I’d never heard of diverticulitis when the doctor told me that is what he suspected I’d got. I’d woken up with pain in the left bottom bit of my belly and thought it was probably some kind of food poisoning or really bad constipation. I was nauseous as well and from memory there may have been some diarrhoea. It was my turn to drive the children to school and the pain wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t do that so I dismissed it and got on with the daily routine despite being uncomfortable. By the time I got back, I was feeling sick and feverish and the pain had got worse. It was constant but also peaked occasionally as well, almost like a cramp can do. I also had a temperature by now as well.
I’d had my appendix out a few years before so was no stranger to pain, but also sensible enough to realise something was up and I ought to do something about it.
Marcus
I was lucky enough to get in to see the doctor pretty quickly and he performed an examination which meant he felt around the painful area and asked various questions about the symptoms I was experiencing. When he prodded the bit that hurt, my reaction probably told him what he needed to know and he sent me off to A&E in my local town. After a few hours of waiting around, I had blood tests, I think an x-ray and possibly an ultrasound but in all honesty, it’s difficult to remember. The blood tests confirmed an infection and I was admitted so they could treat me with intravenous antibiotics. It must have been fairly bad as I was kept in for at least five days until they had everything under control and I was well enough to go home armed with lots of info about what diverticulitis was and what I ought to do about it. Other than my appendix, it was the first time I’d needed hospital treatment and knowing that it could be something that would likely repeat was scary.
My colonoscopy experience
Some time after my first visit to the hospital, I had to have a colonoscopy. For the uninitiated, that’s a camera on the end of a tube that goes where the sun don’t shine, fills you full of air and allows the specialist to have a good look around. It’s done with a sedative and actually wasn’t that bad at all once you’re over the embarrassment. Afterwards, in the recovery area there was a lot of air to return to the atmosphere if you get my meaning. The nurses had seen (and heard) it all before of course but to me it was one of the loudest wind sections of an orchestra I’ve ever heard!
I don’t drink (much) and I’ve never smoked. I’m a bit overweight and my diet could be better but I was generally fit, strong and in good health. I could run 5k if I ever managed to motivate myself to do so. Diverticulitis was a bit of a shock, something old people get. I didn’t want to change my lifestyle thank you very much. Over the next three years, I was hospitalised once more and treated locally with antibiotics two other times. I changed my eating habits for the better and apart from the occasional twitch with fear inducing , ‘oh s$%£, here we go again’ feelings, I’ve now been okay for nearly ten years. I’m very conscious that I mustn’t slide back into bad habits and I have got worse at the discipline required although my daily all-bran breakfast is a constant reminder to behave.
More Case Studies
Had you or friends and family any previous knowledge of diverticulitis?
I didn’t know anyone else who’d heard of diverticulitis, so it wasn’t just me. I just don’t think it’s something widely talked about, certainly not in the UK where I live.
What treatment and follow up have you had?
Treatment for me has been antibiotics which have always worked very well thus far. I had follow up appointments with the specialist and talked through how to cope, what could happen in a worse case scenario and other cheerful things. He’d be recommending a colectomy if I had another bad episode but that was some years ago now and I think they avoid that now unless they absolutely have to. Hopefully, I’ll never have to find out.
Living with diverticulitis. How do you cope with it? Have you changed your diet?
Yes, I’ve changed my diet. Do I stick to it? No, not all the time but it’s always in the back of my head to not be too silly and if I have a ‘bad’ day, I’ll follow it up with a couple of good ones. I try to limit things like processed meat (mainly sausages and bacon in my case) to once a week at most and I’ve already mentioned my all-bran breakfast. When I have had the odd twitch or the beginnings of an attack, I now immediately put myself on a 24 hour fast but drink loads of water. In my head I’m flushing out the system and I can’t tell you if that’s a medically approved approach but it has worked for me and I’ll continue to take that approach.
What advice would you give to others with diverticulitis?
Be sensible with what you eat. Seek help if the pain is particularly bad, the last thing you want is a perforated bowel and talk to your family so they’re in the know.
Really happy to have found this website. Hoping the forums take off and some good discussions develop.
Marcus
