I was diagnosed with diverticulitis

Happy to find thus chat. I had a diverticulitis episode July of 2020. This flare up caused a fistula attached to my bladder. Needless to say I needed surgery. They took 9 inches of my sigmoid repaired the bladder. Stayed in hospital four days . Came home with catheter for an additional 5 days. Since the surgery I gave development hemorrhoids with burning sensation is my butt cheeks. Alison urinary issues. My urologist things it is all in my head told me to go home have glass of wine and live my life. Went to my GP she prescribed estrogen cream to use externally on virginal are to help ease the urethra issue. Using it for about six weeks now some relief. She also prescribed anusol for hemorrhoids and swelling in that area. There is some relief again not totally gone. I thought once this surgery was done that I would be back to my old self again. Not so much it had taken a toll on me emotionally and mentally. Would like to know if anyone out there has had any of these issues. Sure would like to get some feedback.

It definitely takes a toll on your mental health! It takes a while to get past the fear of eating. When the surgeon told me I was free to go and eat whatever I wanted, I was excited about it, but the thought of swallowing actual food, other than my Boost Breeze drinks, applesauce or crackers was scary to me and made me nauseated.
It took a while, but I am now slowly reintroducing more fiber and roughage into my diet

It is nice to know that we are not alone and other people are experiencing the same symptoms and feels. I too hesitant eating certain foods.

I had two bouts of divert within the last 3 1/2 months. After the latest episode in Feb I developed c-dif which I am trying to get over. I’m totally confused as to what to eat and it is reassuring to know that others are experiencing the same thing. I was drinking a lot of the Ensure protein drinks. I was overweight before all this started, but I’ve lost so much weight since Nov it is somewhat scary. I wanted to lose weight the healthy way. Good luck to you.

I know exact how you feel about weight loss. Since the surgery I have list 25 lbs. not the way to do it. We just need to find the food that we can eat and stick with until we add another food.

@thull When first diagnosed with Gastroparesis my GI Doctor at Mayo MN prescribed Mirtazapine which I take every night.. He said it would help me "think I wanted to eat more." .. I have been taking it now some 6 years.. Seems to work as I have gained back nearly 80% of the weight lost after the Failed Nissen surgery that caused the Gastroparesis..

I will have to mention that to my dr. I currently weigh 96 pounds and am almost 5’6”
I think my BMI was 17 last time they checked.
Dr not happy with me! Lol

Hello @nosurgery

It has been a while since you posted about having the sigmoid colectomy. Was the surgery helpful to you?

I had a sigmoid bowel resection after a traumatic car accident. I lost a lot of weight because I had no appetite for about 2 mos. Then I got daily diarrhea from what little I did eat. I then also got dehydrated from all that. I was weak and slept a lot. I was down to doctor prescribed apple juice, Ensure, Gatorade, apple sauce. I didn't realize that it all was sugar! I stopped with the Ensure and stayed on crackers and eggs and got better within 24 hrs. I also started a high quality probiotics and that seemed to help a lot. Now it has been a year since the surgery and found out two months ago that I had become lactose intolerant. All those stomach cramps, distended stomach were not so much from the surgery but from drinking milk! I figured this out myself and now I have not had a sick day in over two months. I can eat almost anything now, but in small portions and I eat slower than before.

Recently had laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy (7/6/22). 72 years old and in good shape, exercise daily, watch my diet and drink 70-80+ ozs. Water/daily. Learning that I needed surgery was quite a surprise following failed colonoscopy. (Narrowing /stricture in sigmoid colon. Had ct colonography & Barium study. Decided to proceed with elective colectomy, had no real symptoms. No pain but sometimes needed laxative to help with BM. Procedure was uneventful. (By the way also had gallbladder removed at the same time) No pain to speak of following surgery. Ibuprofen only no opioids. After surgery had a JP drain in abdomen and a catheter in bladder. This is not something that you should be overly concerned with. If they place catheter once you are out it’s nothing (normally that’s what they’ll do). Surgeon ordered pain block prior to surgery once I was out. Surgery duration was around 5 1/2- 6 hours. Only issue I have is BM’s about three X’s Daily everyday, mostly loose diarrhea . Not the end of the world but I understand as time goes by my colon will eventually get accustomed to the 20% reduction in bowel. Immediately following surgery (first 4-5 weeks) it was a bit challenging to get too far from the bathroom. Three months post-surgery, no pain & eating whatever I feel like eating. Even though the diverticulitis and the sigmoid colon has been removed I am making an accerted effort to stay clear of red meat and seeded foods. Eat high fiber diet and I have no complaints at this point!