Pain for me ranges from dull and achy (sometimes like cramps) to sharp stabbing pain when urinating or having a bowel movement. It typically runs along the inside raea of my hip crest and from my belly button down into my pelvic region. Sometimes it hurts a little to press on those areas, sometimes it makes me jump up off the table...just depends on how much the infection has progressed before I have been diagnosed. I don't know if this is what you meant by "feels like sitting on something painful", but I get an uncomfortable feeling sometimes, too, when I sit...like right up the middle of my abdomen, starting from my anus. (I know, kinda graphic, but we're adults here talking about adult things)

I often complain of pain around my bladder, as well, so I always get tested for a UTI and an abdominal CT when symptoms of diverticulitis are present. In all my diverticulitis flares, I've never tested positive for UTI. However, the pain around my bladder and when peeing continues and gradually diminishes as the antibiotics for the diverticulitis do their work. In my research, like yours, I've determined that the colon run very closely along the backside of the bladder, and when the inflammation from diverticulitis inflames and swells the colon, it pressed against my bladder, causing irritation to my bladder.

It's a challenge, but I've found a clear liquid diet for a few days, then transitioning to a full liquid diet for 3-5 days while in a flare (and possibly on antibiotics) helps to calm the inflammation and give my colon a rest. After the full liquid diet of 3-5 days, I'll start to introduce low fiber foods into my diet, trying to stay below 15 grams of fiber a day. I've read that it can take up to 6 weeks for the colon to fully heal after a flare up. I've never done a low fiber diet that long, but I'm goin to try to this time....as I had two flares back to back recently. One in late May, then another abut a month later.

I'm happy to share my foods I typically go to for each of these diets. Let me know if you're interested.