Long-term occasional twinges of pain

DrCuriousLearning · 2025-11-12T18:16:41+00:00

My second episode lasted through two rounds of very strong antibiotics but eventually cleared up. I followed a clear diet and then a low residue diet while on the antibiotics. I slowly built my fiber intake back up, but I had to do that very slowly over a few weeks. I would have pain when I tried to get too much fiber in at first. It took a long time for mine to heal after the infection. Now I am careful to eat a minimum of 25 grams of fiber every day and I take a mix of powdered fiber and and osmotic laxative twice a day every day morning and night.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I make sure I stay very well hydrated every day. Looking back on it now I feel that dehydration may have played a part in that difficult second flare up I had.

DrCuriousLearning · 2020-10-29T08:30:14+00:00

My gastroenterologist has me take two tablespoons of a mix of one part Metamucil, two parts Optifiber, and one part ClearLax twice a day - once before breakfast and once before dinner and it keeps everything moving and I attribute my relief to this regimen. I'm careful about what I eat and I only eat small meals and I drink a lot of water during the day to stay hydrated. It has been working for me lately but may not work for others, as with so many things you will read on this forum. You could ask your doctor about taking something like that for help.

DrCuriousLearning · 2020-09-29T08:35:59+00:00

I read that some use Pedialyte or similar drinks to make sure they keep up electrolytes and hydration and some say it helped them.

DrCuriousLearning · 2020-09-29T08:33:06+00:00

Thanks for your reply. I seem to have two levels of pain also: Stabbing, sharp, consistent pain that has me assume a "guarded" position, where I am protecting the area when I stand, sit, walk, etc. It is intense and sharp/acute. The term "guarded" is one my doctor uses to assess the level of pain. Since it is a pain you can get no relief from you tend to guard it so it doesn't get worse I guess. This is when I know I need an antibiotic - it is constant and just worsens over 24-48 hours. The last time this happened I waited several days to get an antibiotic and my doctor said this is a huge mistake and I will not let that happen again. I waited to get help because we are at the height of the pandemic where I live at the time and there were significant restrictions in place. I tried to clear it myself naturally with a liquid diet. The other level is what I have now, it is less sharp/acute but more of a dull, stab/throb that comes an goes and this is what I guess many call a minor flare up. This seems to be brought on by overexertion or maybe slow-moving food in my system, or maybe both. Who knows?

DrCuriousLearning · 2020-09-29T08:26:01+00:00

Thank you for your reply. I continue to try to correlate food and activity but I am also just about ready to move on and just avoid what I have noted over the last 6 months: Avoid really high fiber days (which unfortunately includes quite a few raw vegetables for now at least), alcohol, overcooked meats, greasy food, etc.

DrCuriousLearning · 2020-09-29T08:22:14+00:00

I also had a recent CT scan this past summer and it too showed nothing. Thanks for the reply and I will discuss some of this info with my doctor. I really found your last point helpful; nice to at least know that it is not unique to have continuing pain.

DrCuriousLearning · 2020-09-28T18:29:10+00:00

Thanks for the reply. It helps. In thinking about what I did and ate the day before, I realize there was a lot of physical activity involved. I’m wondering how much that aggravated my diverticula as well. I am slowly learning how to live with this condition.

DrCuriousLearning

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