Another New Diagnosis

[FlowerPreciousLover]

When I started severe abdominal pain, I searched the Mayo Clinic site for symptoms. Mine were classic for appendicitis. Didn't even know where the appendix was located beforehand.

Able to get into see PCP same day after 3 days of no lessening of pain and learning possible cause. She ordered blood/urine labs and I asked if she'd include GFR and A1c because those diets largely ignored recently in my quest to add high caloric diet to gain weight. She also ordered a CT scan of stomach. Just received verbal reports and now have a new diagnosis of royal case of Diverticulitis. CT showed multiple filled pouches which can also tear resulting in Peritonitis. While I'm relieved that I'm not having emergency appendix surgery, I now have to watch future inflammation of these pouches because once formed they never go away.

Strict Liquids Only Diet until all symptoms abate along with 2 prescriptions and then very gradual intro. of mild solids. Now I'm learning about diets that fight inflammation. For an old lady with stable weight,who wouldn't have recognized a Calorie if it'd rung the doorbell much less recognized 150 grams of carbs if they'd entered the house, I am now starting my 4th diet since Dec. diagnosis of pre-diabetes. Because of adhering to pre-diabetic and then followed by CKD diagnosis and renal diet, and improved scores for each within a month, I have become an absolute believer that proper diet is truly the Best Medicine.

With unexplained and unresolved 17 lb wt loss over recent months, I then opted for high caloric diet, ignoring for the time being the earlier two. Was happy indeed that my A1c showed 5.0 but unhappy my GFR had dropped to 52. Once I'm back on solids will and can address the GFR.

Guess I'm just beating the drum for both patient advocacy and the importance of finding the most appropriate diet for whatever ails us. Thanks to information and suggestions shared from this forum, I've been able to see the results of becoming better informed, the squeaky wheel effects and the improvements from learning about what is going on with different health situations and what the patient can do to improve the condition.

Future concerns about inflammation and foods to avoid and to help help ward off infections are now being added to my growing arsenal. Best to all!

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

Oh Precious, what a time you are having...

I too get diverticulitis. The first time I was hospitalized for three days and that was many years ago. Had a nasty bout of it last spring, they barely looked at me. Had a CTscan to confirm and then antibiotics. I had to eat broth and applesauce for a couple of days.

Here's the thing, diverticulitis is very common. Mine is caused because of all the inflammation I have with Psoriatic Arthritis. I eat a lot of fiber and tons of water which is what they will tell you do do once you get through this episode. I can be going a long just fine and wham. But since I am very aware of what I eat, I also know when to cool it on too much fiber. If I eat an apple, I will be careful to eat less salad and pick veggies instead. Now because it is apple season here, I eat an apple a day. So I eat less salad, maybe only twice a week instead of five. I find if I do not getup and be physical for at least an hour or so, I will run into trouble. So I walk. I have a treadmill (which I hate its too boring) My favorite thing is to go shopping and walk around a big store. Or My hubby and I go to the lake and walk. I try to make it pleasant because walking is not always easy for me...( see arthritis) And then this is my remedy and doctor approved for me. I take a stool softener. Just an OTC. When I start to get "backed up" I pop one of those babies and within a day or so I am good to go...no pun intended.

Laxatives are NOT good for CKD. These are not laxatives. They add liquid to the stool making it easier to dispose of...Geeze this is gross.

And here is why I don't mess around with diverticulitis. If you get an inflamed pouch, it swells and blocks the colon. And now your plumbing is going to get backed up. Infection can and will set in. Then you are in a heap of trouble because you will need antibiotic and guess what...they are not good for CKD either. And if the colon does not get back to normal, you can rupture and then... yuck. I do not want a bag just as much as I do not want dialysis.

So watch your diet for what triggers you. For example, peanut butter is horrible for me in this regard but I also don't eat it because of the fat and phosphorous. Nuts in any form set me off.

But popcorn does not.

I spoke with a proctologist and he explained that it is not the food that gets impacted but actually fecal matter. It happens when you push too hard. So keeping a free flow... e.. is what you want. He said there is no reason to not eat fiber and matter of fact you should.

