Diverticulitis

[menessie]

I'm getting excruciating pain in my lower left abdomen every night which wakes me up and keeps me awake for hours. Doc says take paracetamol which doesn't touch it. Anyone else get pain this bad?

[FRreedman]

Tell your GP that Paracetamol don't help, and ask what else you can do. Please remember though, that pain is one of the warning signs that something is wrong, so don't just kill the pain, try to find out the source of the pain. Have you been referred to a GI or Gastroenterologist for investigation? Do you still see your medical team in respect of Diverticulosis? Can you contact your specialist team to make sure it is not that or something similar acting up? Oh, and in answer to your question, yes, I get pain that a combination of Morphine, Duloxetine and Nortriptyline don't even hold at bay sometimes, but I know where and why I get it......I just can't do anything to stop it.

[menessie in reply to FRreedman]

I was referred for an abdominal scan and a trans vaginal scan (that left me in awful pain for 3 days) but told that they didn't show "anything significant". Since then I've been struggling with the awful night time and sometimes daytime pain to the extent I'm phoning the Samaritans in the night, feeling so bad. No family for support except son and daughter, both a couple of hours away who couldn't care less. I'm going to ask the GP next week fro a second opinion and referral as I can't take this any more.

[Konagirl60 in reply to menessie]

Have you had a tubal ligation?

[Peileen in reply to menessie]

When I went to GP with left sided pain about 12 years ago he immediately said diverticulitis gave me antibiotics and referred me for a colonoscopy. It confirmed multiple diverticuli. GP said antibiotics had to be taken with each flare up. Right side appendicitis, left side diverticulitis and diverticulitis wasn't to be treated lightly. I learned what to eat and what not to eat and haven't had a flare up for about five years. No brocolli for example (although I love greens) peas, beans or apples for me. I blend blueberries, a banana, oats and skimmed milk which gives me a couple of the 5 a day. 5 a day would kill me. Mashed potatoes are great. I hope you get help soon.

[Clairegavin77 in reply to Peileen]

Hi peileen, I'm currently having awful pain in my left hand side of tummy, I would say online with my belly button, I've had a lot of problems anyway I recently had an endoscopy which revealed that I had gerd and I had gall stones very young in my early 20s, I'm 43 now, this pain I have had before but generally only for a few hours and then gone but this time I've had it for 3 days solid, I can't sit comfortably it feels like something is swollen and not sitting right in there, I've taken paracetamol and anti inflammatory but nothing it eases slightly over night but then just comes back gradually and worsens over the day every thing I'm looking at online points to diverticulitis xxx

[Peileen in reply to Clairegavin77]

Please phone yr GP surgery. Even with the Coronavirus situation and not wanting to take up a doctor's time, diverticulitis when it flares is serious and antibiotics taken. When I've had any flare up and phoned the surgery I've had a prescription left. I was also told that having diverticulitis I need never worry about flare ups on holiday because it is one condition that merits immediate treatment with antibiotics. I don't know where you live and if the A&E busy with suspected coronavirus cases but after three days of that pain it needs professional investigation and treatment. Diverticulitis isn't a condition to treat lightly even with things as they are. Good luck!

[Clairegavin77 in reply to Peileen]

Thank you so much for yr reply I'm going to doctors in the morning xx

[Hidden]

I don't have diverticulitis but my grandma did.i remember her always saying she "didnt eat nuts n seeds" per the pain she got when she did.Dont know if this will help

[menessie in reply to Hidden]

I avoid them and also have stopped eating bread and ordinary milk - no difference so far.

