Does anyone share these sypmtoms for diverticulitis?

Salute digestiva
1

Hi all,

I think I have diverticulitis, and am wondering what those who suffer with this disease think. Let me tell you my symptoms.  I suffer from a discomfort/sometimes pain below my left rib, as shown in attached diagram (blue ellipse).  I have had some blood tests, ECG, and two CT scans – all my organs are essentially healthy – no kidney stones.  I do have diverticula, in my sigmoid colon, but as far as can be told from the CT scan – they are not inflamed.

The pain I feel is not excruciating, but can take my breath away when it is really bad. It can almost disappear entirely, for a few months, and then come back for a few months. It feels like a pushing/bloating feeling localized within the ellipse.  I generally eat a bowl of Uncle Tobies oats with soy milk for breakfast, but after reading that this can be problematic during a flare up of diverticulitis I stopped for a couple of days and started to feel better. For some reason I decided to try metamucil two days ago (high fibre phyllum husk orange drink).  Ten hours after drinking it I experienced strong pains in the blue ellipse area, such that it was impossible for me to sleep.  This is my best evidence for diverticulitis – as if it were stomach related I guess I would expect an immediate response?

I also feel some mild back discomfort – approximately localized to the region of the back behind the blue ellipse. I do NOT experience much reflux, I am mildly constipated, I do NOT ever feel like I am going to vomit.

I have consulted with a number of doctors, one told me diverticulitis sufferers experience pain much lower than the blue ellipse, and also my symptoms are not extreme enough – i.e. he didn’t think I would be able to function at work with it.  Which most days I am, although some days I just sit and stare at my computer (the pain is just too distracting).

Sorry for the long description, I am curious of the opinion of those that suffer with this disease if:

(i) Are my symptoms like yours?  In particular, is the pain location consistent?

(ii) Could I have a mild form of diverticulitis?

(iii) When you have a flare up,and you eat something high in fibre (metamucil for example) do you get really bad pain, and does it take hours for that pain to manifest?

(iv) Do you get a little bit of back pain?

(v) Besides a colonoscopy is there any way to diagnose diverticulitis?

Thanks in advance for your opinions,  I have stopped eating all forms of fibre to see if this will subside.

Cheers,

Andrew

2

What does this mean blue ellipse?  Besides CT Scan and colposcopy  and checking your blood I don't know of any other way myself. Have you had them check you for an enlarged spleen? Have you been checked for Mono? I am a diverticulitis suffer and I pray you DO NOT have this horrible disease! 

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Hi andrew the area you are showing is way high for diverticulitis pain in general belly button or below During a flare up I do liquid diet You need to find a good gasomytris and and hopefully figure it out I have severe back pain with flare ups Why do you think you have DD And as other response I pray you don't

4

I was diagnosed by cat scan with barium and dye, plus blood test. I also had that weird balloon pressure under leaf rib and back, Dr told me I bruised my rib . I disagree cuz it comes and goes. And when it comes it’s annoying it’s bloating,  I cannot tolerate high fiber , I have had tons of test stools, Endoscopy, colonoscopy, blood, all normal except the severe Diverticulosis in sigmoid. So Drs did SIBO test and was positive, SIBO/IBS. I’m going to have an MRI next in that spot, you call blue ellipse, cuz it’s still comes and goes. Best of luck, and if you find out anything pls let me know. Thanks. 

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Crosado,

Below Andrew’s signature there is a drawing of a male figure with a  ‘blue elipse’ drawn to show where the pain area is.

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No my spleen is not enlarged - measured by CT with contrast.

7

My symptoms - that are DD like - pain on left side (although high as you say), I have diverticula (CT scan - although in the sigmoid colon, and it was noted by the radiologist as 'uncomplicated&#39.  My reaction to a high fibre drink - severe pain in the blue ellipse area. All other simple things have been ruled out.

