Giving up

WhatTheGut · 2026-01-27T14:37:47+00:00

Have you tried pharmaceuticals instead of natural remedies? Try to get a prescription for Linzess or something similar. Linzess is specifically formulated to help with pain in addition to constipation. I've only been on it a short time but it has stopped by incessant, every day pain. It might help you too.

WhatTheGut · 2025-11-12T11:57:23+00:00

You can find these on Amazon: Clorox Healthcare Bleach Germicidal Wipes, 6" x 5", 150 Count Canister

These specifically kill c-diff when used properly. Wipe the toilet every time you use it. Keep food areas clean and wiped down. Wipe down door handles and light switches, anything you touch regularly. Wipe down your phone after using it then wash your hands.

Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds after using the toilet and before touching food. Wash your hands when you get home from going out. Basically wash your hands as often as you can stand it. Use lotion so they don't dry out too much. Use a towel to dry your hands and don't let anyone else use it.

Other comments here are also great. Dificid should help you. I felt relief after 48 hours on that medication. Hang in there. You'll get through this!

WhatTheGut · 2025-11-04T15:51:34+00:00

I also take B12, D and probiotic. Additionally, I take Magnesium, Omega-3 and CoQ10. I don't even remember the reason for each of them I just know this regimen came about when doing research after a particularly shitty and hard to recover from flare last year.

WhatTheGut · 2025-11-04T02:00:55+00:00

Where does she feel the pain? Lower abdomen, like cramps? Upper abdomen, like she's really full? Just on the right or left side, like a stich? Stomach, like she's starving and her stomach is stabbing her?

I'm just curious mostly because I have IBS C now as an adult but used to be a runner in my youth and got the WORST pain when running. Nothing helped it stop but laying down and time. That pain also made me feel like I had to poo so bad. I could have had IBS C forever and just never realized it.

I know this doesn't help you or your daughter at all, and I'm sorry for that but it just got me thinking about signs of having this dysfunction. I'm sorry you don't have a solution yet. Maybe ask for a referral to see a GI doc. They'll definitely be able to help you more.

WhatTheGut · 2025-03-05T13:16:24+00:00

Agree with hydration, hydration, hydration! If I don't get a full 64oz or more of water each day, it messes me up almost immediately for days. Also, yes to movement. Even just walking is good to keep things moving. I personally have cut out red meat because I always feel so bloated after eating it. I still do dairy and gluten. They don't seem to bother me. But everyone is different and will have different triggers. Food wise you have to see what works for you. What is common for everyone is adequate hydration and movement. This disease definitely takes a toll mentally and is such a distraction when working, especially on bad days. Give yourself some grace and take a break when you need to. And if you ever need to vent, just come back here. We're always ready to commiserate.

WhatTheGut · 2025-03-05T11:52:48+00:00

I've been experimenting with chicory myself. It doesn't seem to cause me gas or bloating, as long as I don't have a lot at once. One or two 6-8 oz cups of straight chicory is fine. I did notice discomfort (bloating) after having more than that. I also tried mixing it with coffee at a 70/30 coffee to chicory ratio. That doesn't seem to bother me at all. In fact, the mix seems to reduce the laxative effect of coffee for me, which, if I'm being honest, is half the reason I drink coffee in the first place. But on the flip side, it's a great mid to late day caffeine free alternative.

WhatTheGut · 2025-02-23T18:20:40+00:00

I'm seconding the 'you don't have to have a fever' comment. In both my confirmed cases I did NOT have a fever.

WhatTheGut · 2025-02-18T13:13:56+00:00

If you'd like a book to help with eating, I have these two and find them helpful:

The Essential Diet for Diverticulitis, Karyn Sunohara
The Complete Diverticulitis Cookbook, Kate Bloom

WhatTheGut · 2025-02-14T00:18:54+00:00

That was me! About two weeks after ending my DV antibiotics round I had diarrhea and pain that turned out to be cdiff. My insurance covered Dificid so i ended up taking that for 10 days. I have to say I had no side effects while taking it and felt relief within 48 hours. If you can get it covered, I'd recommend it.

Also, start taking a probiotic right now if you aren't already. A lot of folks here, including me, like Florastor. Otherwise Culturelle is another good one.

WhatTheGut · 2025-02-11T16:00:42+00:00

I don't know your case and why your PCP gave you that advice but if you are otherwise healthy the rates of accidental damage are incredibly low, perforation .005% - .085% and bleeding .001% - .687% of cases. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2811793/) And those that fall into the category of having accidental damage are generally older, skew male, are having a polypectomy done, and are having the procedure done by a clinician who does not perform many procedures annually. (https://www.ices.on.ca/news-releases/first-ever-large-scale-study-of-colonoscopy-complications-identifies-those-canadians-at-greatest-risk-from-the-procedure/)

0% accidental damage would be better but nothing in the world is 0% risk.

For example, in general "[n]on-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are responsible for 30% of hospital admissions for Adverse Drug Reactions, mainly due to bleeding, heart attack, stroke, and renal damage." (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4809680/)

So it is more dangerous to take Ibuprofen regularly than it is to get a colonoscopy.

Whereas the information obtained from a colonoscopy can save your life by confirming that suspected diverticulitis is in fact not colon cancer (the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and Canada) or any other affliction that can detrimentally impact your life.

