off . I also suffer with C Diff. And stage 4 Emphysema . My Life here is not pretty anymore. I will stay as long as I can stand. Blessed Be, Crystalena

My divercultist weakened my colon at the very end of my colon. I really believe my condition was a result of taking ibuprofen for my knee pain for 5 years. I was taking 750 mill. sometimes twice a day. This much ibuprofen could do some damage to your colon! As I now only take Tylenol for pain,plus a knee replacement helped alot!

I had episodes of diverticulitis on and off for about 5 years. I WISH I had gone to a surgeon to get my sigmoid removed after having too many bouts. Instead, I had a sudden rupture, ended up near sepsis, emergency surgery, and a temporary colostomy. Then my general surgeon didn't take out enough bowel "I try to take as little as possible" and I ruptured again. She didn't take out the whole sigmoid and my anastomosis (the area they reconnected) was filled with diverticula. My current colo-rectal surgeon said "you take out the diseased part." So I had to go back in and have more removed and ended up with another temporary ostomy for precaution. FYI, you can have diverticulosis throughout your colon but it's usually the sigmoid area, left lower side, that gives the trouble and gets inflamed. I have since mostly given up alcohol and don't eat wheat. They both inflame my abdomen.

Look up the probiotic Florastor. It contains saccharomyces boulardii and it appears to be one of the few that help combat c. diff. It's different because it's a yeast and won't even be killed by antibiotics. My surgeon recommended this and I feel after months of use it's really helped me overall. My GI system is not as sensitive as it used to be. If you do have a yeast problem, it may not be for you but overall has great reviews.

Look up the supplement MSM for joint pain.

I used the SB for a few years after my initial attack of C Diff. I don’t know how much it did . I do know that there was a discussion about using live yeast. How to get live yeast of SB. I haven’t had an attack of Diff in years . Again , I use diet to help control it . I do not eat anything with measurable amounts of fructose . No fresh fruit. High fructose corn sugar is the worst . It’s in so many things . . Blessed Be , Crystalena