Diverticulitis

[jimmy40]

So I started having pains in my lower abdomen Sunday after working on my wife's car and thought I'd pulled something. During the night I started running fever and really hurting but didn't think it was all that big a deal. Went to the doctor first thing monday morning and was sent to the emergency room with suspected appendix issue. The emergency room doctor and surgeon also thought it was my appendix but wanted to run a scan to make sure it wasn't something else. After several hours in the emergency room and a CT scan they found out I had an inflamed and infected colon (diverticulitis), I'll spare you the horrible details. I spent another hour getting pumped full of antibiotics through my IV.
I got home Monday afternoon and started taking the antibiotics and spent Tuesday in bed doing the same but Tuesday night and Wednesday I spent throwing up my medicine and the few crackers I tried to eat. Went to my doctor yesterday and he prescribed me some nausea medicine and a different antibiotic and was able to eat some crackers and keep it all down. Finally this morning I ate some cereal and feel like I might live. From Sunday at lunch until this morning I could only eat half a sleeve of crackers and I've lost 13 pounds. Hell of a way to lose weight. Can't believe I've missed a week of work because of this. Anyway, this is the first time I've felt like getting on the computer and thought I'd share my misery.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

My Mother had diverticulitis several years ago and it was no joke. Did they ask you about your diet, or tell you to alter it?
Get well!

 

[jimmy40]

My Mother had diverticulitis several years ago and it was no joke. Did they ask you about your diet, or tell you to alter it?
Get well!

My mom who's 80 told me a couple of her friends have dealt with it, seems like it's something old ladies a me get. They did ask me and I take extra fiber so it sucks it still happened. I go back to the doctor this afternoon, I'm going to ask him for some kind of a plan so this doesn't happen again.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Anyway, this is the first time I've felt like getting on the computer and thought I'd share my misery.

Sorry to hear that story. Sounds like a pretty bad week. Lucky for you there is a lot of good news around here so spend some quality time getting caught up and you should feel better.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Sorry for your condition. I hope you get it worked out. Have heard from a few people that is a real pain when it hits.

 

[ROUSH8692]

Wow, sorry to hear, but glad to hear youre feeling better.

Any symptoms leading up to this? Fatigue, stool issues, etc.?

 

[DMOB]

Feel you pain, but worse. Last year while playing softball I had to dive back to first got up felt fine. After the game we went out to eat and about an hour later I could barely get out of my chair. Finally made it home (this was on a Friday) Saturday came and still had some pain I was thinking it was just a kidney stone so just delt with the pain. Sunday came around and felt no better. My girlfriend made me go to the hospital.....good thing she did. After seeing the doc they had me do the CT scan as well and found my sigmoid colon had ruptured (from diverticulitis) and I had become septic. The nurse said good thing I came in because another day or so and I would've died. So had emergency surgery 13" long scar later I'm pretty much back to normal. I'm glad that yours had not ruptured because believe me that was not fun.

 

[AzorAhai]

It's a bad thing to get. I've got some real bad GI issues myself and wouldn't wish it on anyone. Definitely look up a diverticulitis diet and consider following it. Hard to digest foods increase the risks of another episode.

 

[jimmy40]

Wow, sorry to hear, but glad to hear youre feeling better.

Any symptoms leading up to this? Fatigue, stool issues, etc.?

no, was feeling pretty normal.

 

[jimmy40]

Feel you pain, but worse. Last year while playing softball I had to dive back to first got up felt fine. After the game we went out to eat and about an hour later I could barely get out of my chair. Finally made it home (this was on a Friday) Saturday came and still had some pain I was thinking it was just a kidney stone so just delt with the pain. Sunday came around and felt no better. My girlfriend made me go to the hospital.....good thing she did. After seeing the doc they had me do the CT scan as well and found my sigmoid colon had ruptured (from diverticulitis) and I had become septic. The nurse said good thing I came in because another day or so and I would've died. So had emergency surgery 13" long scar later I'm pretty much back to normal. I'm glad that yours had not ruptured because believe me that was not fun.

yep, that's worse alright, I mean that freaking sucks right there. So did you have any idea of the diverticulitis before hand?

 

[DMOB]

Nope sure didn't no issues prior.

 

[Doc50]

So I started having pains in my lower abdomen Sunday after working on my wife's car and thought I'd pulled something. During the night I started running fever and really hurting but didn't think it was all that big a deal. Went to the doctor first thing monday morning and was sent to the emergency room with suspected appendix issue. The emergency room doctor and surgeon also thought it was my appendix but wanted to run a scan to make sure it wasn't something else. After several hours in the emergency room and a CT scan they found out I had an inflamed and infected colon (diverticulitis), I'll spare you the horrible details. I spent another hour getting pumped full of antibiotics through my IV.
I got home Monday afternoon and started taking the antibiotics and spent Tuesday in bed doing the same but Tuesday night and Wednesday I spent throwing up my medicine and the few crackers I tried to eat. Went to my doctor yesterday and he prescribed me some nausea medicine and a different antibiotic and was able to eat some crackers and keep it all down. Finally this morning I ate some cereal and feel like I might live. From Sunday at lunch until this morning I could only eat half a sleeve of crackers and I've lost 13 pounds. Hell of a way to lose weight. Can't believe I've missed a week of work because of this. Anyway, this is the first time I've felt like getting on the computer and thought I'd share my misery.

The presence of diverticulae in the colon is common , and not necessarily associated with pathology. This condition can become more risky with constipation and bloating -- anything that increases intracolonic pressure and stretches a diverticulum too thin, causing tissue invasion of bowel bacteria, which can lead to abscess and perforation.

So, eat a high fiber diet, don't overeat, and avoid foods that cause gas and bloating. If bloating is a frequent occurrence, take a strong probiotic like Culturelle twice daily for at least 2 weeks to promote the overgrowth of better bowel flora and diminish the population of aggressive methane-producing microbes. Yogurt and buttermilk are helpful as well. The need to avoid seeds is a myth, proven false in long term clinical trials.