Diverticulitis

Question: Diverticulitis? I am 36 years old and have dealt with severe diverticulitis for many years, since it is not common in younger people it was overlooked for a long time. I have been taking medication for about 8 years now to help control flare ups but I still have pain and other symptoms almost daily and they can come without warning and may last for an hour or two to all days and sometimes many days. I avoid foods known to irritate this but it is still a problem that affects my quality of life greatly. My question is does anyone know what I may be able to do to make this better. Thanks

Answer: If the conservative treatment failure,you may consider surgery treatment.Talk to your treating doctor.surgery can removed the problem colon or release the adhesions..

Question: What is the best alternitive medicine for a touch of diverticulitis? What is the best alternitive medicine for a touch of diverticulitis with out using any doctor prescribed crap?

Answer: It's something to take seriously. For now, do as your doctor says, take the antibiotics if he/she recommends them. After this episode passes, look toward your log-term health; change your diet, slowly increase the amount of fiber, fruits, and vegetables in your diet. Your colon will thank you! For more info: http://www.emedicine.com/radio/topic183.…

Question: How are diverticulitis and and aspartame linked? I have diverticulitis and have a sensitivity to aspartame (I get severe abdominal pain after ingesting it). I was surfing through some anti-aspartame sites and saw that there is link between the two things. I am just wondering where I can find more information, or if someone out there can answer the question for me.

Answer: Your body is sensitive to a lot of things....you probably would agree. I think you need to do a colon detox. You need to clean out the pockets in your gut. Dr. Schultze has some remedies. Just do some research. I don't think they are linked. I just know aspartame is pure poison. Your body is trying to tell you something. Diverticulitis is from years of eating junk and low fiber foods.

Question: What food should you not eat to avoid getting diverticulitis after you have allready had it? My mom has had diverticulitis and the doctor told her that it's always inside of her its never really goes away so she has had it twice now and she wants to know what foods she can't eat to avoid getting it again.

Answer: Anything with seeds nooo goood. it will get stuck in the pockets of her colon. 1) All the junk food such as burgers, pizzas, fried food and spicy food should be avoided. 2) Refined foods like white flour, white rice etc. 3) All the processed foods. 4) Corn and corn products. 5) Nuts 6) Sesame seeds 7) Pumpkin

Question: How does one feel generally when one may be diverticulitis? Hello, I have read the general topic overview of diverticulitis. But I don't know of anyone that has had it personally. I would like to know how does one generally feel if they think they have it. I would like to know the symptoms personally because I feel that I may have it. I would appreciate any information on the subject. Thank you.

Answer: What are the symptoms? What are the complications? What are diverticulosis and diverticulitis? Many people have small pouches in their colons that bulge outward through weak spots, like an inner tube that pokes through weak places in a tire. Each pouch is called a diverticulum. Pouches (plural) are called diverticula. The condition of having diverticula is called diverticulosis. About 10 percent of Americans over the age of 40 have diverticulosis. The condition becomes more common as people age. About half of all people over the age of 60 have diverticulosis. When the pouches become infected or inflamed, the condition is called diverticulitis. This happens in 10 to 25 percent of people with diverticulosis. Diverticulosis and diverticulitis are also called diverticular disease. [Top] What are the symptoms? Diverticulosis Most people with diverticulosis do not have any discomfort or symptoms. However, symptoms may include mild cramps, bloating, and constipation. Other diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and stomach ulcers cause similar problems, so these symptoms do not always mean a person has diverticulosis. You should visit your doctor if you have these troubling symptoms. Diverticulitis The most common symptom of diverticulitis is abdominal pain. The most common sign is tenderness around the left side of the lower abdomen. If infection is the cause, fever, nausea, vomiting, chills, cramping, and constipation may occur as well. The severity of symptoms depends on the extent of the infection and complications. [Top] What are the complications? Diverticulitis can lead to bleeding, infections, perforations or tears, or blockages. These complications always require treatment to prevent them from progressing and causing serious illness. Bleeding Bleeding from diverticula is a rare complication. When diverticula bleed, blood may appear in the toilet or in your stool. Bleeding can be severe, but it may stop by itself and not require treatment. Doctors believe bleeding diverticula are caused by a small blood vessel in a diverticulum that weakens and finally bursts. If you have bleeding from the rectum, you should see your doctor. If the bleeding does not stop, surgery may be necessary. Abscess, Perforation, and Peritonitis The infection causing diverticulitis often clears up after a few days of treatment with antibiotics. If the condition gets worse, an abscess may form in the colon. An abscess is an infected area with pus that may cause swelling and destroy tissue. Sometimes the infected diverticula may develop small holes, called perforations. These perforations allow pus to leak out of the colon into the abdominal area. If the abscess is small and remains in the colon, it may clear up after treatment with antibiotics. If the abscess does not clear up with antibiotics, the doctor may need to drain it. To drain the abscess, the doctor uses a needle and a small tube called a catheter. The doctor inserts the needle through the skin and drains the fluid through the catheter. This procedure is called percutaneous catheter drainage. Sometimes surgery is needed to clean the abscess and, if necessary, remove part of the colon. A large abscess can become a serious problem if the infection leaks out and contaminates areas outside the colon. Infection that spreads into the abdominal cavity is called peritonitis. Peritonitis requires immediate surgery to clean the abdominal cavity and remove the damaged part of the colon. Without surgery, peritonitis can be fatal. Fistula A fistula is an abnormal connection of tissue between two organs or between an organ and the skin. When damaged tissues come into contact with each other during infection, they sometimes stick together. If they heal that way, a fistula forms. When diverticulitis-related infection spreads outside the colon, the colon's tissue may stick to nearby tissues. The organs usually involved are the bladder, small intestine, and skin. The most common type of fistula occurs between the bladder and the colon. It affects men more than women. This type of fistula can result in a severe, long-lasting infection of the urinary tract. The problem can be corrected with surgery to remove the fistula and the affected part of the colon. Intestinal Obstruction The scarring caused by infection may cause partial or total blockage of the large intestine. When this happens, the colon is unable to move bowel contents normally. When the obstruction totally blocks the intestine, emergency surgery is necessary. Partial blockage is not an emergency, so the surgery to correct it can be planned.

