Hello Bettyann!! I really enjoyed reading your post!! I have diverticulitis and have constant worry and anxiety over it. I sometimes worry "am I going to experience it again?" and as soon as I think this thought I end up with constipation and pain in my left side. Plus I have to avoid grease and caffeine and these are the hardest things to give up.
I have had tests that came back fine and it appeared that I had nothing wrong. Finally one day my husband was with me at the hospital and told the doctor that I had a family history of diverticulitis. I thought I had a UTI because I am always getting UTI's. I finally received the diagnosis of diverticulitis. As stated above I know when I am having a flare up with diverticulitis and I can go to the hospital and the tests may come back ok. The last time I went to the hospital my WBC count was 400 over what it should be and I was experiencing terrible pain. I wish the doctor would have admitted me to the hospital but I do not have health insurance so I can not be admitted unless it is an emergency. I wanted IV medications to feel better instantly. The next time I go to the hospital I am telling the doctor to give me IV Cipro and Flagyl because I am sick for two to three weeks with diverticulitis. I am prescribed a narcotic pain medication but it constipates me worse. I wish they could make a narcotic pain medication that would not cause constipation.
I know sometimes it would feel like I was having a UTI and my urinalysis would reveal that I did not have an infection. I would ask the doctor if it was possible that I had an infection and it was not showing up and he would say no but a few days later I would have an infection and this was before I was diagnosed with diverticulitis. I now know it is either diverticulitis, constipation, or a UTI, or a yeast infection because of the antibiotics I take for the diverticulitis.
Please never feel like you are a hypochondriac and never let any doctors, nurses, or any medical personnel make you feel like you are a hypochondriac. They are not in your body and do not understand what you are experiencing and how you are feeling.
My advise to you is to study up on your condition and ask your doctor many questions about your condition. I always look up conditions on here and on webmd.com They explain things easily. I always explain to my doctor what medications work best for me. I know many things about my condition and this helps my doctor out too.
I know when I go to the doctor or hospital and my blood pressure is high I am in pain. If you blood pressure is usually normal and you go to the doctor and it is high and you are in pain it is high because you are in pain. Also any health condition a person has I believe causes them anxiety and sleep problems. I once had a full blown panic attack and it was not even when I was sick with diverticulitis. I ended up going to the hospital because I was wheezing and thought I might have asthma. It turned out to be a really bad panic attack.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if it helps. We can exchange e-mail addresses if you would like. I hope you feel better soon and have a wonderful Wednesday night!! Take care.

Sincerely,

Michelle

Jump to this post