Is this IBS

[wb54]

Hi folks, I was diagnosed with Diverticulitis last year and I usually have a bout of it every month or so for 5/10 days. Then in between times, I have been fine. This latest bout was really bad for about 4 days then every day since (over a month now) I need the loo 2/3 times in quick succession first thing in the early morning then I am usually fine for the rest of the day. It coincided with being put on Duloxetine for neuropathy, so I thought that it might be that. I stopped taking it for 5 days to see if it was the culprit, and no change so back on that. I recently saw my neurologist who intends to refer me to a Gastroenterologist, based on what I told him and the fact they have discovered I have the SOS1 mutated gene, I expect another camera crew up my backside soon. I contacted the surgery who told me just keep taking the Imodium. If you have managed not to fall asleep reading this, does my problem sound more like IBS rather than Diverticulitis? Many thanks in advance.

[Hidden]

It's possible to have both diverticulosis and IBS. I've had IBS for over 30yrs but found Colofac helps with cramps and calms down overactive bowel movement. But like you I was diagnosed with Diverticular disease last year after a bout of really bad left sided pain which was different to IBS. Apart from diet change which is trial and error there's no treatment for Diverticular disease unless the diverticulae become infected and then antibiotics are used. But I think one would be feeling quite ill at that point when it becomes acute. I keep a bottle of Kaolin mixture for when I actually get diarrhoea (not often) and I find that's gentle enough for me to get back to normal. I find Immodium too aggressive and just stops bowel movement for days and that's worse for me and my diverticular disease. I avoid caffeine since the diverticular diagnosis last year and that seems to have helped as well.

[wb54 in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks, I am a little confused as to what is going on. I try not to use Imodium too much as then the problem lurches in the other direction. I will certainly try Colofac and Kaolin, which my dear old mum used to dose me with 60 years ago. Stay safe.