Diverticulitis

[logcabinmama]

Diverticulitis

 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diverticulitis/DS00070

 

It's common for people older than age 60 to have small, bulging pouches (diverticula) in their digestive tracts — a condition known as diverticulosis. Although diverticula can form anywhere, including in your esophagus, stomach and small intestine, most occur in your large intestine. Because these pouches seldom cause any problems, you may never know you have them.

 

Sometimes, however, one or more pouches becomes inflamed or infected, causing severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea and a marked change in your bowel habits. When diverticula become infected, the condition is called diverticulitis. Mild cases of diverticulitis can be treated with rest, changes in your diet and antibiotics. But serious cases may require surgery to remove the diseased portion of your colon.

 

Please go to the site above and read more.

**************************************************

Then here is another place to read about Diverticulitis.

 

http://www.medicinenet.com/diverticulosis/article.htm

 

What is diverticulitis?

 

Diverticulitis is a condition in which diverticuli in the colon rupture. The rupture results in infection in the tissues that surround the colon

 

The colon (large intestine) is a long tube-like structure that stores and then eliminates waste material. As a person ages, pressure within the colon causes bulging pockets of tissue (sacs) that push out from the colon walls. A small bulging sac pushing outward from the colon wall is called a diverticulum. More than one bulging sac is referred to as diverticula. Diverticula can occur throughout the colon but are most common near the end of the left colon called the sigmoid colon. The condition of having these diverticula in the colon is called diverticulosis. A patient with diverticulosis may have few or no symptoms. When a diverticulum becomes infected and ruptures, the condition is called diverticulitis. A patient suffering from diverticulitis will have abdominal pain and tenderness, and fever. When bleeding originates from a diverticulum, it is called diverticular bleeding. A patient who suffers the consequences of harboring diverticulosis in the colon is referred to as having diverticular disease.

**********

I lost my appitite and have not gotten it back as of yet. I've had problems with it before, but it was several years ago. This time it was much worse and I am not back to normal yet. This is at least 2 1/2 weeks of it. I'm also tired and it said someplace about going to bed and getting rest, well I didn't do it until just lately and then only one day and I guess I should be there now. I can't get enough sleep it seems like.

 

[Homesteader]

DH has had a few episodes of this. He has had to take antibiotics to clear it up. He has learned from experience what foods are likely to set an infection off.

 

He also has to have colonoscopies every 5 years due to polyps(pre-cancerous growths in his colon). Not pleasant to talk about but necessary. It is so easy to catch it early before it is a huge problem. Heredity can play a role in this and his mother had both conditions also.

[iamclose]

I just wanted to say that I am just getting over my first bout with this. I have never been sick and this has been the worst month and a half. I have taken 25 doses of antibotic and now trying to get my system back to normal. I think I have a long way to go. The list of foods that I can't have seems longer than the list that I can have. Any helpful hints you may offer will greatly be appreciated.

[Darlene]

My understanding is that they recomment 25-35 grams of fiber per day which you can get from beans, grains, fresh fruits and veggies. When eating large volumes of fiber, alot of water is necessary for the 2 to maximize the potential. Stay away from small seeds like sunflower nuts, etc. I know my grandmother wouldn't eat fruits like strawberries that had tiny little seeds in them either.

 

I hope you feel better soon.

[Phatkat1956]

That is what my Mom had surgery for a couple of years ago, they just could not get rid of the infection. The doctor told us on a scale of 1 - 10, she was a 12. She couldn't eat seeds, dry beans, nuts, peas, corn...or anything like that until after the surgery, now she can eat anything; but it took her over a year to recover completely. She was 83 when she had the surgery, although she had suffered with this problem for most of her life.

[Jamica]

My mil just had a colunostamy, I know I spelled that wrong. They found that she had this. All they did was to clean her out and told her to not eat any hulls,nuts, or seeds. Is there more that she should be doing? They didn't give her any antibiotics to take. She says that she feels allot better now though, and the pain is gone, and her stomach isn't swollen anymore either.