Back in August '06, ole Wulf almost kicked the bucket back in the JoCo ER at 4am. It was later discovered it was Diverticulitis. Well, I'm afraid it is coming back as I have got some serious pains in the same general area (not menstrual so don't even try it , steve). I was wondering if any of you pot lickers out there have lived with this condition? I'm sure a select few of you out there hope it's fatal....if so I will haunt you and your trailers.
My husband had this for quite a while. Ungodly pains in the stomach (even his boys hurt) and throwing up after eating certain foods. It got so bad that they did surgery and removed 8" of his intestines and he has had no problem since. It didn't take him long to get over the surgery and he has been like a new person since. He can now eat popcorn, seeds, etc. PM me if you would like the name of his doctor. I hope you get better. I have seen first hand how the pain from this condition can bring a grown man down to his knees.
Thanks....I'm not quite there yet but I'm nervous this could be a return of it. I can relate to what you described. I was on the floor of the ER back in '06.
I would suggest you avoid all types of seeds, nuts, popcorn, sesame seed buns, anything with little particals. They get trapped in the pockets in your intestines and get infected and that's what causes the pain. You probably already knew that, but just trying to help.
Hope you will feel better soon! I'm sure you probably already know all of this but I just read the following about it: What Causes Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis? * Diverticulosis is usually caused by chronically increased pressure and strain on the colon wall. * A low-fiber diet (common in industrialized Western countries) is correlated with diverticulosis. The disorder is almost unheard of in rural Asian and African societies, where a high-fiber diet is the norm. * Hereditary factors may play a small role in the development of diverticulosis. * Increased pressure on the colon from straining during bowel movements or from chronic constipation may lead to the formation of diverticula. Prevention of Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis * Eat a high-fiber, low-fat diet. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain breads and cereals. * Drink plenty of fluids (at least eight full glasses of water a day) to help soften stools. * Exercise regularly to help maintain regularity of bowel movements. Diagnosis of Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis * A barium enema may be performed. The barium creates a sharp image on x-ray of the digestive tract. * Colonoscopy (use of a thin scope with a lighted end to view the colon) may be performed. * A CT (computed tomography) scan may be performed to help diagnose acute diverticulitis. How To Treat Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis * Following prevention tips for diet (especially incorporating fiber) and exercise is important to prevent diverticulosis. * Your doctor may recommend a bulking laxative containing the fiber psyllium or an artificial fiber like calcium polycarbophil. However, do not take laxatives without consulting your doctor and never use enemas—these may only further aggravate a diverticular disorder. * For diverticulitis, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics and bed rest, often in the hospital. * Injections of painkillers may be warranted in severe cases of diverticulitis. * Antispasmodic drugs may be prescribed to relax the muscles around the digestive tract. * You may need to have your stomach kept empty (with a tube passed through the mouth into the stomach) and to be fed intravenously to allow inflamed diverticula to heal. You should be able to eat and drink normally when symptoms of diverticulitis have subsided (generally in a few days). * Surgery may be necessary to drain an abscess. * Blood transfusions may be necessary in patients with profound bleeding from diverticuli. * In severe or recurrent cases of diverticulitis, surgery may be necessary to remove the affected part of the colon. In a few cases, a temporary colostomy may be required, with later operations to reconnect the colon. When To Call A Doctor * Call a doctor immediately if you experience severe abdominal pain, with or without fever or abdominal bloating. * Call a doctor if you notice a change in your bowel habits that lasts longer than two weeks, especially if you also experience rectal bleeding. * Call a doctor if minor symptoms of diverticulosis (nausea, bloating, constipation, and others) develop and persist.
Some misdiagnosis of diverticulitis actually end up being cases of Chrohn's disease or even perforated colon. You may want to see a GI doc and have a look-see (colonscopy). Not fun, but worth it for the peace of mind. Get out in front of it, because it'll beat living with one of those arse bags all of your life. Hint: when they ask you if you want lemon lime or orange...it's a trick question.
my ex husband had it....horrible stomach pains for months before he would do anything about it. After living with the pains for months I convinced him to go to the ER. After running some tests the doc came in and said "I hope you have a surgeon. You have diverticulitis" He had to wait approx 10 days before having surgery because he was "too infected" to do surgery. After surgery they told him his insides literally looked like an 80 year man with it and he was lucky he went to the ER and took care of it when he did. He had his done at Rex and ever since he hasn't had any problems. If you want the name of his surgeon pm me and I'll pass it along. She was fabulous. After watching him go through it I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone. good luck!
My Aunt had that last year (the pain) and they put her in Rex and didn't know what was wrong until her intestines burst and nearly killed her. They did an emergency operation and cut out 10 inches of intestines and then a colostomy to let it heal. She got the colostomy reversed 3 months later and has been fine for the last year. Don't wait to see the GI, it could mean your life. The GI across from REX hospital is fantastic.
I had it for 10 yrs I just didn't know that's what it was because I was too stubborn to go to the doc. I ended up in the ER about 2 yrs ago. I'm sure a few on here remember my pitiful plea to find a quick med. I spent 10 days in the hospital and it was so severe that they thought I would have to have a bag after surgery. Those little perforations had turned into big holes and I had all kinds of junk floating around. My stomach was swollen and hard as a brick and the dr feared I was eat up with cancer. Thankfully there was no cancer but ended up removing about 18 inches of intestines. I haven't had any problems since. I do try to eat lots of fiber and was told to drink citrucel daily. My dr said you should spend no more than 2 minutes on the toilet which I thought was crazy. Once I started doing what the dr said no more than 2 minutes was needed. Anyway, to me the pain was worse than child birth and I had 2 natural births. After going through this I said I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Do play around with it. Go get it checked and I do hope you feel better.