[micmar]

i also have this,Try soluble Parasetamol, disolve 2 in half a glass of water they work quicker and dont iritate your stomach,, if they dont ease the pain after a week or so go back to your GP as you may have an infection,

[slsn71]

Yes been having this pain for two months went to my doctors who referred me to have an ultrasound waiting for results go back to your GP and tell them paracetamol doesn't work and insist that this pain needs further investigation as it is keeping you awake waiting for my results but don't take no for an answer x

[Spirit99]

I suffer from this and if the pain stays you may need antibiotics as this can be a dangerous thing to just leave as it is an infection of the bowel so please go back to your GP

[Batty1]

You should go to the emergency room if you are having more then normal for you pain you could be having the start of a perforated bowel.

[saj01]

When you say on the left.. whereabouts. Can you pinpoint the area? I know it's a delicate subject but... how are your bowels movements. Does the pain vary in severity?

You could try keeping a food/drink diary, including any meds you have to take , what your stools are like and the times. There might be some correlation there. even vegetables,pulses,grains etc can create a bit of gas , that can be painful as it moves through the system, as you know...

[TracySdlover]

I have diverticulosis and often get terrible pain in my lower left quandrant. I stop solid foods for 2 days and eat jello, soup and then only fish, rice and bran flakes for a couple if days. The pain goes away. The best thing I have avoided permanently seems to be red meat. I went back to it one day and almost immediately had the pain. I am not sure if there is a correlation or not. This pain is worse than my appendix was , but ultrasound in the past has shown nothing. I wont go back again. You should seek medical advice first however. Pain means something to your body. Have them take a look.

[Kimmel7]

I would ring an ambulance and go to the hospital as it sounds like you either have a infection or a blockage which needs immediate treatment.

[Batty1]

My brother has diverticulitis and was having a bad "attack" as he called it for a few weeks, where sometimes he was ok sometimes he was in excruciating pain his doctor wasn't much help. Finally the pain became so bad the bonehead finally went to emergency room his blood test were through the roof .......long story short had he kept dismissing his pains as it will pass he would not be here with us today his bowel had broken open and it can only be said he must of had and Angel because his swollen bowel actually plugged up his perforated bowel he spent 30 days in the hospital and lost 8 inches of his large intestine......don't mess around it's better to safe then sorry!

[djsema in reply to Batty1]

Good morning, your bother is a very lucky man... GOD is good. 🙏🙏

[Lupiknits]

Have you lost weight, or had a colonoscopy? My colonoscopy showed an unusual number of diverticula along the length of my bowel.

I do have incontinence. Recently I discovered root vegetables blocked me up badly.

[Macblank]

Daft question, but do you know what it is you've got?

I ask this, as I'm not sure you do.

With this condition you have "dents" in you lower intestinal tract. These dents fill with pooh. Over time, if it doesn't "refresh", the pooh goes off, and this is what's giving you the pain.

Also, if you do t fell like you've done all the pooh in one go, that can give you lower left pain, as it's a sign you got left over pooh.... Very simply put

Best way, is to always have soft pooh. This is by eating LOTS of ruffage, or taking a ruffage drink once a week. Fibergel. This'll help. Other alternatives can include linseed seeds.... This will add "oil" to your stools, and hopefully it'll all slide out, and you won't have bits left behind.

I can't do any of these methods cos for me, my body over reacts, and goes too far the other way 😮😜

I know it's uncomfortable and inconvenient, but there's worse things to have.

I'm borderline having to stick a tube up my arse everyday to be able to pooh. I'm delaying it as long as I can, but each week gets closer to when I know I'll have to live like that and I'd rather not! lol

[ExCarer]

I have had Diverticular disease for some 30yrs and know what it is like to have this severe pain. The only thing that worked for me was Codeine 30mg(need prescription) with Buscopan 10m(can Buy). That took up to an hour to work. I have found that certain foods seem to trigger it but this differs from person to person. I avoid bread,pasta and much carbohydrate. Certain veg are suspect, too. You may need some thing like docusate to soften your motion and mebeverine regularly to prevent regular spasms.LuckilyI have not had any bad episodes for some years now but still have bowel action problems. I think the bowel loses its muscular power in some sections and over does it in others.

Good luck.