Flare up

Digestive health
1

i am now on the 10th day and second course of anti biotics for a diverticular flare up

i have had this dreadful complaint for many years now and it seems each flare up is worse than the last and needs more medication to help

any one tried anything to help prevent it there are lots of articles on the internet but nothing telling me how to try and prevent it

this time I have have rectal bleeding,dreadful pain,bloating,alternate  constipation and diahoreaha,low mood,insomnia generally feeling really ill

i am Female,67,retired,active

 

2

It really is a dreadful condition and so unrecognised by many medical people as a really dibilitating disease. No advice I'm afraid, it's all trial and error re diet, the bloating is aweful, I look six months pregnant at my worst flare ups. I have only been diagnosed for a year and still struggling to come to terms with it. One thing I have done is started taking aleo Vera and that seems to have helped prevent flare ups for me.

keep smiling and enjoy been active as long as you can.

3

Hi Sally,I find eating small meals and taking a soluble fiber supplement to keep me regular like Fybogel and Lepicol is best and drinking plenty of water, the supplements help with constipation and diahroea,

4

Hi I was diagnosed 2 years ago and it took me at least 1 to calm things down.  I have no real answers apart from that after trying everything imaginable I now try to stay away from all kind of seeds, blueberries, tomatoes, sweetcorn are a no no and I take a really good pro-biotics tablet, bought it from Holland Barrett 3 million in 1 capsule.  I really do believe they help, my GP told me to try them as all the antibiotics we take cause problems, I am bloating less and have lost a few pounds.  Having said that I am just getting over a bout of not too bad pain, caused stupidly by wolfing down a great handful of peanuts, did it without thinking and still have the stinging sharp pains down both sides.  I also drink gallons of water have cut out coffee and eat a good mixture of foods.  I am female and 57 and try to stay active.  I also use buscopan when really bad as this helps me. Hope you feel better soon.

5

Thankyou so much for replying to my post with your helpful comments I will try what you say

it really is an awful complaint that no one who hasn't got it can understand

"oh you have the tummy ache and the squits how bad can that be"

Extremely bad say all of us who have to live with it

6

Thankyou for your helpful suggestions I don't drink a lot of water usually so this is a must as it helps so many things...

trouble is I drink I want to go pee that's why I drink less 

silly old me 

7

 

Thankyou for taking the time to reply to my post 

I had not heard of aloe Vera for diverticular so that's one I well might try 

it seems to be a bit of a cure all and anything is worth a try to get away from this dreadful pain and bloating and let's face it course after course of anti biotics is no good for anyone 

 

8

Hi there,I've not tried the Buscopan.does it help with cramping and stomach pain  which I get on and off throughout the day.?

9

Ha ha that's funny cos I have an overactive bladder which does get worse when I suffer the runs,it's no fun getting older.

10

I totally agree with Robert about the Aloe Vera.  Like you (66 female, retired, active when fit enough) I have had this condition for 15 years with flare ups.  The last one started in August and until a week ago I was still suffering with the pain, bloating, multiple BMs.  I took the advice in the forum and started taking 15ml pure Aloe Vera juice from Holland & Barrett twice a day, and within 5 days the bloating has gone and the pain reduced to just a twinge 1st thing before BM number 1.  I went gluten free after the first attack and that has also helped reduce flare ups over the years.

11

Hi, that is exactly what it does it relieves the muscle spasms that cause the pain.  I take 2 a couple of times a day when bad and it really works, you can also get colpermin which is for IBS but does a similar thing. If you are UK all supermarkets sell it or you get it on prescription from GP.   I did not find aloe vera helped at all, but I think different things work for some and not others.  For me the awful taste in the mouth is what I hate with this complaint, not sure if you get that.  Take care

12

I was guilty of that before being diagnosed, we have a colleague at work who unfortunately is always ill with something and when she said she had this and kept crying it was hard to believe it was that bad. I soon put them straight when I was diagnosed. She even stopped eating solid food and lived on nothing but liquids for months but that did not help. The buscopan did though and now like me has found a way to cope with it most of the time.  Take care

13

Well thats two of you suggested Aloe Vera and as I'm in town tomorrow I will pop into H&B and get some

thanks for looking at my post and taking the time to help 

14

I had Buscopan prescribed for my IBS ( lucky me I have both)but never thought to try it for the cramps when I get a diverticular flare up so that's another one to try 

15

as you say no fun getting older but the alternative is pretty dire hahahahaha 

16

Hi Sally

Suggest you look for the penny offer - buy one get 2nd for 1p.  I find a dose is just one mouthful.  It is bitter but I follow it down with a swallow of water and after a few seconds the taste is gone.  It's worth it for the relief it gives!  Hope it helps you.

 

17

Hope it works sally, I get mine from Waitrose, anything that helps is a god send, how do you resolve the bloating, I flind that one of the hardest things to deal with. My tummy goes up at least three times bigger.?🤔

18

Hi Sally me too I have both, the hospital gave it to me for a diverticular flare up and if you read the back of the box it say's to help bowel spasms and I suppose that must be what is causing the pain, too be honest I ever know whether I am an IBS flare up or diverticular because they are so similar.  The joys of getting older I was told and was also told nearly everyone over 50 will have some form of diverticular disease but some people are never affected. Lucky us LOL

19

hi i have just wrote this for my wife we has had this around 20 years ,and some flares ,was told i would have to have a bag fittered not impressed .did not go with the op ,you need a high fiber diet ,i have servere diverticular ,i had a polop removed 4 years ago and under the cancer screaning program .This last time too high risk for camra to check .so had form of xray.i take fybergel or latalose eveyday try and  alternate .when the pain start to be getting bad ,the tight twisting pain ,if out and about i take spasmol this helps to relax my bowel .Often stops or gives me time to get home .The pain is awfull ,like labour pains puts you to floor sick and sweats ,The spasmol has helped . taking the fibergel ect keeps bowel movments better .hope this has helped

20

Thanks so much for your reply and helpful suggestions

i too have had polyps removed on two occasions 

i will ask my doc about Fybogel as I had it prescribed years ago when I had my first flare up and as you say it may help now 

I do eat a healthy high fibre diet most of the time

as you say the pain is dreadful so unless your unfortunate enough to have it you don't know ...

thanks again