Unexpected attack after doing well- need some help from you experts!

Digestive health
1

Hi,

I have been very careful with food and portions but yet suffered an attack.  Can you please help?  I am not sure what I am doing wrong.

I was  diagnosed with DD Feb. 2.  I had another attack in March but it could be the first one never cleared because I did not get any help on how to eat or make lifestyle changes on portion sizes.  I had a CT scan both times and the usual 2 antibiotics for 10 days. 

By April 1st I had done a lot of research and was feeling much better.  I have read most posts on this forum.  I am eating small meals, walking daily, taking probiotics 20 billion and low dose magnesium to stay regular, drinking tons of water.  Not eating red meat, spices, fresh fruits or vegetables, onions or garlic, seeds, nuts or popcorn.  ( It would be a shorter list to say what I am eating! LoL)

BUT last Wednesday I felt twinges in lower left and low back pain.  I laid off food for the rest of the day.  Worse pain on Thursday and I went to full liquid diet, worse pain Friday and I went to clear liquids for three days.  I am better today after 3 days of water and gatorade and a tiny bit of broth.  ( I hate broth).

Here is the question.  What did I do wrong?  I had introduced 1/8 cup of oatmeal many  days for the last two weeks.  I had brought in only frozen blue berries cooked for a week before the oatmeal then I put the blue berries with the oatmeal and not every day but several days a week. 

I made a  dessert with cool whip and crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges( both of these I have had canned and seemed to do okay for several weeks) the day before the attack.  I ate some but did not pig out.  I cooked chicken in a little coconut oil and used a tiny bit of montreal chicken seasoning on it when every other time I have used extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper only.

What are your thoughts?  Does anyone see anything that glares out at you that may have caused this attack?  It is worrisome because that is 3 times  in a short amount of time.  I am scheduled for a colonoscopy June 6 and I wonder if that is too close to this attack.  The pain from this attack was bad but I did not feel generally unwell all over like I did the last 2 times so I did not take antibiotics or have blood work done.  

I would really appreciate your help.  I am now starting from square one again with  low residue foods.  Thanks so much for your help and advice.  I do not want to go through this again if I can possibly eat better I will.   Tell me how to eat vegetables and fruits.  The dietitian had suggested the oatmeal back in my diet in small amounts. She said a 1/4 cup and I cut that in half.  

Blessings to you all!

Georgie

2

Hi Georgie

I am sorry you are not feeling well. I would call whoever is doing the colonoscopy and tell them you are in a flare up and see what they want to do.

As for food were the blueberries cooked or raw? My frozen blueberries are raw. And the pepper was it fine like flour or cracked? Cracked could get caught.

Other then that I don't see ang glaring mistakes. Maybe someone else will see something different. Have you googled the mayo clinic low residue diet? It is where I started and went from there with my food diary.

I hope you are feeling better very soon.

Julie

3

I also believe how careful you are it sometimes just happens unfortunately. So don't beat yourself up.

4

Blueberries are loaded with small seeds. I am also careful with oatmeal.  Occasionally but not every day.  Everything in moderation but too much is too much.  

I seldom eat blueberries and used to eat them often when I realized them as well as strawberries are loaded with seeds.

When I feel a flare up I do as you do go to liquids and apply a heating pad on my abdomen.  Good luck!  It’s a tough condition to deal with but it can be managed.  Soft well cooked meats and veggies.  Crockpot meals are good.

5

I feel your pain . I went through 14+ attacks in less than 18 months.  I followed everything I was supposed to do and still had them. It could be the location of your pockets,  possibly some scar tissue causing a partial blockage.  The colonoscopy will reveal all that. I eventually ended up eating babyfood.  I'm currently 2 weeks out of having sigmoid colectomy surgery.  They only removed 4", no bag. The difference is amazing. Yes, alot of pain from the surgery but so worth it. On a soft diet but the constant nausea and pain is gone, along with the fear of having another attack. No more taking those nasty meds or ER visits. If they recommend surgery get a 2nd opinion and do it. Living with Diverticulitis is no life at all. 

6

I understand how frustrating this is and I went thru something similar and we had to put my colonoscopy off twice. My guess is you didn’t  do anything wrong it’s just the disease has a mind of its own sometimes. Blueberries have seeds so that’s a possibility but I eat them so not sure.

