Diverticulitis

[Confused6]

Hi I think I'm maybe on wrong site here but was wondering if anyone can help me. I've been constipated all last week and have been taking cosmocol 2 sachets a day for it. On Saturday night I was up all night with severe pain in my stomach down the left side and a feeling of needing to go to toilet .When I went I was just passing aclear jelly like substance which later turned to greenI went to A and E and the doctor gave me antibiotics but kind of ignored me when I asked why I was passing green jelly instead of poo. Can anyone on here maybe help me as it is still happening and Ive not had a proper bowel movement since last week.

[Linley]

Have u been diagnosed with diverticular disease? Has your GP been involved?

[Confused6 in reply to Linley]

Yes

[Confused6 in reply to Linley]

Yes I was diagnosed when I had a colonoscopy to remove a polyp from rectum about 6 months ago. I've not been to my GP about it as this was a bank holiday weekend and when I phoned 111 they gave me an appointment for A and E at the hospital. Why do you ask?

[Linley in reply to Confused6]

Your GP should have received the report on your colonoscopy and should in my opinion discuss your concerns and advise you accordingly

[Minty00]

possibly mucous

[Boxroad]

have you tried senokot to help with constipation? I have found then to be the best, I had diverticula confirmed yesterday when I had my colonoscopy, my GP had suspected I had it but now it’s been confirmed.

[Confused6 in reply to Boxroad]

Thanks for your reply. Sorry to hear you have been confirmed positive. No I've never tried senokot I've always just used cosmocol as that is what I was given by the doctor but that was a few years ago maybe now I need a proper laxative instead of stool softeners. I will ask doctor next time I see him.

[Boxroad in reply to Confused6]

you can get senokot from any supermarket without a doctors prescription, the doc at A&E a few weeks ago told me to use it I said I had IBS and my other complains he said it would be fine and I found it was, if I get really constipated I have to use lactulose first to get things moving, but to be honest if I stick to eating the correct fibre I normally don’t suffer from it, there are two fibres soluble and insoluble both from plants but one tends to bind us up while the other makes us loose, I have been battling IBS for 30 years now find I have diverticulitis will be a whole new learning for me, my GP once told me it’s your body you have to make some choices about it, she said I only see you for a little while ever now and then and try to help you past the tough times but you live with it every day and only you know how you feel and what triggers your issues, 99% of gut problems are worsened by dietary foods we eat that don’t agree our individual gut.

This past three years I have learned so much about my own health and what to and not to do, it’s a long process but also an interesting one,

[spabbygirl]

I've had diverticulitis about 5 yrs now, 1st I thought it was appendicitis & went to GP who sent me straight to hospital, the surgeon examined me & said he didn't think it was appendicitis but diverticulitis and gave me some enormous antibiotics to take. They did do the trick & 48hrs later I was ok but I've since had 2 more episodes & another I managed to reduce myself by eating non-acidic foods for a while, porridge, wholewheat bread. I've never been offered any more tests but I agree with the diagnosis & management, I assume if it got worse then I'd be referred to a specialist. I know the NHS is so stretched at the moment due to lack of funding & I'm happy to keep going as it is. If I ever get constipated I eat fruit, either fresh or dried and that does the trick.

[Confused6 in reply to spabbygirl]

Thanks for your reply spabbygirl. I too have been given huge antibiotics for 5 days. This is my 3rd day and when I wakened this morning I was still sore down my left side but think the antibiotics are beginning to kick as my stomach is nowhere near as hard. I think I maybe panicked a little bit as this is the first flare up I've had between the pain and what was coming away I just didn't know what was happening to me. I will do my best not to get constipated again.

[spabbygirl in reply to Confused6]

It is scary at 1st, it hurts so much, but I'm used to it now and 48 hours on antibiotics do do the trick, but I'm also learning how to stop it by eating wholemeal grain things, porridge, wholemeal bread etc, nothing acidic like fruit for a few days and that is working so far. That might change though and I might need more treatment in the future, but so far so good! Good luck for the future!

