I've Got Divertriculosis! Whine, Whine

Hi Joyce.

First of all there is a difference between diverticulosis and diverticulitis.

I have diverticulosis. I found out when I had my colonoscopy. Apparently this affects about 50 percent of people over 50. My sister-in-law has it, too. The only thing we have to do is eat a high fiber diet.

But diverticulitis is more serious. I think it means you have an infection and need treatment. Hence, the antibiotics.

Last September, my husband was operated on for diverticulitis, which is the next stage in diverticulosis. He went to the ER on Aug. 25 and they did several rounds of antibiotics before deciding it needed surgical intervention. IIRC, the surgeon told me she removed about 4" of intestine (my memory's a little fuzzy because life got very chaotic at that time - we were buying a house, moving, on top of his getting sick.)

He was operated on Sept. 11 and released around the 20th. It was a loooong recovery for him - and since he also had new pouches forming, he's had to be careful with what he eats - and he has to have routine colonoscopies from now on - which he's thrilled about, as you can probably imagine.

Basically, he eats a LOT of high fiber foods - Fiber-One makes a whole line of cereals and granola bars that he likes. He eats Yo-Plus yogurt and a LOT of veggies (which is a huge thing for him - he would never touch them before he got sick)

And yes, he avoids all seeds and nuts now - won't eat popcorn, anything with poppy or sesame seeds. It was a little rough at first, but it's really not so bad because the restrictions are really pretty small (at least for him - he misses popcorn)

Believe me, it's worth it - the surgery is rough, but he was lucky. His went smoothly. If it doesn't, you end up with a colostomy until everything heals (about 3 months). We were fortunate with that - he didn't need it. And he was waaay young to have it as well (he was 36), but his doctor said they are seeing it in younger and younger people due to the crappy food we all eat.

Good luck!

I never knew that about popcorn being bad for this. I would think it would help since it's high in fiber.

rhymegirl said:

I never knew that about popcorn being bad for this. I would think it would help since it's high in fiber.

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It's high in fiber, but it gets caught in the pouches and can cause inflammation. That's why seeds are off-limits as well.

joyce said:

Thanks for the quick responses and hope. Maybe I have them mixed up and have an itis instead of an osis. It didn't sound like I was going to die if I didn't get the colonosopy right now, so I must not be in horrible shape. I'm willing to add as much fiber as needed just to not have those horrible pains again. I figure if I can't afford the colonoscopy right now I sure can't afford surgery. Oh well, I guess I need to start eating healthy. I'm sure going to miss my sunflower seeds.

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I think you'd rather have diverticulosis - the -itis is the more serious one...


ETA - peanut butter is fine. You basically want to avoid anything that can get caught in the pouches and nuts and seeds are easily trapped.

I just wanted Joyce to know, too, that I have had stomach problems for years and years. I had been through many many tests and they never found anything wrong. And yet I continued to have pain not knowing why.

When you described than alien feeling (like an alien is inside you trying to get out), I thought: Yes! That's exactly what it feels like.

All I can say is, my impression was that I will be okay as long as I eat a high fiber diet.
No surgery or treatment was recommended.

I'm sure it's different for everyone.

Surgery is the last ditch, nothing else has worked, resolution. That's why Jersey Guy was hospitalized as long as he was - if they could get it under control with antibiotics and diet, he'd have been fine, but his was too far gone. He lost almost 40 pounds in the hospital because he was NPO. When they moved him to clear liquids, he boomeranged back to the beginning, when he was in the most pain I've ever seen him in.

They don't operate unless they REALLY have to, because recovery can be brutal and it takes 3 months without a colostomy. With a colostomy, recovery 6-9 months.

If a high fiber diet works for you, that's fantastic, really. You do not want the surgery if you can avoid it. It is different for everyone - my husband had a very severe case of it, and the doctors were amazed he hadn't had any attacks before that one. But he's had on and off stomach problems for years, which they think might have been earlier stages of it that we all just brushed off as "stomach trouble".

Gee, I wish I had some words that could help you feel better. I can only add hope you feel way better very soon, k. and sending good vibes and prayers your way.

Jersey Chick said:

It's high in fiber, but it gets caught in the pouches and can cause inflammation. That's why seeds are off-limits as well.

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I don't get this. Don't you guys CHEW your food? Wouldn't popcorn and seeds just be so much mush by the time it gets to your colon?

My brother just got out of the hospital for this.

SF: I have a dear friend who works in a sewage treatment plant. Somethings just don't digest. The corn kernals amass to a significant amount when separated form the rest.

Joyce, I hope you feel better. My friend who has it had to stay away from cola-type sodas and drink clear sodas instead. I don't know why, but that's what she said.

C.bronco said:

SF: I have a dear friend who works in a sewage treatment plant. Somethings just don't digest. The corn kernals amass to a significant amount when separated form the rest.

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Yeah, corn. I know that. We were talking POPCORN. Unless you mean the little hulls that suction cup to the inside of your throat.

I'm surprised that no one has come up with a Colon Cleanse, like SaniFlush, or Draino, you know? Something that just cleans that whole baby out.

Shadow_Ferret said:

Yeah, corn. I know that. We were talking POPCORN. Unless you mean the little hulls that suction cup to the inside of your throat.

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There are those kernels or whatever they're called that usually come out somewhere else during the digestive process. For people with pockets in their intestines, they can get trapped there.

Shadow_Ferret said:

Yeah, corn. I know that. We were talking POPCORN. Unless you mean the little hulls that suction cup to the inside of your throat.

I'm surprised that no one has come up with a Colon Cleanse, like SaniFlush, or Draino, you know? Something that just cleans that whole baby out.

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There are several different types of colon cleaners. Psyllium is one of them. A health food/ vitamin store is a good place to find them, though I think some of the larger retailers still carry them in the metamucil section.

joyce said:

Thanks again everyone but this morning I still feel like I'm going to give birth to a Haggis child with 12" claws.

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These yours, Joyce?

Clair Dickson said:

There are several different types of colon cleaners. Psyllium is one of them. A health food/ vitamin store is a good place to find them, though I think some of the larger retailers still carry them in the metamucil section.

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http://www.iherb.com/Search.aspx?c=1&st=l&kw=psyllium+husk
a link for said psyllium at a great price, better than your local health food stores. good stuff

I love this site, in general, for vitamins.

Haggis said:

These yours, Joyce?

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Soooooo cute, Haggis

Now, I know what you're up to in your spare time...

Clair Dickson said:

There are several different types of colon cleaners. Psyllium is one of them. A health food/ vitamin store is a good place to find them, though I think some of the larger retailers still carry them in the metamucil section.

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Isn't that what Metamucil is?

But those are bulk fiber laxatives (depending on how you use them).

I was being facetious and talking about having some kind of chemical that blasts it clean like acid.

Maybe an over-the-counter product like that nasty vile stuff they give you before your colonoscopy. Bet that will clean it all out.

ETA: I might add that increasing your fiber also had the unpleasant and anti-social effect of increased flatulence.

Oooh... that stuff is horrible! Just ask Jersey Guy - he almost barfed trying to drink the stuff he had to drink before his colonoscopy...