7

Hi Georgie 

    Maybe too much fiber in the pineapple ??  I was told to boil the fruits and vegetables absolutely no skins.  It was unappealing  to boil fruit so I ate canned.

It sounds like u were doing everything right! Sometimes stress plays a big roll!

Unfortunately you’ll get a better answer after colonoscopy. Sometimes like in my case there was a lot of diverticuli and a narrowing of the colon. Eating was so hard for me. I could only eat spoonfuls of chicken and mashed potatoes . I lost 30 lbs in 3 months.  You are doing everything right . It’s a terrible disease!

Kate

8

Hi Georgie, 

You definitely need to tell whoever is doing your colonoscopy about your recent flare in advance. My hospital wouldn’t do it within 6 weeks of one. I can’t tolerate oatmeal, it makes my stools too bulky and causes flares for me. Hope you get it all sorted x

9

My condition is quite severe, so my diet is very restricted.  

My doctor advised me to stay away from barley, oats, rye, wheat (gluten) and lactose.  

I know there are gluten free oats, but even that bothered me, so I avoid it.

I find that I can tolerate the quinoa flakes made into porridge.

I eat mostly soluble fiber.  No seeds, even on the berries, no skins.  Everything has to be well cooked.

I tried pineapple, and found the outcome was painful.   I avoid fried foods and legumes.

Everything is well chewed.  

For breakfast, I do well with two hard poached and mashed eggs with a bit of vegan margarine.  Then, a little bit later, I have my supplements and eat a ripe banana. If the banana is too starchy, it causes pain.  

I  eat unsweetened applesauce with a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Canned mandarins and peaches is okay. 

I avoid the canned fruit with added sugar.  It seems to cause pain, maybe from the gas it creates.

Rice bread is tolerable (Udi's).  I stick to vegan margarine.  Creamy peanut butter or almond butter on gluten free rice cakes.

Chicken that has been poached or baked and juicy.  I stick to dark meat, legs or thighs. Steamed or baked fish, carrots, canned peas, green and yellow beans, potatoes boiled or baked, no skins, sweet potato, a bit of cooked spinach. 

Green olives and a small amount of pickled beets don't bother me.  Steamed white rice is okay with flavorings and a few veggies and/or chicken added.  Pure juices in small amounts are tolerable.

I hope this list will help you, and give you a few more options for your diet.  

As others have said, our individuals bodies can react differently, based on our makeup and other conditions we may have.

All the best to you

  

10

so sorry....my advice is to see a dietician...that helped me alot understanding the foods to eat and fiber.  Insoluble and Soluble are the keys to bowel movements.

Hope this helps

INSOLUBLE FIBER

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water.  It adds bulk and prevents constipation.

Insoluble fiber is best for constipation only.

SOLUBLE FIBER

Soluble fiber dissolves in water.  Creates gel like stool, slows digestion.

Soluble fiber is good for Diarrhea and Constipation

Soluble fiber attracts water to the Colon

11

Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions.  My colonoscopy has been rescheduled 8 weeks out.  The GI nurse said I would never know what brought it on.  But I am looking through your responses for common things and I am going to cut out the oatmeal and blueberries for awhile. Also maybe  the crushed pineapple is too much pineapple.

  It has been one week since the flare began and I am feeling much better.  I think the most confusing part of this diet is fruit and vegetables.  It seems to be a very limited list. Also frozen and cooked and canned is confusing.  Do we cook frozen fruit?  Maybe zap in microwave?  Can we do smoothies?  Are frozen fries okay baked in the oven?  I have a need for something salty from time to time.  What about potato chips?  I think in a word this diet is very boring.  But above all though I want to feel good.  Maybe I should just take a multivitamin and quit worrying about food and eat bland enough to avoid any chances of pain!

12

How’s your poo consistency now that you’re out of surgery and recovering? I fear that after surgery,  it would be impossible to have nice, oval shaped traditional poos — then ones that just fall out cleanly with ease and give that “plop” sound of satisfaction as they land firmly in the toilet.

After surgery, I fear it would end up coming out more soft and more often and never be the same.  