[Antiques72]

it’s prob part of IBS .. u can be constipated or runny … I take movicol as it doesn’t cause cramps .. I have been on them all and this is the only one I will use ..

[Morzine]

I have had times of not going for ages, seven days, the doc said don’t get like that agsin….if you don’t go by day three take magricolol or movicol, they ate sachets you fill glass with water and take…..if your constipated take two …..it may take a day to go, next day take another two.

Senokot is fine if you are mildly constipated but I found it’s useless with diverticula disease and unblocking.

Poor you I know how it feels unable to go…..

Sue

[GaryDB]

Hi Confused6, I was diagnosed with Diverticular disease last year, after having prior about 3-4 left side pains over the course of 2 years, I had antibiotics on teh last two. I also took Buscopan to help with cramps. At Colonoscopy they explained and showed me the 'pockets' of diverticular and explained what happens with food and how its trapped by the pockets, almost always on the left side bowel and if not cleared, how the infection can happen. After that I discussed with my GP, who advised, with an infection it can sometimes lead to a serious condition, so to prevent this, I was prescribed daily Fibrogel to take, better than taking the other tablet form of laxatives long term, it adds to any other natural fibre sources you eat to keep stools moving and soft and is just taken mixed with water and also Mebeverine tablets to take as and when required before food up to 3 times a day to manage the pains. So far I have not had a flare up since requiring antibiotics, I get the pains sometimes and take the Mebeverine and it seems to control these. Red meat is the worse I was told for this condition, due to the long digestion times in the gut, I don't eat hardly any in any case. maybe a bit of bacon once in a while. Its hard to analyse everything that might give you a problem of course. Hope this helps.

[Snowdrops_17 in reply to GaryDB]

Hi GaryDBI do Kitchen Porter work in a restaurant! When I eat or have coffee depending how active I am, working or day off, I get often bloated, have flatulence, which is embarrassing really, also some vegetables etc can set this off! At times I can't go for 3 days then oh sugar, clear out 👍

I wonder if I have diverticulitis or I am allergic to gluten or lactose! Think I need to investigate that now! It's great what I read on this post! Thanks for all the advice from everyone here ☺️

Hope you all have a good day, soon Christmas 🎄🤶🦌🎁🎄

[GaryDB in reply to Snowdrops_17]

Hi Snowdrops_17 Well , yes sure get it checked out, what the Drs told me was, Diverticular Disease is extremely common in the Western Countries Diet and it is increasing with the more fast food and delivery food options and less people cooking from fresh at home but also the stress and hours worked also very common now with jobs, not enough sleep, all play a massive part of getting this but once you have it, thats it, you have to start to think about these things and manage it to your advantage. Good luck , hope you mange to find out something

[Snowdrops_17 in reply to GaryDB]

I eat quite a good varied diet Gary👌Salads, sweet and backed potatoes, Cod, Mackerel, chicken and turkey mince! I don't buy takeaways or fast food? Very rarely! I have my daily porridge with banana, a kiwi or a baby orange in the mornings! I buy mixed seed bread etc for fibre as well, eat carrots and lately bought some parsnips as well, peas and mixed vege from frozen! Must admit, love salads, tomatoes and cucumbers! I make my own Bolognese sauce with carrots and if leftover vege put them in too👍 I make my own Meatballs with different herbs in it! I like mild curries which I also make from scratch if time allows!

It could be stress at work as well as it has been very busy the past 2 days! I only work part-time, 4 shifts of 7 hours, sometimes a little more!

I bought some thick Bramwell vegetable soup in our Aldi here! It was so lovely! Well next morning, bingo, 😂

Christmas will be busy in our restaurant and crazy in the kitchen 😱

When deliveries come we have to dispose of a lot of cardboard and also rubbish!

3 more Sundays to go then Christmas 🎄🤶 week 👍☃️❄️!

Right must make some food as stomach is rumbling now! Take care Gary and thank you for your reply 👌☺️