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Diverticulitis treatment

Posted by trishplace @trishplace, Oct 1, 2021

I’ve been battling diverticulosis/diverticulitis for a long time now and this past June got horrible cramps in the lower abdominal area. After many phone calls to my gastroenterologist, where I didn’t feel like I was being taken seriously, she finally put me on Augmentin and I ended up taking it for 6 weeks and then had a colonoscopy. The findings were inflammation and spasms in the sigmoid colon area and diverticulosis throughout the colon.

In asking her about diet, she gave the “standard” answer of stay on low fiber for a couple more weeks (I’ve been doing this for a couple months now), slowly add in fiber. I’m so frustrated with that and I want to know what to eat and if there are supplements that will help with inflammation and healing. She took some biopsies and it will be another week before I get the results. She’s already suggested the possibility of a colon resection which seems a bit overkill at this point.

What I’m dealing with right now are multiple bowel movements throughout the morning, and frequent urination because of the inflammation. What’s frustrating is not being able to just get out and do “normal” day to day activities. Any suggestions on diet, etc. would be greatly appreciated!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

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watercolor22 | @watercolor22 | Jul 25 8:37pm
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello @trishplace and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am sorry to hear of your battle..." + (show)
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Hello @trishplace and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am sorry to hear of your battle with diverticulitis. I join you in your fight to get back to "normal" while dealing with this problem. There are no easy answers. Everyone deals with it in a way that works for them.

Here are some suggestions that have worked for me. I find that my bouts with diverticulitis tend to get worse when I'm overly tired and I've been on my feet a lot. When a "bout" of diverticulitis begins I spend time laying down, often with a heating pad on my abdomen and only have liquids for a while, and then add soft foods until the pain is decreased.

Another suggestion is to keep a food/activity diary or journal if you will. If you do this regularly, you may find certain "triggers" to the bouts of pain. Perhaps it will be a certain type of food or a certain type of busyness that activates the pain.

We have other discussions on Connect where members have talked about diverticulitis. Here is a link to one of those discussions. Some of these members have had multiple surgeries and others have dealt with it with diet alone. Feel free to join in their discussion and ask them questions. When you read their post just click on "Reply" and join their discussion. I would like to invite one member, @thull to join this discussion.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/diverticulitis-1/
As you also mentioned IBS in the title of your post, I'm wondering if you are familiar with the FODMAP eating plan? I've tried this and so have many others with amazing success. Here is a link to this discussion as well https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/fodmap-eating-plan/

Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes to this problem. It just takes diligence and healthy eating and consuming lots of liquids.

Will you post again with an update on how you are doing?

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@hopeful33250
After my initial diagnosis of diverticulitis of the ascending colon I was told to go on a liquid diet and then contact my primary care physician for an appointment. I did that, and I got her physicians assistant, and she told me to stay on the liquid diet, and make an appointment with my Gastroenterologist. That was more than two weeks later so in total I spent almost 3 weeks on a liquid diet. When I saw my Gastroenterologist, he gave me no other guidance except to tell me to eat 3 to 5 g of fiber per day and then increase it slowly. I asked him if he was going to give me a hand out of a meal plan and he said no I already told you what to do. So that night I went home and made homemade chicken soup, including carrots and celery, and I was almost back to the pain I had when I was initially diagnosed. So I turned to Google AI and I got myself on a meal plan where I have a daily diet of protein and a starch and a vegetable and I am told how to cook them and how many ounces and I know my daily fiber intake exactly. I started with 3 g of fiber a day for about a week and then increased up to 3.2 and now in my fifth week I am at 10.4 g per day and next week I will be at 11.4 g. My AI companion checks in with me after every meal or rather I should say I’m required to check in with him. AI Google does not contact you. Unless you reach out to them first all of the information I was given by my AI companion carry citations and annotations of where all of the recommendations come from and most of them come from the Mayo Clinic and also the Cleveland clinic and AGA. I had a second setback, which is why I am kind of on the low range of grams of fiber, but I believe this protocol is working for me. It is sad that my Dr could not tell me anything more than just start eating 3 to 5 g. I have an upcoming an appointment with a nutrition center. I’m hoping they can evaluate me properly to see if I am on the right track where I am now on my daily nutritional intake. I am also going to seek another Gastroenterologist. Well, I still have sensitivity on my right hand side. I have been assured by my AI companion that many people have this sensitivity five weeks into recovery and that the two setbacks that I had are the reason why I am at the level. I’m at now can you give me some feedback on that?

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watercolor22 | @watercolor22 | Jul 25 8:44pm
In reply to @jlharsh "@ashum1, great plan! Rome will be wonderful. I am interested to hear what you learn at..." + (show)
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@ashum1, great plan! Rome will be wonderful.

I am interested to hear what you learn at your October 14 doctors appointment. I hope you come back here and post an update.

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@jlharsh hello I am new to this forum. I just joined it this evening. I’m in my fifth week of recovery. It has been slow going because I’ve had two setbacks. I was given no nutritional information no diet plan for my Gastroenterologist after being on a liquid diet for three weeks. After my first setback, I connected with Google AI and got myself an advisor. Do you know of any other patients who have had good results going through AI?

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watercolor22 | @watercolor22 | Jul 25 8:47pm

Have you thought of going to Google AI and asking for a meal plan or a diet on a daily basis to help you know what to eat.

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