Question: What are some good recipes for someone with diverticulitis? My friend is suffering from diverticulitis [inflammation in his intestine], that prevents him from eating many kinds of foods. He essentially is limited to baby foods, soft vegetables, apple sauce, poached fish... nothing hard, nothing spicy, nothing with seeds.. He HATES this diet. Can somebody help me be creative and come up with some recipes that take advantage of this high fiber, low residue diet he has to be on?

Answer: enriched refined white bread, buns, bagels, english muffins plain cereals e.g. Cheerios, Cornflakes, Cream of Wheat, Rice Krispies, Special K arrowroot cookies, tea biscuits, soda crackers, plain melba toast white rice, refined pasta and noodles avoid whole grains Fruits: fruit juices except prune juice applesauce, apricots, banana (1/2), cantaloupe, canned fruit cocktail, grapes, honeydew melon, peaches, watermelon avoid raw and dried fruits, raisins and berries. Vegetables: vegetable juices potatoes (no skin) alfalfa sprouts, beets, green/yellow beans, carrots, celery, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, mushrooms, green/red peppers, potatoes (peeled), squash, zucchini avoid vegetables from the cruciferous family such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, Swiss chard etc Meat and Protein Choice: well-cooked, tender meat, fish and eggs avoid beans and lentils Avoid all nuts and seeds, as well as foods that may contain seeds (such as yogurt) Dairy:

Question: Can you eat corn on the cob if you have Diverticulitis? My dad has Diverticulitis, and is wondering if he can eat corn on the cob. Does anyone know? Thank you!

Answer: That is the worst thing you can do. Diverticulitis is a condition where small pockets form in the lining of your intestines. So anything small can get caught in those pockets causing irritation that will get worse as it embeds further into the pockets. Stick to bulky foods. No rice, corn, or anything small.

Question: Does diverticulitis require antibiotics, or can someone get better on their own? I had what I thought was my first attack of diverticulitis with lower left abdominal pain that lasted for about three days with some bleeding for about 1 day. I went to the doctor, and he said that he didn't think I had an infection, so he never gave me antibiotics.

Answer: I think it depends on whether you have an elevated white blood count with it as to whether you are put on antibiotics. Sometimes the episodes are mild, other times, the pain is severe and may require hospitalization.

Question: what are your chances after having surgery for diverticulitis? I had my sigmoid removed 4 months ago due to diverticulitis, I just found out I have it again.What are my chances that I won't have to have surgery again? I am on the same 2 very strong antibiotics that did not work for me the first time. I am only 32 years old.

Answer: if you have a job with a lot of sitting, get up frequently and walk a little bit. You may also prevent it from spreading further by increaing your fluids. Avoid poppy seeds, nuts etc. Increase your fiber as well. Watch everything that you eat and decide if it is healthy before you eat it. Reduce your fats too.

Question: What can and can't you eat with diverticulitis? I was in the hospital a few weeks ago ans was told I had diverticulitis. I completed the antibiotic cycle and have tried to eat as many fruits and veggies as possible since. I am waiting to go to the gastroenterologist and want to know what foods to avoid.Any advice or assistance you can provide will be helpful!

Answer: Try the following Web sight. When you have a condition it is best to learn as much about it as possible. -Eat a high-fiber diet. High-fiber foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dried beans, peas, and lentils. These foods contain elements that your body cannot digest and are passed through your colon. -Drink plenty of fluids to help keep stools soft. -Get plenty of physical activity to keep bowels functioning properly. Those are a few things that that I read from the web sight. I hope this helps. All the best to you!!