One more thing: you sound like you have changed up your diet a lot. The body reacts differently when you do that. Finding the right diet will help to calm your system. Keep working with the dietician.

Best of health to you.

[FlowerPreciousLover in reply to Bassetmommer]

Thank you Bassetmommer for your informative and ready response!

How are YOU and your bout of those horrid shingles? So much better I hope?????

Nothing more comforting that having another who has experienced the same condition not only understand but also offer tips and helpful suggestions. The site I checked also mentioned applesauce and broth. Will add one and then the other next day; strictly liquids otherwise.

My symptoms came on so suddenly with the severe stomach pain and need to get to the bathroom every other minute, sweats & chills, that I really hope now I can become more aware of what symptoms to watch for. One day I was fine; the middle of the night and since, not at all.

You are more attuned to your diet and the foods that seem to trigger the need to be careful. Do your symptoms start with the need for more trips to the bathroom? fever & chills? stomach pain? changes in the type of elimination? I know this is not the most pleasant of subjects and we all experience things differently but any tips that alert you can help me become more watchful going forward.

And perhaps the very most important suggestion you make is the effects of my radically changing diets 3 x's over the past 10 months. After pointing that out, it makes all of the sense in the world that numerous big diet changes over a relatively short period of time can only have overall adverse affects on the body. Thank you. I am sometimes slow to figure things out! vbg

Hopefully after 5 more days on 2 antibiotics, I'll be symptom free and will have a hard copy of most recent labs and ct scan. Can check which values to tweak, let that report serve as a baseline and then choose from the dietician's handouts for diabetes, ckd and calories to stick with until the next labs in January.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador in reply to FlowerPreciousLover]

Hi Flower,

I am doing so much better. Face is clearing up already and I am going back to the eye doc today to see if that is ok. Thanks for asking.

As far as what to eat and what to watch for.... its tricky. Each person is so different. Nuts are totally not good for me and I love them. Corn of the cob is a no, but corn in soups and casseroles is a yes. Too much is not good. You will have to figure it out.

One thing people think is good for eating a lot of starch and "soft " foods and that is opposite of what the doctor told me. During an episode, yes but get back to fiber as soon as your able.

Symptoms for me used to be not being able to poop. There it is, that simple. But now instead of struggling and getting really impacted, I start on stool softeners and that usually works fine. I do not wait to get backed up. It is the infection from the impaction that causes the problems.

And my final response is drink water..... lots of water. Not coffee or tea or soda....H2O.

Hope you feel better soon.

[Oldearkie_83]

You remind me of my younger days with Diverticulitis, doubled over with cramps. And sooo sick and feverish when the offal dissolved and seeped through the intestinal walls into my abdomen. At that time, the doctor put me on a soft diet for that. Thank God (whatever that is) I know how to read and quickly learned the difference between soluble and insoluble fibers. It turned out that I was adding fuel to the fire with all that soft food. I began a daily regime of insoluble fiber and cleaned out those pouches like roto rooter, and ran that by my doctor. It took me two whole days to feel better. I was eating red meat like a caveman so I halved that which probably helped cause those polyps in the first place. Years later, I still use insoluble fiber on occasion, and make my own capsules as the tablets are no longer available in the US. Check back and let me know if my epiphany was any help to you.

[FlowerPreciousLover in reply to Oldearkie_83]

Oldearkie, you Know the pain and are also speaking from experience. Thank You! Right now, the thought of adding "real" food is just wishful thinking. However, when I can stay in one place for a bit longer, I'll start looking into the soluble vs insoluble fiber issue.

I grew up with animal protein at every meal and until very recently started each meal idea with the choice of which meat with red meats as the focus. Even as a newbie here, I am learning to really cut back on those red meat animal protein foods by adding more fish, chicken and veggies. Texas is a big beef state and I've probably been creating those pouches for years, too.

Thank you for reaching out from your own experience. From you post, it sounds as though you have taught the Diverticulitis demon who is boss!

Do you know what symptoms to watch for or have you mastered the pouch monster?

I will definitely report back as I learn more about soluble and insoluble fibers. Hats off to you for learning how to make your own insoluble fiber capsules. This forum is made up of the most amazing and willing to share people !