Diverticulitis.

[yogabonnie]

ANYone else have diverticulitis with PMR. I just read that steroid use makes it more common and I have it now. Have had it before. Would like to hear how others managed...and anything else. Words of comfort and cheer. PLEASE and of course of warning!

[Lanakay]

I had diverticulitis about ten years ago. I had it again last spring bad enough that I spent 4 days in the hospital. I was taking Aleve a lot for headaches and other aches and pains. I knew I wasn’t supposed to take it but it worked well. Needless to say I haven’t taken it since. I am also pretty careful what I eat. I don’t eat raw fruits or vegetables, nuts, popcorn, rare meats and so on. Ripe melons and bananas seem to be ok. My mother died after having a ruptured colon but she was of the generation who did not talk about poop problems even with her doctor. I talk about it. On my gastroenterologists advice I take citrucel every morning. So far so good!

[Hidden]

I cannot speak for anyone else but I never had diverticulitis until last spring and I had my first attack. That was 1 and 1/2 years into Prednisone use. But do I know if that was what caused it or just another age related condition....can't say for sure.

[Hidden]

I had diverticulitis for 25 years and had to finally have a colon resection for it; I'd taken so many antibiotics that my body developed a resistance to them. Fortunately, the surgery was a year before I developed PMR, so there doesn't seem to be any relation between the two. However, diverticulitis can be a one-time thing (for most people) or a recurring problem (for people like me). Talk to your doctor about it, but don't think you need to stop eating food with seeds, like tomatoes or berries. Popcorn can trigger an attack (those hulls that stick in your gums can stick in your intestines, too), but most food is digested by the time it reaches the colon. Do eat fiber. It does help and it is good for your health overall. But try not to stress about things, talk to your doctor, and take your meds. Diverticulitis is awful, but not usually dangerous. Stay well!

[Bronni]

Just curious - did this arise during or after a pred reduction? All my “itises” occur during /after tapers.

[yogabonnie in reply to Bronni]

No it actually did not. I have been at 3 for about a month and a half. I travelled to Sweden so decided not to reduce at all for the 2 months I am here... Probably just the travel and the inattention to food. BUT I did read in a link perhaps from PMRpro that prednisone masks the symptoms of diverticulitis ...hence it got out of hand. Usually I can nip it in the bud by clear liquid diet for a couple days when I feel the first niggle. But didn't feel right away.

[Bronni in reply to yogabonnie]

I see. Sounds logical. Feel better 🤞

[Ciar in reply to Bronni]

I am having the same problem reducing. I get all kinds of “itises” and other weird problems when I reduce to 5 mg. Last time I got diverticulitis and hip impingement (both sides). It didn’t help to take more prednisone, even 15mg. The diverticulitis is ok but the hip issues are still severe even though I increased to 6 mg.

[Bronni in reply to Ciar]

You probably didn’t up the pred dose enough. If I remember correctly, you need to add 5mg to address the flare or “add on” illness and then a faster reduction back to your original dose if it’s within 2 weeks. It has worked for me, because most of my add on “itises”all seem inflammatory. Good luck.

[Ciar in reply to Bronni]

I did give it a shot at 15 mg with a slowish reduction over 2-3 weeks. I never got that PMR miracle like I’ve had in the past with flares. Whatever happened to my hips isn’t likely PMR. I’m having more imaging soon to try to decide whether a hip replacement will help or not. The pain is becoming disabling and I’m having a hard time walking. I’m one of those people who just seem to fall apart after getting PMR. I’ve had a huge amount of neuropathy and I’m wondering whether I might be getting another autoimmune disease.

[Ciar]

I was diagnosed with diverticulitis last May. Had been taking prednisone for just over 2 years. It took over a month for the pain to subside even with liquid diet followed by low fiber. I had recently reduced to 5 mg prednisone which has always been a point where I start having weird issues. I’m taking 6 mg now and still have occasional gut symptoms that could just be IBS. So far so good on no diverticulitis relapses. Good luck Yogabonnie!

[yogabonnie in reply to Ciar]

did they also give you antibiotics or did it resolve itself with the liquid and low fiber diets

[Ciar in reply to yogabonnie]

They gave me a huge amount of antibiotics, some IV, then 2 strong ones as pills. I got such horrible diarrhea that they had to reduce and change the drugs. I don’t know if that helped or if the treatment was worse than the disease. It just took a long time for the pain to let up. I’ve read in many online sites that new thinking is that antibiotics aren’t necessary in uncomplicated diverticulitis without any rupture.

[Hidden]

YES! Sorry I missed this a few days ago.... YES! YES! I have just been told I have diverticular disease and last year when I was in agony (for two weeks) and thought I would die... I actually had a perforation of a diverticulum!!! They had given me an abdominal CAT scan, but the results were sent from the gastro guy to the neurologist and I guess they each thought that the other had told me I had a perforation! Unfortunately, nobody told me, so after three trips to GP and a call to 111 (which resulted in an paramedic coming to house) I was put on Buscapn and CoCodomol... three months later (when the CAT was redone) . they told me the perforation had sealed itself!!! "Ummmmm, what perforation????" I just saw Gastro consultant 10 days ago and gave him a good piece of my mind! He says there is a link between PMR and IBS (which he is also indicating I suffer with) and that the steroids play havoc with all of our digestive systems.

[yogabonnie in reply to Hidden]

omg. that sounds terrible. perforation is really scary. And you were never on antibiotics_ ... I am in Sweden and I have just taken 7 days of Cipro which my doc gave me. But now it is over and I still have pain. However. It is not THAT kind of pain. I can handle it with tylenol ..only. right now. And I did lo lo fiber for the last week but will go to clear because lo fiber isn't doing the trick . Cannot decide whether to go to doctor. I know if I have no fever and no vomitting they will not give me more antibiotics... I shouldn't think. hmmm not sure what to do.

[Hidden in reply to yogabonnie]

Don't screw around with it... see somebody!!!! My pain was on the bed doubled over in tears... The Gastro Consultant said to me 10 days ago, "So... were you hospitalised with the perforation earlier in the year?" "Ummmm, no... I didn't know I had a perforation!" He was a tad embarrassed and apologetic!!!! Yup go to clear but, get it checked out!!!!!!

[Ciar in reply to Hidden]

Hi Melissa, looks like we have another similarity. I lost track of you for awhile, but so happy you’re back. I’m wondering if you have been diagnosed with anything like another autoimmune disease to explain the neuropathy and other things. I just keep going downhill, and am not receiving much help medically here in our regional medical desert.

[Mollbhan]

Hello, This may be a fairly old post but still a valid one, I have had diverticulitis for about ten years now, it comes and goes in bouts often months apart sometimes messy and alarming. The most effective control I have found is psyllium husks, not the minute doses you get in the capsules but three or four teaspoonfuls taken in fruit juice which I now take religiously every day. It definitely is effective and shortens bouts. PMR has taken over as a bigger problem now. All the best.