8

ok, this sounds similar - so Vickie are you saying you feel a localized pain in a similar area to me and you have been diagnosed with diverticulosis?  Note that diverticulosis is an inflammation of the diverticula.  So you can have diverticula (in the sigmoid) and never experience any diverticulosis. Wow, my feeling is also a 'weird balloon like pressure' - I could not have said that better. My stools were also fine, all my major organs in that area and elsewhere were fine (from CT scan with contrast).

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oh and my doctor also said I may have a broken rib - had x-ray - ribs fine.

10

Have they checked for gallstones, that can show in various ways but if it goes for months at a time it could be pain when stones pass.  

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If you have a copy of your CT scan re read it. You may have diverticulosis of the transverse and descending colon also! That would explain the pain being so high . Also if there is a narrowing or thickening in the colon?  Metamucil works but may cause a lot of gas.

Any Diarrhea?

I had surgery 3 months ago for moderate to severe diverticulosis of sigmoid and descending colon. With long episodes of diverticulitis!

Good luck it’s terrible!

12

My gut feeling is the pain is a bit too high for Diverticulitis.  The only sure fire way to diagnose is by a colonoscopy, but you already know you have diverticula (so do half the people in the Western World over 50!).  Most people never have a problem with them - they are there just like your appendix.  You know it's not your spleen or a broken rib.  Gall bladder problems are a possibility, or something like a gastric inflammation (I have gastritis as well as DD and my pain is LHS just below the rib cage.  Or do you have/or have developed unsuspected food intolerances.  I can no longer tolerate gluten, having eaten bread etc happily for years until diagnosed DD in 2001.  Some people cannot tolerate psyllium husk, and it shouldn't be taken when you have the pain.  But I have taken it daily for 17 years and it keeps me regular.  And if you had a full blown attack of Diverticulitis with infection you would be rolling on the ground in agony, with the pain coming over you in swamping waves, fever, chills, bloating, cramps, passing blood and mucus (some if not all of these symptoms).  But if it's just inflammation not infection you can (and I do) get stabbing pains which can at times take your breath away, but not otherwise stop you from working.  Suggest you try fluids only for 48 hours to ease the pain.  Best wishes.

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I had the pain he same area. My Doctor decided to do an xray of my stomach to see what showed. That area of the colon has a loop or curved area and the xray did show inflammation. I have the pouches throughout my entire colon so I have flare ups ALL over. I would recommend Miralax instead.

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I never had that pain till after I was diagnosed with Diverticulitis and developed an abscess, after done with all treatments and tests I now have severe (3 spots) Diverticulosis and SIBO. On very strict diet, low fiber, no carbs, sugar, dairy, and high fiber causes me much pain. But I still get that balloon feeling under my rib, just occasionally but it’s annoying. Stumped as to why ? 

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How do you check for gastritis? Or gallbladder? 

16

Was courious, my blood work shows no inflammation, I get it checked regular, so does that mean I wouldn’t have inflammation there? Or should I get X-ray? 

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Hi vickie I think it means no inflammation my colonoscopy went well I still have infection on the outside of my colon? She said no masses and nothing looks cancerous She will have lab results on Monday Considering I have infection I'm in very little pain 😊

18

Oh Ellen that's awesome news, how are you feeling? Nice nap yeah. You eat now and get lots of rest. Nothing but great things coming your way. Surgery and recovery will be over before ya know it. I was so relieved when I got my biopsy back, no cancer, leaky gut, candida, or masses. Just Diverticulosis. Now this stupid SIBO. I'm so hungry for a good meal with big salad. And antibiotics are kicking my ass, so bloated, gas and uncomfy. Nothing is helping. Ugh. Well I'm here if you need me or have any questions about the after effects of colonoscopy. So glad for the good news. 🤗😇

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So happy for you, what a relief.

I replied but it's being moderated. Hope you get it. Get some rest and eat. Hugs.

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Is your balloon like feeling better or worse when you lie down?

Does your Xyphoid process move around?