13

Hi

I ate french fries and potato cgips before. NO! the oil made me sick again. I have been living off of potato no skin, 1 egg, 2 white bread and soda crackers washed down with lots of water for weeks. Everything I try makes things worse. I do take my multivitamin and vitamin D along with gatorade and broth (for my electrolites).

I don't have an appitite so I don't care. My bloodwork showed I was not malnurished and everything was ok so don't worry about the food. Just eat what doesn't make you worse.

14

Better than the past 18 months. I had a blockage so milk of magnesium was a must in the morning to keep my colon cleansed. It is natural and many doctors recommend it.  Miralax is a must after surgery simply to teach your colon how to work.  Even though I was told I could eat anything I wanted,  for safety sake and fear of food, I'm sticking with soft food diet until my 6 weeks.  Then I will start slowly introducing more fibrous foods. My movements are slowly getting more normal and maybe 3 times a day (usually  after meals and walking).

15

Sorry you are going through this, It is so very confusing and a hard one to live with. I was diagnosed in Feb was on 3 rounds of antibiotics and in hospital due to abscess, I developed chronic anxiety/panic attacks due to it all, I also lost 32 lbs in 3 months, was afraid to eat anything. I found an online program that helped a lot Diverticulitis pain free foods which helped me . I finally got better in April so now just have diverticulosis, I learned to meditate, yoga, breathing exercises, eat well walk a lot, the only bad habits I did not give up yet is my coffee and smoking. Well then out of the blue I became nauseous, have mucus diarrhea, lower back pain and stomach ache, ugh so p****d, no fever, my blood work was all normal just waiting on Cat Scan results, so went on 48 hr liquid diet now on soft food, I’m not sure what I ate or did wrong to cause a flare up, I keep a food journal and I ate a corn dog and watermelon, so maybe that caused it. It’s so hard to deal with the eating factor of this disease, so many diff, things they tell you out there what to do or not to do. That’s why I am so thank full for this forum lotsa good advice from those living with this. As everyone’s body reacts in their own way and we just have to find what works best for you, I’m scared of having a flare up and starting all over again. Right when I was all better and ready to go back to work, ugh. I do have a ? I have not had a colonoscopy yet am I suppose to have one after I have healed? And when in flare up can you take Imodium?  Well I hope you get feeling better soon prayers and best wishes to you all?

 

16

Sorry you are going through this, I also feel like I’m having flare up. My diverticulitis went away to just diverticulosis and thought I was doing everything right, long struggle to eat the right things, I to used the mayoclinic food guide and found the Diverticulitis pain free foods website. Lost 32lbs while going through this. It’s tough , I’m praying I’m not having a flare up, I went off track by eating chips a corn dog and watermelon, I keep a food journal. So I’m so mad at myself if that was the cause of my flare up. Best wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery 

17

It sounds like we are about on the same schedule as far as our first attack , then feeling better in April and then another attack.  I finally called a friend who has lived with this disease for 18 years and read her my foods to see what she thought.  She immediately said my blueberries which I cooked and ate with oatmeal.  It may be for you  the hot dog in the corn dog. She said there are things we can eat later after we have fully healed that we can't eat now.  She said think in terms of being fully healed in 6 months to a year!  Yikes!  But that helps me to know not to go to risky foods at this point.

  It is so hard to have good input on what to eat!  My colonoscopy was pushed back 8 more weeks.  I am struggling with what to eat at this stage that is healthy!  There is not much variety in potatoes and carrots and green beans and white bread and pasta..  I am wondering about using a juicer but I am not sure if we can eat the forbidden fruits and vegetables if they are juiced are not.  There needs to be a diverticulitis book for dummies out there!   I hope you feel better soon!

18

Thank you for the great advice, I found a website on Diverticulitis pain free foods, has great ideas and recipes I bought the book and try hard to stick to it, some things I can eat some not, trial and error cuz everyone is diff. I’ll find out my cat scan results today, my blood work was normal, I also heard about GSE (grapefruit seed extract) , DSL, slippery elm and marshmallow root, pro and pre biotic 5-hip , magnesium, kefir, tumeric,cumimin,peppercorns mixed together. Bone beef broth with collagen/ gelatin peptides with tumeric, just some things I hear help a lot with flare ups or just daily to diet. I also need to get a colonoscopy cuz did not know you needed to after having DD. Best of luck to you and prayers for a speedy recovery.