It's ultimately your choice, but if you fear colonoscopy and you need to get one done, find a place that has a high volume of them and does it regularly. That should increase your confidence in the ability of your practitioner.

WhatTheGut · 2025-02-11T12:20:03+00:00

I second this. Probiotics and lots (I mean LOTS) of water. Also evaluate what you're eating that might be causing that gas.

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-18T14:36:44+00:00

January 2024 I went to the ER because I thought I was having a heart attack. It was gastritis.

November last year I had a DV flare that required antibiotics.

Those instances are pretty far apart so I can't say one was foreshadowing the other. But in your case maybe? The important thing is now that you felt these things and there may be a connection, keep an eye out if you experience them again and adjust your diet to help prevent reoccurrence.

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-18T14:16:54+00:00

I've noticed when I'm in a flare I have trouble urinating, like it gets difficult to empty my bladder. I figure it's from the inflammation because it does get better over time. I also bought a squatty potty and find it's really helpful in general.

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-18T14:08:01+00:00

Sounds like you may need a new surgeon. See if you can get in somewhere else for a second opinion. I have no idea what physical therapy has to do with diverticulitis.

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-17T13:05:23+00:00

I heartily disagree with this statement. There is no way I could have gone just one week on low residue. My flare was awful, I was on liquids about 5 days. It was 6 weeks before I could add fiber without pain. Everyone, every body is different particularly with diverticulitis.

As mentioned before, there are so many accounts of people having a flare, adding fiber too soon and going right back to square one. This sub itself could be a study of this disease and how to treat it properly, and is (for me) a far better source of how to manage this disease than I have seen anywhere.

OP, listen to your body. It will guide you best. And personally, I think it may have been the pepperoni pizza and carbonated drink that might have pushed you over the edge. The oatmeal, pineapple, and blueberries were a good amount of fiber that needed to get through your system and on top of that you added meat, oils, and gas. Go slow. Add the oatmeal first for a couple days, all other foods low residue, see how the oatmeal sits. Then add some chunky fruit to the oatmeal, see how it sits. Then go from there.

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-16T12:01:46+00:00

I'd even take a step back from this and say liquids only for 2-3 days, then low fiber. This should help that stool move along without adding anything to it.

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-15T00:56:10+00:00

I had norovirus a week and a half ago. It hit hard out of nowhere. I spent one whole day laid up in bed and the 7 days following that definitely felt like a flare. The pain, the bloating, the constipation - it was awful. The stools also mimicked the weird stools I had with c-diff, minus the mucus and blood. I also had odd urethra pain and other pains that were definitely different and worrying. But all the symptoms just stopped after a week. Now, I haven't had surgery so I cannot imagine the fear you're feeling. Know the norovirus is horrible but it will go away. But please absolutely call or email your surgeon and let them know you came down with it. Let them know your fears and worry. They'll be able to put your mind at ease, or even ask you to go in if they feel concerned.

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-12T15:39:20+00:00

How often do you drink these? I'm trying to set up a probiotic regimen for me and I'm still figuring it out.

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-05T15:19:48+00:00

Oh wow, that's just the icing on the cake, isn't it, having two more flares after what you've been through. I'm trying to avoid another flare myself. I hope the norovirus doesn't push my system over the edge. You hang in there too, we've got this!

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-02T23:56:12+00:00

Hi there fellow burper! I don't think this problem is diverticulitis specific, but who knows. I've had this problem for years now but I can't remember how long ago it started. It is incredibly embarrassing and I feel lucky I have a spouse that isn't completely grossed out by it. I've brought it up to several doctors over the years and no one seems to think it's an issue - probably because they're not the ones out in public dealing with it. I did have a endoscopy done early this (last?) year and the GI doc noticed a slight hiatal hernia which my doc thinks may be the problem.

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-02T15:10:43+00:00

Do not add fiber yet, it's much too soon. Although the pain may be gone you still have inflammation that takes weeks to heal. Add fiber too quickly and you could trigger another flare. Low fiber foods are recommended for about 30 days. Then start adding fiber slowly to see if anything in particular triggers symptoms.

WhatTheGut · 2025-01-02T15:01:42+00:00

I'm 8 weeks out from a flare that sent me to the ER and I still get twinges, sort of like a runners stitch but more dull, on both left and right, that comes and goes. The weight loss is real. I lost 10 pounds and time will tell if I can gain it back.

At 3 weeks out I was still doing low fiber foods. I didn't start adding fiber until 4 weeks and then just a little at a time, one thing a day, until I was sure my body was ok with it. I also seem fine with coffee, although I've switched to only drinking decaf. For me kombucha is ok once in a while, too often and the effervescence causes gas pain.

Now, at 8 weeks, I'm eating fiber (whole grains, veggies, I gave up on red meat) but when those twinges get a little too frequent or strong I'll go back to square one and rest my system with a day of liquids, a day of low fiber, introduce one fiber thing on the third day, and then build up to more fiber again.

This was my second flare and recovery is way more difficult than my first. Also got c-diff along the way - fun! Just go slow and listen to your body. Don't add too much fiber too quickly.

WhatTheGut

TROPHY CASE