I have had twinges of pain in my left lower quadrant a few times in my life and two scans (for something else) indicated I had some diverticula. However, this time the pain is more constant and I have a general ache in my lower abdomen and back and sometimes legs. These symptoms started with a few loose bowel movements about four weeks ago but those are back to normal now. No fever but I occasionally get some heartburn and yesterday had a nasty esophageal/stomach spasm. I had a few of those last year and had an endoscopy which was fine. Just wondering if anyone here has had the general lower abdominal and back ache with diverticular disease?
I have pain on the bottom of my left side it never seams to go away. I sometimes get acid reflux depends on what I eat x I hope you get better soon
Sorry to hear you are suffering. Hope you feel better soon too.
Yep! Constant "ache" in lower left quadrant. No back ache though. But most of the symtpoms you describe. It's just horrible. Had Sigmoid Colectomy 4 weeks ago.
How are you feeling?
Excellent. So happy I had the surgery.
So glad to hear that? Had you had the problem for a long time?
About 3 years.
Oh my! So glad you have relief now.
I developed diverticulosis more than twenty years ago. I didn't believe a doctor could help me, so I ignored the symptoms, or took ibuprofen when it got painful. Then in 2007 while on vacation, I got very sick with extreme pain, a fever, and sever nausea. After we returned home I went to my doctor, they ran a CT scan, and told me I had diverticulitis. They gave me two standard antibiotics -- Metronidozale and Cipro. Over the next few years I had flare ups and took these medications, along with Percocet for pain. In April of 2013, the pain became so severe I was hospitalized and put on IV antibiotics. The hospital surgeon conducted several tests on me and told me I had severe diverticulitis that was getting worse and spreading. Finally, In July after many CT scans and attempted colonoscopies, I went to the surgeon and told him I had enough of the pain, and I wanted surgery immediately. When he performed the surgery, he found a softball sized abcess that was undetected by all the tests. Three years later, another softball sized abcess near the exit of my stomach, again, undetectable by their tests. Between the two surgeries I lost three feet of my intestinal system. The second surgery revealed a perforation in my bowel, a necrotic colon, and peritonitis. None of this would have happened if the first gastroenterologist had recommended surgery. If you have diverticulitis, I recommend you treat it as if you had appendicitis -- remove it as fast as you can! Antibiotics don't work, and diverticulitis is not curable, only removable!
That doesn't sound like Diverticulitis to me. My symtoms were blood in bowels at first then no bowel movement for a couple of days just bloody mucus followed by chills, extreme fatigue, diarrhea for many days. Then about two more weeks of tenderness in my lower abdomen. Have you tried a low residue diet for at least 2 week to see if that helps.
That sounds like a good idea! Thanks for responding.
Hi Alison,
The pain that I experience is intermittent and usually lower abdominal. I eventually had diverticulitis diagnosed in November after two years of loose bowel movements and various tests for other things. The treatment (Loperamide Hydrochloride) has solved the loose motion problem but the pain levels have increased. Reading the drug side-effects leaflet, abdominal tenderness and pain are a possibility when taking this medication. According to my doctor diverticular disease affects people in different ways and it can take time for each individual to find the way that helps them best.
It does seem that it affects people differently. I really don't think I have diverticulitis as I have had no fever etc. However, it might be diverticular disease. The reason I feel it is bowel related is because I had a few days of loose bowel movements with mucus about four weeks ago. The discomfort started at that time but my bowel movements are back to normal for the past two and a half weeks. I have had a similar pinching pain on three previous occasions and scans showed no problem in the pelvis. It is just that it seems more constant this time as does the general lower abdominal ache. If it continues I will have to go to my doctor but I am not too keen on her!
If I had known diverticulitis is not curable, only removable, I would have sought surgery when I first learned I had it. I feel so much better now than when I was on and off antibiotics.